AFRI

ENDI
NNEEDI
SAFRI
ENDI
NDEED:
ACRYFORRESI
LIENCYI
NTI
MESOFDI
FFI
CULTY

Adecadeagowaswhent
hel
astt
imeIsawhi
sface.Inev
ert
houghtt
hat
hewoul
dreachsuchdest
iny
.Adesi
rel
urki
ngdeepwi
thi
nmewi
shi
nghewoul
d
nothav
eper
ishedi
naf
ateuni
magi
nabl
etomany
,dy
ingi
nasadf
orm ofr
eal
i
ty.
HowIhopeandt
hi otofwhati
nkal fsandwhatcoul
dhav
ebeens,butnomat
ter
whatt
hought
sIcoul
dconj
ure,hi
sli
feandt
hel
i
vesofhi
sfami
l
yandf
ri
endswi
l
l
nev
erbet
hesameagai
n.

Thear
medst
ruggl
eofcommuni
standt
err
ori
stgr
oupsr
eal
l
yhast
oll
ed
t
hel
i
vesofmany
.AndIcannotf
athom t
hesev
eri
tyoft
henews.Mal
vi
nwasnot
j
ustamer
ecl
assmat
einel
ement
arybuthewasmybestf
ri
end.Ourr
oadsnev
er
cr
ossedagai
naf
tert
hesi
xthgr
ade.Hi
ghschoolpassedandcol
l
egecame,we
bot
hwentt
oUPi
ndi
ff
erentcampuses.Li
tt
ledi
dIknow t
hatt
hepat
hhet
ook
i
nsi
de t
he uni
ver
sit
ywas somet
hing t
hatgr
eat
lyi
nfl
uenced hi
s bel
i
efsand
pr
inci
ples—wel
l
,thi
sli
kel
yhappenst
oev
ery
onei
nUP,
asf
ormeIwasf
asci
nat
ed
wi
tht
hepar
ami
l
itar
ynat
ureand t
heser
iousnessofUPROTC,t
hatIt
ooki
t
si
ncer
elyandpr
oceededt
oent
erami
l
itar
yacademy
.AsonceaUPst
udent
,I
hav
ewi
tnessed al
otofev
ent
swhi
cht
alkaboutt
heconst
antf
ightagai
nst
mal
pract
ices,wr
ongdoi
ngs,i
nequal
i
ties,andespeci
all
yfort
her
ight
soft
he
Fi
l
ipi
nopeopl
e.Iadmi
ret
hegr
itandt
hemor
alcour
ageoft
hest
udent
-act
ivi
stsi
n
hel
ping t
hemi
nor
it
yand i
ntackl
i
ng soci
ali
ssues,becausesomet
imest
hey
pr
ovi
desol
uti
onst
othepr
obl
ems—t
hei
rvoi
cesar
eusedf
orgood,r
epr
esent
ing
t
heunder
-pr
ivi
l
eged,put
ti
ngapl
atf
ormt
hatt
hegov
ernmentwi
l
lnot
ice.Many
hav
etr
aver
sedt
hispat
handcont
inuedt
oinf
luenceal
otofpeopl
ethr
oughgood
deedsandpubl
i
cser
vice.Somear
ever
yunf
ort
unat
etohav
efacedat
wist
ed
j
our
neycomi
ngf
rom t
hisgr
eatoppor
tuni
tyoff
reeexpr
essi
on.AndIcoul
dn’
tbe
sadderwi
thwhathappenedt
oMal
vi
n.Wewer
eadv
ent
urousbacki
ntheday
s,
shar
ingt
hesamel
ovef
orourcount
ry,
andapassi
onf
orl
ear
ning;
Icanr
emember
hi
sjol
l
yandf
unat
ti
tude,
andt
hei
ntel
l
ectt
hathehas:howhequest
ionedal
otof
t
hings,
ponder
ingaboutt
hewonder
sofl
i
fe,
ofpeopl
e,andoft
her
eal
i
ty.TheCPP
-
NPA-
NDFhasexpl
oit
edhi
sper
sonal
i
ty,usi
nghi
mfort
hei
rcauses,t
hei
rfi
ght
.It
wasnotsupposedt
obehi
sfi
ght
.Hewasmeantf
ormor
ethanj
ustt
hat
.Despi
te
al
lthese,
Icannotbl
amehi
m.Ibl
amewhathef
oughtf
or;
Ibl
amei
tfordest
roy
ing
hi
m;Ibl
amei
tforj
ustl
ett
inghi
m di
e;Ibl
amei
tforl
eav
inghi
m behi
nd.

