I AGREE with Kristian Cordero’s piece on critical analysis of history. “An kaipuhan ta iyo na masabotan ta an kasaysayan ta sigun sa kun pano kita katakod kan nakaagi asin pano niyato aatubangon an mga masunod na aldaw”. By critically analysing history we can avoid the dirt and evil that created such history. If the students or readers of history are unwilling to support this concept, as what is happening in the Philippines, the writers can then fill the void by writing literature that can lift up the consciousness of the nation. As Mr. Cordero said:

        “Ini an kaipuhan ta asin sa ngonyan, kun sain mahihiling ta an saro pang paghiling sa kasaysayan ta bilang sarong banwaan”. By reading literary works, we can critically analyse our past, as Mr. Cordero pointedly wrote: “Ini an punto gayod na kaipuhan niyatong linawon, na sa paagi kan paghiling niyato kan mga bagay na luma, mapaghorop-horopan niyato na an satuyang nakaagi, igwang mga karakter na tawo na nasasala man, na igwa man darakula nganing pagkakasala, alagad igwa man sindang mga karahayan”.

        Dr. Jose Rizal wrote wonderful literary characters that raised the consciousness of the people and he paid dearly but in the end we have a living (and struggling) democratic country. I often wondered what would happen if the Rosales Saga by Sionil F. Jose becomes a required reading along with Noli and Fili in senior high school. Would these books encourage the young minds to think critically of their state of affairs and resolving to imitate the logic of Isagani or the juvenile brashness of Pepe Samson and putting the fear on the oppressors still operating freely in the Philippines? Or will they look at these books as another academic requirement that someone needs to memorize the dates, places and name of characters and concluding that beliefs and high ideals are only for the rich? If it’s the later, then it will become: “mayong serbi an pagsurat, magigin sana ining maimon na ekspresyon ka sarong parasurat”, as Mr. Cordero rightly said. Although, I firmly believe Bicolanos are not stupid they are just poor. They should be given the chance to make a free choice and make distinction.

        When Upton Sinclair wrote the Jungle, which described an immigrant’s wretched work in a canning factory in the old Chicago, the readers who were appalled by that moving description, demanded and made changes to the life and work of the industrial working people of America. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck played a big role in making the life of agricultural workers of America much better. The unforgettable moving story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe troubled the soul of American North that paved the way to the emancipation of black slaves, after of course a bloody civil war. If you move a little farther back in Europe, writers in Europe also changed the face of their history, for example, Charles Dickens’ description of that little poor boy in London. Karl Marx’s manifesto on distribution of wealth and Martin Luther’s position on right and wrong are great works that really motivated the nation(s), or half of earth’s population until now.

        People’s revulsion against something despicable can be summarized in this beautiful line from Winston Churchill’s history about the firs world war: “The rebellious whispers of conscience became the proclaimed opinion of millions”.

        Sige Mr. Cordero, magsurat ka (ning Bicol) ta kaipuhan niyato na gabaon an mga daeng datang sistema asin dae ta pagtakupan an mga daeng supug na poderosong tawo. An kaipuhan niyato igwa ning tulay tanganing mapaglinkodan an buhay asin an banwaan.



Manny Ilao
Vancouver, Canada