Mga Huling Hakbang
( Paalam kay Mang Peping)
Inihatid ka naming sa altar,
Kami ang iyong mga kasama
Sa pakikibaka,
ngunit iilan na lang kami
Na nagsimula nito,
Ngunit nakatutuwa na puno
Ang simbahan mula likod
Hanggang altar,
Maiikli ang mga yapak nila…
Sila na mga kawal at gerilya
“Pinadakilang henerasyon” ng Amerika…
Mga bayani ng Ikalawang Digmaan,
At pakikidigma para sa “Equity”…
Hindi na sila makapagmartsa,
Wala na ang dingal at tikas
Dahil hutok na ang mga likod,
Pagod na ang mga paa,
Hindi na makahinga ang ilan,
Ngunit kailangan maihatid
ka kahit man lang sa altar.
Hindi ito ang dambana ng kagitingan
Na iyong dinalaw dalwang taon
Na ang nakakaraan,
Ang dating bundok na ipinagtanngol
Sa Bataan
Ngunit para isuko lamang,
Dahil sa utos mga mabunying
Puting heneral
Na walang kayang ilaban,
Hindi kayang ipagtangol
Ang Bataan dahil hindi nila
Ito inang bayan.
Ngunit walang dangal ang pagsuko
Kaya Death March ang inabot
Ng mga talunan,
Naligtasan mo ito
Kahit lumakad ka ng
Mahigit daang kilmetro
At nabilanngo sa Capas
At nailistang patay kahit buhay,
Maikli ang iyong hakbang
Ngunit tiyak
Dahil patuloy kang lumaban
Ngunit hindi ito ang iyong
Huling mga hakbang,
Mas malalaki pang hakbang
Ang iyong hinarap sa kapayapaan…
Ipinaglaban mo ang iyong karapatan
Agn karapatan ng iyong lahi,
Ang iyong mga kasamahan,
Kapwa beterano at kababayan
Na hindi pala beterano ng Amerika
Kayat ayaw bayaran at parangalan.
Humakbang ka mula daang Temple
Hanggang sa Kapitolyo ng Amerika,
Sa mga kalsada ng LA at Sacramento,
San Diego Utrecht at Amsterdam,
libong mga picket at rali,
Sa mga kampanya sa eleksyon,
Pagrehistro ng mga botante,
Para maitaguyod ang karapatan
Ng pamayanang Pilipino-Amerikano.
Sa mga huling hakbang
Mula sa simbahan hanggang
Sa iyong paglalagakan,
Hinatid ka naming Mang Peping,
Faustino Baclig—guro, kasama,
Commander, lider ng mga beterano,
ng komunidad at ng Pilipinas,
ng Amerika…
Isang huling saludo,
Pugay sandata!
Pagpupugay…
Ang huling utos sa kanila:
“Tikas pahinga”.
At PAALAM!
Marso 05, 2011
11.3.11
THE PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN MINDANAO
THE PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN MINDANAO
( This was the speech delivered at the Cross Cultural Center, UCSD. February 25, 2011 on the 25th Anniversary of EDSA 1 People's Power Revolution)
First, I would like to thank the Cross Cultural Center of the University of San Diego and the KmB-San Diego for inviting me for the commemoration the 25th anniversary of the EDSA People's Power revolution of 1986.
It is proper to commemorate the event because after the EDSA revolution of 1986, when the dictator was overthrown in a combination of an attempted coup and people’s uprising like in Egypt today , 2011-- It was after the EDSA revolution that the peace talks and a ceasefire between the National Democratic Front and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) started.
Unluckily, the peace talks continue on today and we still don’t have peace in the Philippines and in Mindanao. But let me discuss first about Mindanao and the prospect of peace in the island.
Land of Promise
Mindanao is called the land of promise. The 3rd largest island in a 7,100 island chain called the Philippines, Mindanao is also the 2nd largest concentration of Filipino population with 30 million out of the 90 million people. More than 5 million are Islamized Moros and native Lumads.
There are 28 provinces in Mindanao divided into 6 regions. 56% of Philippines forest cover is in this island. 70% of the people are Christian settlers who were settled by American colonialist since the 1920’s.