Al
l
owmet
otel
lyoumor
eoft
hest
oryoft
hef
ri
endshi
pthatwasf
orgedi
n
asenseoft
hei
nnocenceofoury
out
h.Wewer
eyoung,
butourmi
ndswer
enot
.I
coul
dsaywedor
eal
l
yhav
ethatur
geofhav
ingquest
soft
heunknown,oft
he
i
mpossi
bil
i
ties,andoft
hev
astuni
ver
se.Att
heedgeofourf
ledgl
i
ngage,we
al
readyknewt
hehar
sht
rut
hsoft
hewor
ld—t
hatweneedt
odogoodi
nor
dert
o
t
hri
vei
nthi
sunf
airsoci
ety
,thatweneedt
otapont
hati
nner
mostpot
ent
ialt
hat
t
heel
der
swoul
dal
way
stel
lus,
ref
err
ingt
othebehav
iorandt
hei
ntel
l
ectt
hatwe
possesswhi
chwer
enott
oocommonf
orki
ds.Wemetdur
ingt
hesecondgr
ade,
became so cl
ose t
hatwe ev
en i
magi
ned we wer
e dest
ined t
o be her
oes
somet
ime i
n t
he f
utur
e,at some poi
nt ev
en pr
etendi
ng t
o hav
ereal
super
power
s—Ihav
ingt
hesmar
tsasswi
ftast
hewi
ndsandhehav
ingempat
hy
f
oral
lthi
ngsj
ustl
i
ket
heear
th.Thatoney
earwasanepi
cadv
ent
ure;al
as,Iam
now t
heonl
yonewhor
emember
sit
.Thi
rdgr
adeandf
our
thgr
adewer
eal
i
ttl
e
dul
lwi
thouthi
m bei
ngmycl
assmat
easIhadbeenpr
omot
edear
li
ert
othest
ar
sect
ion,
butt
imewasj
ustav
ari
abl
eashehadmadehi
sbestaswel
landwemet
agai
ndur
ingt
hef
if
thgr
ade,andi
ntheend,af
tersi
xthgr
ade,weev
engr
aduat
ed
att
hev
eryt
opi
nat
housandpopul
ati
onofst
udent
s.Asmal
lvi
ctor
ybutt
hishad
pav
edourmat
uri
tyandourpat
hs.Ist
il
lremembert
hemoment
sinwhi
chwe
coul
dtal
kov
erandov
eragai
naboutt
hingsnott
ypi
calt
oourf
ell
ows:whent
he
ot
her
swoul
djustknowaboutt
het
abl
eofmul
ti
pli
cat
ion,
wewer
eal
readyf
indi
ng
outt
hemi
ssi
ngangl
esofat
ri
angl
eusi
ngt
heor
emsandpost
ulat
es;whent
he
ot
her
swoul
djustpl
ainl
yseet
hel
i
ghtr
aysoft
hesun,
weal
readyknewi
tisast
ar;
whent
heot
her
swi
sht
obuyt
hei
rfav
ori
tet
oys,wewer
eal
readyt
hinki
ngabout
how manychi
l
drencoul
dnoteatatl
eastt
hreet
imesaday
,abouthow al
otof
f
armer
sar
ebei
ngv
iol
atedoutoft
hel
andst
heyt
il
ledf
orages,abouthow t
he
negl
i
genceoft
he r
esponsi
blesect
orsi
sunst
oppabl
eint
ermsofpr
ovi
ding
accessi
bleheal
thcar
eandot
herbasi
cri
ght
soft
heFi
l
ipi
noci
ti
zens.Icansaywe
wer
enotf
ort
hest
aget
hatwear
einbutweendur
edi
t.Wesepar
atedourway
s
butwest
il
lai
medt
hesame:t
odot
hegood,
tobet
hebestv
ersi
onsofour
sel
ves,
andt
oreacht
hegr
eat
estoft
hehei
ght
s—casual
l
yaski
ngeachot
herofour
r
espect
ivedi
sposi
ti
oni
nli
fe.Iwashappyt
oknowwewer
ebot
hdoi
