Parallels of the Underground and Eventual Counter-Culture Movement: Filipino Artists during the Waning years of Martial Law in the Philippines

 

Image by: Center For Media Freedom & Responsibility 

"The Law Remembers."

On September 23, 1972, former President Ferdinand Marcos declared that the Philippines would be placed under Martial Law, citing the numerous protests and violence of civilians as justification for the proclamation. What was initially said to be for the betterment of the nation went down as one of the darkest periods in Philippine history, especially in terms of media and freedom of speech. 

    Martial Law can be regarded as "an attempt" by the Marcos government to quell resistance and prevent the spread of radical and progressive thoughts that may hinder their absolute power over the nation. Hence why the implementation of strict control over print and broadcast media was imposed to limit the public’s access to information and ideas. 

    However, Martial Law is also remembered as a period where the arts, particularly music, flourished. Music became a tool for protest and songs were used to draw attention towards national issues. Moreover, the Underground & Counter-Culture Movement of artists was at its peak during this time as majority of the operating media was controlled by the Marcoses, which gave rise to the usage of alternative media in helping disseminate information that is being forcefully hidden by the Marcos administration. 

Image by: Pau Aguillera (Manila Bulletin)

    An example of a song that was used politically during Martial Law is Freddie Aguilar's song entitled 'Anak'. During those times when Filipinos are oppressed and restricted, this song resonated with the state’s nationalism. As Martial Law intended to suppress the radical student movements that were prominent in the late 1960s, 'Anak' satirically fed into the Marcoses’ fantasy, of themselves, as parents of a new nation that was being born out of their "revolution from the center"; parents of a prodigal nation and its rebellious youth, now returned to the fold. Aguilar also has another song that became an anthem during Martial law, entitled 'Bayan Ko', which became the rallying song of protest groups, from particular advocacy organizations to student-led groups. Another one is the artist Heber Bartolome who served as a prominent example of a protest musician. Bartolome's song entitled 'Oy Utol, Buto't Balat Ka Na'y Natutulog Ka Pa' is both a representation and dramatization of the conditions of majority of the people during Martial Law and speaks volumes about hunger, anguish, repression, pain, and fear that was prevalent at the time.

Image by: Cinemalaya.org & Amazon

    

    Of course, there are also those media aside from music that was used to propagate truth during Martial Law. Such is the film called 'Manila By Night' by Ishmael Bernal. The film showed a stark depiction of Manila’s underbelly and the characters that operate in it; portraying the capital city as anything but true, good, and beautiful. 'The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos (Biography)' book by Carmen Navarro Pedrosa also shed light and revealed the "alleged" magnitude of the former First Lady’s extravagance during the Martial Law period. Though it was immediately banned, understandably considering the substance of the publication. 

    Many would agree that Martial Law has done horrible things to both the nation and its countrymen that would forever leave an indelible scar, and although it is remembered as a dark age in Philippine history where overt political action was no longer possible, it still, however, gave rise to creative means of expressing dissent and exploring social problems through the people's use of alternative media and the counter-culture movement that paved the way for a plethora of means to voice out one's right/s in today's generation. And now that a new Marcos is seated in the highest position in the country, we have to wait and see whether there will be another rise of a more powerful underground and counter-culture movement in today's vocally-open society... if necessary, that is. 

Reference/s Used:

IPOPHIL. (2019). Art in Revolt: 5 Artistic and Literary Works Banned During Martial Law. Retrieved from https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/news/art-in-revolt-5-artistic-and-literary-works-banned-during-martial-law/?fbclid=IwAR3R_jqpG-skkcJPenr9f9kgBly4R9_pUV_BL60ouHcgcWnuXIzL2k-H2N4

Saban, Bea. (n.d.). Filipinas Heritage Library: Martial Law and Music. Retrieved from https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/himig/martial-law-and-music/?fbclid=IwAR1_l6m0LduEGFhH0_O7zzCXLtYvbbUVWgeQdghnpzW_jwNwraU7zGXrPJg

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An Allegory of Self-Portrait & Painting: A Commentary on Artemisia Gentileschi - The Image of the Female Hero in Italian Baroque Art

 

Image by: ARTnews

"The Image of the Female Hero in 

Italian Baroque Art"

Artemisia Gentileschi is no novice when it comes to using undertones in her artworks. Her days as an artist was laced with events that can fill a room of paintings in terms of subject and reference. But what made Artemisia stand out among her peers is not her extraordinary skill in brushwork, but rather how she controls the narrative of each of her works. 