It has 38% of agricultural area of the republic that numbers 3.7 million hectares. 40% of the food requirement or roughly 30% of the national food trade is in the island. 32 of fisheries and aquatic resources is also found here. Tuna , the Philippines number one export is also here.
There are 3,954 foreign corporations in Mindanao. But 17 out of its 28 provinces are in poverty. It has four of the 12 poorest provinces. Thus war is way of life in Mindanao.
War in Mindanao
There are different armed groups that are contending in Mindanao. In 1969, the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM ) was formed to fight Christian land grabbers. It later evolved into the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during martial law as a reaction to the crackdown by the US-Marcos Dictatorship in 1972.
It is interesting to note, that the “Group of 100” Moro students trained in Egypt and Libya to fight for Moro self-determination and seccesion since 1972 to the present. It is well known that Muslim countries in Africa and the Middle East supported the struggle of self-determination in Mindanao ever since.
But with the insistence of Col. Gaddafi of Libya, ( where a civil unrest is going on today after the people's uprising in Egypt) the MNLF was forced to accept and implement the Tripoli Agreement in 1976. By the Tripoli Agreement of 1976, the MNLF and the Marcos government was supposed to form an Autonomous Region in Mindanao.
But Marcos used it as bludgeon and a wedge against the MNLF. He made the renegade MNLF leaders officials of his “autonomous region” and it weakened the MNLF until 1986. This resulted into the break-away and the formation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 1977 that continued the struggle for secession and self-determination.
In 1996, the MNLF finally lost their touch with reality when they surrendered to the US-Ramos regime and accepted a bigger pie in the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) and opted of the integration within the system. After the term of Ramos, the SPDA was scrapped and the MNLF vanished into oblivion.
Meanwhile the MILF grew stronger and was able to parry attacks from the successive regimes of Estrada and Arroyo .The growth of the MILF is a testimony to a home grown rebellion if supported by outside forces can suceed. The MILF negotiated a prologed ceasefire and contious talk until a Memorandum of Understanding on Ancestral Domain ( MOA-AD) was signed in 2008.
But another conflict erupted when the Supreme Court disavowed the agreement and another war erupted in 2008.
The New People’s Army (NPA)
What makes Mindanao complicated is the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) since 1969. The NPA made inroads in Mindanao and expanded during the 14 years of martial law.
It was in Mindanao where the NPA grew stronger from small guerilla fronts to what it is now, what the AFP says as “ the strategic threat to national security in the whole nation.”
Unlike the MNLF and the MILF, the NPA is not on a prolonged ceasefire with the Philippine government, It has not entered into prologed ceasefire unlike the MNLF or the MILF .
It was only in 1986 when the National Democratic Front (NDF) entered a 60-day ceasefire with the GRP. It ended with the bloody massacre in Mendiola on January 22, 1987.
The peace talks with the NDF has have stalled for more than six years since 1994. While the peace talks with the MILF has been stalled for the last two years. A prolonged ceasefire with the MILF has been in place but war is still the way of life in the island since 2009.
More than 150,000 people were killed during the height of the MNLF and the GRP conflict from `1972-1977. At least two million people were dislocated during the conflict from 2008 to the present.
Prospects for Peace
We feel the current peace talks between the new dispensation and the NDF as well with the MILF augurs well for peace and development in the Philippines and in Mindanao.
The peace talks between the NDF and the GPH started last February 17 and ended in February 21, 2011. The peace talks with MILF will start on March 29, 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
We see as obstacles to peace are:
1) a fascist and militarist set-up in the AFP supported by the United States who demands surrender and uses the peace talks to effect his result.
2) Christian and Chauvinist element sin the religious sector and anti-Muslim element who will not compromise for peace
3) hard-liner with the movement who wants a situation of perpetual war and relative peace.
But as perpetual optimist, we believe as the parties involved specially the people of Mindanao desires peace, peace can be achieved.
**********
( This was the speech delivered at the Cross Cultural Center, UCSD. February 25, 2011 on the 25th Anniversary of EDSA 1 People's Power Revolution)
First, I would like to thank the Cross Cultural Center of the University of San Diego and the KmB-San Diego for inviting me for the commemoration the 25th anniversary of the EDSA People's Power revolution of 1986.