ngwhatwe
want
,anddeepl
yIknowwewer
edoi
ngi
tfort
hewhol
eoft
heFi
l
ipi
nos.Tr
uthf
ull
y,
Iam ascr
it
icalasmyf
ri
end,Mal
vi
n,wheni
tcomest
osoci
etali
ssues;whenI
knew t
hathewasusi
nghi
msel
fasat
oolt
obr
ingf
ort
hideasandsol
uti
onsf
or
t
hepr
obl
emst
hatt
hecount
ryi
sfaci
ng,Idi
dnotdoubthi
m abi
t.Iknowt
hathe
wasf
ight
ingf
orsomet
hingt
hatwasr
ealandr
ight
.Ij
ustdi
dnotexpectt
hatt
he
nextt
hingt
hatIwi
l
lseewashi
sli
fel
essbodyi
naphot
o—andmyhear
tbr
eak
coul
dnev
erbeexpl
ained,
justl
i
key
ouwoul
dn’
tknowt
hef
eel
i
ngi
nthedeepestof
v
olcanoesandl
i
vet
otel
lthet
ale.Ther
ewassomet
hingt
hatwentwr
ongi
nal
lof
t
hese;
butIwi
l
lnotdi
scr
edi
tmybestf
ri
endbecausewhathedi
dwasnotf
orsel
f-
f
ulf
il
lment
,ashedi
edknowi
ngt
hathef
oughtf
orhi
scount
rymen.Andt
hati
s
whatmat
ter
sthemost
.Buti
nal
lsi
tuat
ions,
wemustseet
oitt
hatwepi
npoi
ntal
l
t
hel
oophol
es,
andi
naway
,fi
ndt
hef
it
ti
nganswer
s.Fort
hisi
stheonet
hingt
hat
coul
dhel
panyf
utur
eMal
vi
n.Whenatsev
ent
een,heal
readyhadbeenact
ivei
n
st
reet
swi
thhi
spl
atf
orms,Iknew hewasj
ustpr
act
ici
ngcr
it
icalt
hinki
ng;and
ev
ery
onei
sencour
agedt
obeact
ivebecausei
tisnor .ButwhenTi
mal taandTi
to
sai
dhewasnol
ongercomi
nghome;t
hiswaswher
ethebadst
ared.Iwasnot
t
t
her
e,andIam v
erysor
ry.Whenhear
medhi
msel
f;i
twaswheni se.I
twentwor
coul
dhav
ereachedev
ent
het
ini
estpl
i
ghti
nyourmi
ndt
oswayandconv
incey
ou
awayf
rom t
hei
mpendi
ngdoom t
hatwasaboutt
ohappen,
butIwassocl
uel
ess.
Ther
ewasnot
hingwor
stf
rom whenhi
sfami
l
yconf
ir
medandcl
aimedhi
sli
fel
ess
.AndIwast
body ool
ate.TheCommuni
stPar
tyoft
hePhi
l
ippi
nes,t
heNew
Peopl
e’
s Ar
my,and t
he Nat
ionalDemocr
ati
c Fr
ontar
e weapons whi
ch ar
e
neededt
obedul
l
ed,
mel
ted,
ander
adi
cat
edf
ort
heybr
ingt
hiski
ndofdest
ruct
ion
t
oal
ltheuni
tsofsoci
et.Thel
y astmessagey
ousentwast
haty
ouhav
egood
newsabouty
out
haty
ouhopedwoul
dbet
hesamef
ormet
oo.ButMal
vi
n,Iwon’
t
know abouti
tany
mor
e.I
tcoul
dhav
ebeenbet
teri
fyouwer
eal
i
ve.Ihopey
ou
won’
ttaket
hisi
nabadway
.ButIdonotwantanot
herst
oryj
ustl
i
ket
his.Idon’
t
bl
amey
ou.Butwecoul
dnotl
etany
thi
ngl
i
ket
hist
ohappenagai
n.Pl
ease,j
ust
t
rustme—l
i
kewewer
ebef
oreal
lthewi
ckedt
hingsi
nourl
i
ves.Somet
imes,I
r
eal
l
ydohopewehadsi
mpl
ermi
nds,
andal
loft
hesewoul
dnothav
ehappened.I
wi
shy
oual
lthepeace,
mydearf
ri
end.