        The title of the article eludes to the deeper meaning behind the work of art of Artemisia, that is — her life. While painters and artists choose the “subject” of their work/painting, Artemisia “allegedly” fell victim to her father’s professional opportunism which baited her to be the living and realistic primary subject of what majority of the artworks portrayed before — commodification and sexual oppression of women. Though what happened to Artemisia was beyond her control and can even be said to have drawn inspiration to many of her now critically acclaimed works of art, one thing is for sure — she changed the trajectory of her life and took control of the narrative through art and the conveyance of her brushwork in each canvas. 

    In the early twentieth century, an Italian art historian regarded Artemisia as “the only woman in Italy who ever understood what painting was, both colors, impasto, and other essentials". It is worth noting that women are the predominant subject of artworks during this time, and usually it is the men who portray and impose their perspective of what a woman "is" and "should" be like. This kind of thing may have affected the public's outlook on Artemisia being one of the few female artists during this time as she and her works, according to the critics, "are outraged proto-feminist, with even her early art expressing enraged resistance which equates to anachronistic."

    Despite these negative outlooks upon women, Artemisia herself still admits and recognizes that being a woman offered her a positively rare perspective and authority on many artistic subjects; she embraced her womanhood and used it to further give life to her works. According to her words, “you will find the spirit of Caesar in the soul of a woman". And true enough, majority of her works are subverting a well-known traditional subject and empowering women in a way that hasn’t been done before as she and her life's journey is proof of just how strong she is in overcoming her life's demons as she used it instead as a stepping stone to further pursue her dream — art and painting. 

Image by: Corfield Morris

    Over the years, Artemisia claimed women’s resistance to sexual oppression as a legitimate subject of art. This may or may not be a way of her showing anguish or vindictiveness over the rape incident that happened to her. Though many claimed that the fact of having been raped was significant to Artemisia’s sense of self and works, I beg to disagree as what Artemisia showcased did not revolve around rape, but rather was a triumph of overcoming the boundaries that this incident have brought upon her; it is a movement that seeks to open the eyes of the people to a much greater cause other than the stigma of her being raped. 

    Art is conveyed to create meaning; while here, meaning in itself was the art. What people see on the surface of Artemisia's work is only the tip of a much larger iceberg as each brushstroke and use of colors adheres to meanings that cannot be easily perceived if one is a narrow-minded person. Hence why Artemisia wasn't celebrated much during her time because she, like most of her works, was ahead of her time, which makes it no wonder that her art is only gaining more traction now compared to before as she is undoubtedly timeless in both art and meaning. Art is often done to depict a message or meaning, but in Artemisia's work, it is considered a collection of a body of art that depicts a story in each piece of art (just as music is to albums). This is why as scholars discover and assembles more of her works, it slowly gives us a glimpse of a bigger picture in the mind of Artemisia. 

    A line that struck me before suddenly popped up in my head as I continued reading the article: "Art was never meant to be understood"; perhaps, coincidentally, Artemisia was also misunderstood as she herself and her life is a complex piece of art that was never intended for her peers but was rather meant for the future generations that are more exposed to different societal perspective and ideals. Such insight makes Artemisia feel, four hundred years after she lived, like one of our more self-aware contemporaries; it was as if she was "liberated by disgrace" as they so-called it.

    From a mere subject of art, Artemisia’s fuller picture can now be considered a movement that far surpasses the Baroque era to which Artemisia once belonged in. "Once belonged" as she and her works transcend the webs that the past era had weaved in an attempt to chain down her meaning and art. She may be gone physically, but the meaning of her life lives on and will continue to live on through her art. This is her life, a fuller picture might I say.