It is proper to commemorate the event because after the EDSA revolution of 1986, when the dictator was overthrown in a combination of an attempted coup and people’s uprising like in Egypt today , 2011-- It was after the EDSA revolution that the peace talks and a ceasefire between the National Democratic Front and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) started.
Unluckily, the peace talks continue on today and we still don’t have peace in the Philippines and in Mindanao. But let me discuss first about Mindanao and the prospect of peace in the island.
Land of Promise
Mindanao is called the land of promise. The 3rd largest island in a 7,100 island chain called the Philippines, Mindanao is also the 2nd largest concentration of Filipino population with 30 million out of the 90 million people. More than 5 million are Islamized Moros and native Lumads.
There are 28 provinces in Mindanao divided into 6 regions. 56% of Philippines forest cover is in this island. 70% of the people are Christian settlers who were settled by American colonialist since the 1920’s.
It has 38% of agricultural area of the republic that numbers 3.7 million hectares. 40% of the food requirement or roughly 30% of the national food trade is in the island. 32 of fisheries and aquatic resources is also found here. Tuna , the Philippines number one export is also here.
There are 3,954 foreign corporations in Mindanao. But 17 out of its 28 provinces are in poverty. It has four of the 12 poorest provinces. Thus war is way of life in Mindanao.
War in Mindanao
There are different armed groups that are contending in Mindanao. In 1969, the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM ) was formed to fight Christian land grabbers. It later evolved into the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during martial law as a reaction to the crackdown by the US-Marcos Dictatorship in 1972.
It is interesting to note, that the “Group of 100” Moro students trained in Egypt and Libya to fight for Moro self-determination and seccesion since 1972 to the present. It is well known that Muslim countries in Africa and the Middle East supported the struggle of self-determination in Mindanao ever since.
But with the insistence of Col. Gaddafi of Libya, ( where a civil unrest is going on today after the people's uprising in Egypt) the MNLF was forced to accept and implement the Tripoli Agreement in 1976. By the Tripoli Agreement of 1976, the MNLF and the Marcos government was supposed to form an Autonomous Region in Mindanao.
But Marcos used it as bludgeon and a wedge against the MNLF. He made the renegade MNLF leaders officials of his “autonomous region” and it weakened the MNLF until 1986. This resulted into the break-away and the formation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 1977 that continued the struggle for secession and self-determination.
In 1996, the MNLF finally lost their touch with reality when they surrendered to the US-Ramos regime and accepted a bigger pie in the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) and opted of the integration within the system. After the term of Ramos, the SPDA was scrapped and the MNLF vanished into oblivion.
Meanwhile the MILF grew stronger and was able to parry attacks from the successive regimes of Estrada and Arroyo .The growth of the MILF is a testimony to a home grown rebellion if supported by outside forces can suceed. The MILF negotiated a prologed ceasefire and contious talk until a Memorandum of Understanding on Ancestral Domain ( MOA-AD) was signed in 2008.
But another conflict erupted when the Supreme Court disavowed the agreement and another war erupted in 2008.
The New People’s Army (NPA)
What makes Mindanao complicated is the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) since 1969. The NPA made inroads in Mindanao and expanded during the 14 years of martial law.
It was in Mindanao where the NPA grew stronger from small guerilla fronts to what it is now, what the AFP says as “ the strategic threat to national security in the whole nation.”
Unlike the MNLF and the MILF, the NPA is not on a prolonged ceasefire with the Philippine government, It has not entered into prologed ceasefire unlike the MNLF or the MILF .
It was only in 1986 when the National Democratic Front (NDF) entered a 60-day ceasefire with the GRP. It ended with the bloody massacre in Mendiola on January 22, 1987.
The peace talks with the NDF has have stalled for more than six years since 1994. While the peace talks with the MILF has been stalled for the last two years. A prolonged ceasefire with the MILF has been in place but war is still the way of life in the island since 2009.
More than 150,000 people were killed during the height of the MNLF and the GRP conflict from `1972-1977. At least two million people were dislocated during the conflict from 2008 to the present.