Act
ivi
sm andt
err
ori
sm coul
dnotbet
hesamet
hing.Howev
er,concer
ning
t
heAnt
i-
Ter
ror
ism Actof2020,ev
ent
hesi
mpl
estactofdi
ssentagai
nstt
he
gov
ernmentandt
headmi
nist
rat
ioncanconst
it
utet
oanof
fenset
hatwoul
dmean
j
ail
-t
imeandper
secut
ion.Nev
ert
hel
ess,t
hisl
aw pr
ovi
desasaf
ekeept
othe
democr
acyt
hatwel
ongpr
act
ice:noti
nhi
bit
ingt
her
ight
soft
hepeopl
etof
reel
y
expr
esst
hei
rspeech,
adv
ocacy
,orpr
otest
,unl
esst
hesaf
etyoft
hepeopl
eisput
att
hepedest
alofr
iskanddanger
.Thequest
ioni
s,howcoul
dwedef
inewhati
sa
ser
ious r
iskorwhati
s not
?Nat
ionalsecur
it
yspeci
ali
sts woul
d ar
gue t
hat
act
ivi
sm i
snott
err
ori
sm;butsomegov
ernmentl
eader
sfeart
hef
actt
hatany
f
orm ofdi
ssenti
ster
ror
ism t
othepr
esentadmi
nist
rat
ion.Thi
slaw pr
esent
s
compl
exi
ti
es,andmy
riadspacesf
ormur
kyar
easbuti
tspeci
fi
cal
l
yai
mst
o
pr
otectusbyhav
ingl
egalact
ionsagai
nstt
her
ampantt
err
ori
sm l
ong-
dwel
l
ingi
n
t
hemi
dstofouri
nter
nalsecur
it
y.Young,smar
t,hopef
uli
ndi
vi
dual
sjoi
ningt
he
opposi
ngf
orcesasadv
ersar
iesagai
nstt
hegov
ernmenti
swhatl
edt
heseki
nds
ofl
awt
obeenact
ed.Ther
eisnot
hingwr
ongwheny
ouf
ightf
orwhaty
oubel
i
eve
i
sri
ght
,buti
tisofdi
ff
erentst
orywheny
oucastuponast
onet
hef
ormal
i
tyof
y
ouract
ionst
otr
ampl
edownt
hegov
ernmentbecauset
hel
att
erev
adest
hev
ery
t
hingt
haty
oudesi
ref
ory
our
sel
fandf
ort
hegoodoft
hemany
.Thi
sact
ionwi
l
l
nev
erbeasol
uti
on,
andt
hewor
stcasescenar
iowoul
dbey
ourl
i
fecoul
dendup
l
i
kewhathappenedt
omybestf
ri
end.Hemi
ghthav
edi
edaher
otohi
scomr
ades,
buti
tdi
dnotsol
veanyofourcount
ry’
spr
obl
ems.I
thur
tsmedeepl
ytot
alkofhi
s
namei
nthi
smannerbutt
her
eisnot
hinggoodwi
tht
hebendedpr
inci
plesoft
he
communi
stor
gani
zat
iont
hathewasi
n.I
twasher
oism i
nthewr
ongspect
rum,
andanot
herpr
eci
ousl
i
feputt
owast
e.