Reference Used:

Mead, R. (2020). A Fuller Picture of Artemisia Gentileschi. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/10/05/a-fuller-picture-of-artemisia-gentileschi?fbclid=IwAR2aDTVvJUH6u1wkEmkgfXU3-eS3ecKQYWDWYtmAkwXbFJnEyW5srNPjKg8

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Thailand's Lèse Majesté: Jatupat Boonpattararaksa

Image by: REUTERS

"Repeal Lèse Majesté. Criminal Code Section 112" 

Thailand's Lèse-Majesté Law is said to be among the strictest law in the world as it forbids the insult of the monarchy. And as the years go by, this law continues to be increasingly enforced especially when the Thai military took power in the year 2014 when a coup occurred. Ever since then, many people have been punished with harsh jail sentences even just by committing a tiny, small mistake that jabs at the monarchy.

   

     The Lèse Majesté law in Thailand represents a gross attack on the freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and academic freedom. It is also a fundamental attack on democracy carried out by the military, the palace, and elites. For Thailand, lèse majesté is a very sensitive topic for them and most people in Thailand prefer not to talk about it.

        Under section 112 of Thailand's penal code, "anyone convicted of defaming, insulting, or threatening the king, queen, heir, or regent shall face between 3 to 15 years in prison on, take note, each count."

Image of Jatupat Boonpattararaksa in jail for Lèse Majesté after sharing a profile of King Maha Vajiralongkorn written by the BBC news agency on his Facebook account.

        One of the most high-profile cases of lèse majesté in Thailand involves Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, a student activist and human rights defender that is also known as "Pai Dao Din". He was an outspoken scholiast of the military regime before he was convicted of "liking" and "sharing" a Facebook post linking to a BBC Thai biography of his majesty the king. He was originally sentenced to more than two and a half years but was reduced by half after he confessed. 

        Eventually, he and the other "yellowshirts" — which is a Thai movement protesting against Thaksin Shinawatra and his successors — were granted bail by the King and were released after 6 months of being in prison. In this case, it is obvious why Pai was arrested but around 2,000 others who also liked and shared the same article were not. This is exactly why researchers and the UN says that the lèse majesté law should be revised so that it is less vague and less prone to be used as a political tool. 

Reference/s Used:

BBC News. (2017). Lese-majeste explained: How Thailand forbids insult of its royalty. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29628191

Global Freedom of Expression. (n.d.). Public Prosecutor v. Jatupat Boonpattararaksa aka Pai Dao Din. Retrieved from https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/public-prosecutor-v-jatupat-boonpattararaksa-aka-pai-dao-din/

The ASEAN Post. (2020). What Is Thailand's '112' Royal Defamation Law? Retrieved from https://theaseanpost.com/article/what-thailands-112-royal-defamation-law

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Restriction in Freedom of the Press & Assembly: Situation of the Press in Brunei

 

Image by: Open World Magazine

"Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy." 

 

Though often considered as a nice tourist and attraction spot, Brunei is actually severely strict in controlling its media as freedom of the press and any form of assembly which exceeds 10 people are prohibited and restricted. Even with the prominence of new media, any form of online speech made by the public is under surveillance and is heavily monitored by the authorities to ensure that everyone is complying with the law imposed by Brunei regarding the use of media, and is also within the limits of the imposed rule relating to open-speech. 

 

        The situation of the press in Brunei is neither diverse nor free. The private press is more often than not controlled by the Sultan’s family in order to implement mass media repression that will deprive millions of journalists of their own rights. Censorship is also prevalent when covering news regarding politics and religion in the country. The Sultan's decision in implementing this kind of treatment towards the press comes as no surprise as he wants to exercise his executive power and show dominance by being the ruler of both the people and the press. By controlling the media, he can also control the public as he can use the media to influence their way of thinking and perspective towards various things. 

        It is evident through the testaments of journalists who live in Brunei that the authorities are very strict in any activities that might trigger freedom of the press and any sort of assembly from media practitioners. In fact, there are sanctions that await those who violate the press rule in the Sultanate. Another worth mentioning is that any comments that could be interpreted as blasphemy or criticism of the Sultanate shall result in extreme punishment and harsh infliction to the individual as Brunei do not tolerate any opinions or news report that will put a bad light on the government and its ruler; hence why every media outlet is strictly governed by the Brunei government. Publishing any content that adversely affects the prominence of the "National Philosophy” of Brunei is punishable by three years in prison under the sedition law. 

