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BALIKTARIN ANG TATSULOK

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

TATSULOK, OUR PRESENT STRUCTURAL DISORDER

TATSULOK was the song of the young, composed and performed by young band Buklod during the political transition of the Philippines from oppressive Martial Law to the
restoration of democracy sparked with the murder of Ninoy Aquino in 1983. The song presents structural analysis of oppression beyond changing political colours.
This year 2008, twenty five years later after the restoration of Philippine democracy in 1986 with EDSA non-violent revolution, TATSULOK remains. Another youth band called
Bamboo has revived the song and has re-captivated the young of today crying for social justice.

In the triangular structure called TATSULOK in Tagalog, the few elite continue to live in excessive luxurious life while the majority of the people live in dire poverty. Wealth and
resources such as land and businesses are controlled by the few while the farmers are landless and exploited, and labourers hardly survive with meagre daily wage income.
Power and influence are controlled by self serving politics of patronage and dynasty, while the powerlessness has reduced the many poor into non-persons. Cultural dominance
exalting prestige for the status of the rich, educated, balikbayan and those in power, shapes and dictates mentality and world view, while the rest are discriminated and
underprivileged. TATSULOK is indeed oppressive. It is structure of social injustice perpetuating economic poverty, political patronage, social discrimination, and cultural values
distortion.

The historical roots of TATSULOK are colonial. Spanish, American and Japanese colonial rule brought about local elite benefitting from the system with subservient mass base.
When the colonial masters left the country, the local counterpart took over the reign. The movement of the Philippine revolution for independence declared in 1898 by the
Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio who came from the working class, was snatched by the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo coming from the elite class, who eventually
succumbed to the new American colonial master in order to stay in power. With the execution of Andres Bonifacio brought about by the power struggle exerting dominance of
the elite represented by Emilio Aguinaldo, the course of history has turned its back to the working poor. The struggle of the working poor which led to founding of the Katipunan
borne out of colonial dehumanizing experience and passion for liberation aspiring for liberty, equality and justice, as the original and genuine spirit of the revolution was robbed
by the pretentious local elitist leaders who betrayed them. Thus the oppressive TATSULOK had remained throughout history up to the present serving the interests of the local
elite who are subservient to the continuing colonial powers.

The expansion force of TATSULOK is globalization. When the colonial masters ceased their political rule over the country, their economic business interests remained with the
multi-nationals called neo-colonialism. Now with the advent of information technology, cultural colonialism has taken the form of globalization. As the world is reduced into a
global village with undeniable advantages, globalization has expanded the TATSULOK with the group of eight nations at the top, using two thirds of the worlds resources while
the rest of humanity has been plundered with their natural and human resources to maintain the consumerist industrialized societies. Globalization has brought about the
massive marginalization of the poor with contractualization of labour, import liberalization annihilating the local market economy and privatization of government social services
making them beyond the reach of the majority citizens.
However, TATSULOK is deeply rooted in the local culture of people. The control of wealth, resources and power elevated as prestige and privileged class at the top of the
TATSULOK is supported by a culture of political patronage monopolizing businesses, corrupting education, controlling mass media and enforcing devotional religion. The fiesta
culture serving as anaesthetic entertainment in order to deaden the suffering of the poor aggravated by inefficient and corrupt government, has been effective cultural tool of
the political patronage. Fiesta sponsoring politicians and balikbayans are honoured as crowning and speaker guests. Enlisting politicians as principal sponsors for weddings is
family establishing and maintaining political connections for favours. Solicitations from politicians for family needs, projects and organizations have become a practice
perpetuating corruption, lack of delivery of government projects and services and continuing vote buying.

Prestige seeking and power association-titles have developed into a full blown local culture. Families of politicians are elevated into the prestige honourable class with invented
titles. The wife of a Barangay Captain is accorded with the title Kapitana. The wife of the mayor is revered as Madam or Mayora. Balikbayan has now become a title written
before the name of the person like the other revered profession. The titles of every profession like teacher, engineer, doctor or lawyer are carried out even in communities
outside their office and functions. When the title holders speak out or do something in the community where they should be in equal with the ordinary citizens, they have
greater bearing than the others, while the janitor, farmer, fisherman, labourer or vendor who are not title holder, have no bearing when they say or do something. Titles of the
political patrons and the educated are inhibiting. This is TATSULOK in cultural practice of social relationships.

Education has also reinforced TATSULOK with practices of distinctions, competitions and solicitations. Birthday celebrations in the class or in the school have placed the poor
discriminated against by those who can afford. Donating medals and awarding of scholarship have promoted political grandstanding with imposing tarpaulin advertisement.
Magnifying and measuring achievements with winning competitions have elevated the intelligent and talented over the average and the poor achievers.

POSTED BY ALBERT AT 3:43 AM