Weneedher
oest
hatwoul
dser
venotj
ustt
hepr
ivi
l
egedandnotj
ustt
he
mi
nor
it
ybutt
hewhol
eoft
heFi
l
ipi
nopeopl
e.Weneedher
oest
hatwoul
dpr
otect
anduphol
dthePhi
l
ippi
neconst
it
uti
onandi
tsnat
ionali
nter
est
s.Weneedher
oes
t
hatwoul
dsecur
ethesov
erei
gnt
yoft
hest
ateandt
hei
ntegr
it
yoft
henat
ional
t
err
it
ory
.Weneedher
oest
hatwoul
dbepr
epar
edt
odef
endagai
nstaggr
essi
on,
combatt
err
ori
sm,and deci
siv
elyand swi
ft
lywi
nin combat
,def
eat
ing t
he
enemi
esoft
hecount
ry.Weneedher
oest
hatwoul
dpr
ovi
desuppor
ttot
he
gov
erni
ngaut
hor
it
ies.Weneedher
oest
hatwoul
dful
fi
llt
hei
rresponsi
bil
i
ties
becausei
tist
hei
rnonnegot
iabl
econt
ractandconst
it
uti
onalobl
i
gat
iont
othe
Fi
l
ipi
nonat
ion.Thi
sist
heher
oism t
hatweal
lneed,andt
hisi
swhatwecansee
upont
hesol
dier
sofourar
medf
orces.Andasaf
utur
ear
myof
fi
cermy
sel
f,Ij
ust
wantt
oemphasi
zet
hatt
hesewi
l
lser
veasmypur
poseandmycommi
tmentt
o
t
heFi
l
ipi
nopeopl
easwel
l
.HowIwi
shIcoul
dtur
nbackt
imeandhopet
hatmy
bestf
ri
endwoul
dchannelhi
sleader
shi
ptot
hesamej
our
neyt
hatIt
rav
ersed
i
nst
eadofwhathechoset
odo.Wi
thoutt
hepr
esenceofi
nsur
gencyi
nthe
count
ry,mybestf
ri
endcoul
dst
il
lbel
i
vingr
ightnow,andcoul
dst
il
lbecl
i
mbi
ng
t
hel
adderofl
eader
shi
ptobr
ingf
ort
hthechangest
hathewantt
osee.Hewasa
her
oinhi
sownway
:goi
ngf
ull
yinf
rontofbat
tl
e,handl
i
ngar
if
le,t
ofur
thert
he
causest
hathef
oughtf
or,anddeci
dingonapat
hthatmusthav
ebeenv
ery
di
ff
icul
ttochoose.

I
nhi
ndsi
ght
,thi
swasacr
yingcal
lforaf
ull
y-
not
edandneededi
ngr
edi
ent
ofher
oism:r
esi
l
iency
—theabi
l
ityt
oal
l
owy
our
sel
fbeknockeddownbyl
i
feand
comi
ngbackasst
rongert
hanev
er.Imour
nthel
ossofagr
eatf
ri
end,andf
or
sev
eralt
imes,
Iwasnotabl
etot
hinkpr
oper
ly,
real
i
zingt
hatwewer
eont
hemost
pol
aropposi
tes.Mybestf
ri
end’
sreal
i
tydoesnotst
rayf
arawayofwhati
s
happeni
ngi
noursoci
ety
.Thi
sisanadv
ersi
tyt
hati
sengul
fi
ngt
hePhi
l
ippi
nesand
i
sthr
eat
eni
ngt
hewayofl
i
feofFi
l
ipi
nosf
ormor
ethanhal
facent
uryal
ready
.The
i
nsur
gentgr
oupscont
inuousl
yexi
stf
reel
ybecauseoft
hei
rexpl
oit
ati
onoft
he
r
aw gr
itofdaunt
lessi
ndi
vi
dual
s,andt
heyt
urni
tint
oadi
ff
icul
tanddanger
ous
bl
i
ndnesswhi
chcannotbeescapedeasi
l
y.Wemustber
esi
l
ientandst
rong
despi
tet
hisdi
ff
icul
tyandot
hermi
sfor
tunest
hatourcount
ryi
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ustt
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ime
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s.