        As if the aforementioned punishment is not enough, the government officials in Brunei strictly imposed the "Brunei Defamation Act" which punishes libel or slander by means of "broadcasting, telecommunication, or publication by a newspaper." In layman's terms, whoever defames another can be imprisoned for a term of up to 5 years and a fine regardless of one's own agenda in creating that certain media post. This means that one single mistake can cost you your freedom in Brunei, thus, instilling in the mind of the people there that it is better to not create and post any opinion or news at all and just "go with the flow" of how the government wants the news to be portrayed in the public. Though this is wrong in all aspects, we cannot really blame the majority of the people who choose to remain silent over being silenced. We can only hope that as the media continues to evolve, may the voices of the people ring louder and break the chain of media oppression along with it.

Image by: New Naratif

Reference/s Used:

BBC News. (2019). Brunei Profile - Media. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12990064

Freedom House. (2022). Brunei. Retrieved from https://freedomhouse.org/country/brunei/freedom-world/2022

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Plight and Fight: A Cursory Look on the Rohingya Refugee Crisis

 

Image by: BBC News

"The Rohingya issue should be seen in humanitarian crisis rather than an issue of religious belief."

In Myanmar, Rohingya is an ethnic minority group who, despite living for many generations, is not recognized as an official ethnic group and have been numerously denied the right of citizenship since 1982, making them hold the title of the "world's largest stateless population". But despite their decades of suffering from inequality, violence, discrimination, and persecution in Myanmar, their largest trial and exodus happened in August of 2017 after a massive attack of violence came pouring out from all directions in Myanmar's state — causing a large number of its people to seek refuge.

In 1982 after Myanmar's independence from Britain, a new citizenship law was passed, rendering the Rohingya stateless, and this law is called the "Union Citizenship Act". The Rohingya is an ethnic group, the majority of whom are Muslim, and have lived for centuries in the majority of Buddhist Myanmar. Discriminatory policies of Myanmar’s government since the late 1970s have compelled hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya to flee their homes.

The government of Myanmar is a predominantly Buddhist country and since Rohingya are Muslims, they are denied citizenship and even excluded from the 2014 census; refusing to not only recognize them as citizens but as well as refusing to view them as a human. It portrayed them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh which is why they are obviously and openly discriminated against by their own country. In Myanmar, practicing the Rohingya's religious freedom will lead to being discriminated against since they are living in a country that practices Buddhism. This is why the former head of the nation, Aung San Suu Kyi, is facing allegations that she has failed to address and speak out about violence against the Rohingyas during her term. 

Image by: TIME

The Rohingyas are still facing such predicaments even up to this day, and as a citizen of another nation, one can't help but wish for the best for the majority of Rohingyas. Their crisis is more than just a religious debacle, but rather a humanitarian problem of national concern. But still... whether we like it or not, we are still spectators of this issue as we are not directly involved with Myanmar's national concerns. And although many people from all over the world expressed their willingness to help, it would still be difficult to unite a fractured Myanmar if their own country would remain motionless and tone-deaf towards the issue happening in their land; as they say, it takes two to tango. 

Reference Used:

BBC News. (2020). Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561

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Territorial Disputes: ASEAN vs China and The Code of Conduct of South China Sea

 

Image by: East Asia Forum

"A struggle among countries in the area for sovereignty"   

    In a battle for territory, no country will back down especially if the said land has a bounty of resources that would be of big benefit to one's country. But... just how do we determine and rule if an island belongs to a specific country or not?

        The dispute between the ASEAN members and China over the South China Sea has been going on for decades. The South China Sea is undeniably one of the busiest waters (if not, the busiest of all) since most of the trading of resources from countries took place on the said land. Additionally, South China Sea is a habitat for many species and is considered "wealthy and prosperous" when it comes to resources and organisms. That's why it shouldn't be a surprise that countries are fighting for the territory. But among all those claimants — who has the right to own the South China Sea?

        The ASEAN first got involved in the South China Sea issues back in 1992 when the country Vietnam — which wasn't a member of the ASEAN during those times — had a dispute with China over oil exploration activities in the area. Then after 2 years, in 1994, China yet again got themselves into a dispute, but this time with the Philippines as China occupied the Mischief Reef which was a Philippine-claimed area. And hence, that was when the ASEAN decided to draft the first Code Of Conduct in hopes to solve the South China Sea disputes; but sadly, it actually took the ASEAN members nearly five years to unanimously agree on the draft that they would make.

            By that time, China also made its own draft. Both the ASEAN and China agreed to consolidate their drafts into a final paper, but the problem is that there were four (4) major areas of agreement namely the (1) geographic scope, (2) restrictions on construction on occupied and unoccupied features, (3) military activities in waters adjacent to the Spratly islands, and (4) policies concerning detainment of fishermen found in disputed waters. What the ASEAN members thought was the only disagreement regarding the South China Sea was actually only the beginning of a long history of arguments and conflict between the countries.

Cartoon by: P4RESH"

        China insists on solving the problem and disputes bilaterally by the countries directly concerned and involved. That seems fair as the problem should really only be solved by those who are embroiled in the said issue. But the problem is that China has its own set of rules on what's "right" and "wrong". If they believe that they are right, then they will push through with that idea regardless of who will be affected. This resulted in the ASEAN to long sought obtain China's consent for a COC or "Code of Conduct" in regards to the claims in the South China Sea so that they can prevent any claimants from using force or threats to advance their claims on the highly coveted territory.

        Though slow, progress is still evident. In 2002, ASEAN members and China signed a non-binding political statement known as the "Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" that would further promote peace and stability in the region. But even amidst the creation of multiple drafts of COC and DOCP, conflicts will still inevitably arise regarding the South China Sea as the countries involved are both hungry for power and dominance; in this case, the victor has yet to be determined.

 

Reference Used:

Global Conflict Tracker. (2022). Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/territorial-disputes-south-china-sea

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Feminism in the 'Legally Blonde' Movie

"You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."

Women — blondes in particular — have been subjected to the portrayal of being dumb and unintelligent in films and movies. Whether it's for entertainment or comedic purposes, the mere fact that women are being depicted as human beings lower than men is alarming as it can instill a false narrative in the public who watches movies with these kinds of themes. Surprisingly though, "Legally Blonde" used these misogynistic remarks about a blonde woman and created a satirical film that not only pokes fun and these nonsensical opinions about women but as well as making a statement that women are of equal status to men.

        In "Legally Blonde", the main protagonist was seen as very popular in her area, and she was even the leader of a sorority, making all the other girls idolize her. This particular aspect in the movie creates a "false hope" for many young women as it can influence them into believing that achieving such popularity that the protagonist has can lead to a better life and treatment for blonde women. Not just blondes but women as a whole are all most likely portrayed as dumb in movies which results in people perceiving them as so even though they are not all stupid. 

        The movie hinted at many signs and images that were undoubtedly very offensive to women. As the film progresses though, the lead character, Elle, showed some character development. She was once determined to get and win her man back, but now, she is determined to win and make it through Harvard for herself. This arc in the movie can serve as an eye-opener to other women who are in the same position as Elle to stand up for themselves and also change their way of thinking and how they view their self-worth. The movie that I once thought was another movie that promotes stereotyping of women, became an empowering feminist movie that highlights and shows that women should take no trash from men — to be independent and show the world that they too can keep up with men, no matter how difficult the challenge maybe. 

        Judith Butler, a theorist, argues that women have been "lumped" together in a group with shared characteristics and interests, and this actually limits their capacity to choose their own abilities. Now, when we say feminism, this pertains to fighting for women's rights and standing up for them. But even so, regulating the true meaning of feminism would be hard to dissect as it can be derived and interpreted by many according to how they want to perceive it. That's why even though this movie and many more female empowerment movies are fighting for feminism, it still mustn't limit the qualities a woman should have because that would only be another way of oppression that the men have been doing to women for years.

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