Prospects for Peace
We feel the current peace talks between the new dispensation and the NDF as well with the MILF augurs well for peace and development in the Philippines and in Mindanao.
The peace talks between the NDF and the GPH started last February 17 and ended in February 21, 2011. The peace talks with MILF will start on March 29, 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
We see as obstacles to peace are:
1) a fascist and militarist set-up in the AFP supported by the United States who demands surrender and uses the peace talks to effect his result.
2) Christian and Chauvinist element sin the religious sector and anti-Muslim element who will not compromise for peace
3) hard-liner with the movement who wants a situation of perpetual war and relative peace.
But as perpetual optimist, we believe as the parties involved specially the people of Mindanao desires peace, peace can be achieved.
**********
A Tribute to A Real American Hero
Eulogy
A Tribute to A Real American Hero
Mang Peping is a Filipino. An Ilocano, short and stocky. But he stood taller than the rest of us.
That is because he cast a giant shadow in the Filipino-American community in America.
He fought and sued the government of the United States and they won in the court and were one of the first Filipino to be naturalized as an American citizen because he was a veteran. This was due to judicial fiat. That is why we filed a case against the DVA because we are going to the course that Mang Peping went through in 1986.
I am happy that Congressman Becerra spoke in the hall of the US Congress to put into the US Congressional records and pointed out that Mang Peping was and is an American Veteran. No one can dispute that. He belongs to what America calls “ the greatest generation” though until now they refused to recognize the Filipino World War II veterans as American veterans.
Our friend, Mel Ilomin from California Senator Gil Cedillo reported that the California Assembly adjourned in his honor.It was nice gesture from them to honor our hero.
A Man of Controversy
Mang Peping is a man of controversy. He filed the case against FASGI in the 1990’s to fight corruption. He was against the Equity Village in 1999 and was very uncompromising in that because he say something dubious about it and will be used for political purposes. He was branded as “ as a communist agitator together with Edwin Habacon and Joe Navidad” because of that but he never budge from his position.
Mang Peping was an anti-imperialist and internationalist. He represented People’s CORE as a board of director in the ILPS in Zuthpen, the Netherlands during its founding congress in the in 2001. He represented not only the veterans but the plight of the elderly and the Filipinos in America.
Again in 1999, due to the problems about the Equity Village in Los Angeles and the failure of “all of nothing” campaign” in the US Congress, he was with us in founding the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and went for the incremental benefits. People called us “ collaborators’ but again he never budge and took it as a grain of salt. But when we won benefits, they were the first to claim it and forgot that they call us names.
In 2002, during the Veterans Day Parade, an American general from the Army Volunteers tired to stop a speaker from KMB from criticizing the US war in Afhanistan and Iraq. They want to stop her from speaking but Mang Peping told them let her speak.
The US Army volunteers platoon criticized Mang Peping and said they will not join anymore any Filipino veterans day march because of what happened. Mang Peping resigned his commission as a Captain in the USVA than to accept the imposition of the US veterans volunteers. He even returned his uniform to highlight his displeasure. He stood by the youth who always supported the veterans.
He told them; " you can never or ever stop our youth to speak against the war."
A Man of Principles
He stood with People’s CORE and never compromised on the questions of money when a funding agency wanted the People’s CORE to be subsumed under another agency in order to get the grant. People’s CORE was in financial crisis for a time and many detractors wished it will close but Mang Peping stood with us and we weather all the problems with his magnanimous help. Mang Peping will never compromise his principles even for millions of dollars.
Again in 2008, he was again mired in another controversy. He was just like many of us, were not satisfied with the lump sum but agreed that we take the benefit and continue to the fight. By then, he was instrumental in forming the group of widows.
He never wanted to call them as “ veterans auxillaries” but a widows organization. He was aware that the widows of the veterans who fought for equity as well as deceased veterans were excluded from the lump sum. Thus the AWARE was born in 2008 in Los Angeles and later in San Francisco, California.
He never wanted the lump sum. But as he said” Kunin ang 15,000 , ituloy ang laban.” Even at the last time even he was sick, he spoke at the Veterans Day rally at FACLA on November 11, 2009, he has only one call for all of us: “CONTINUE THE FIGHT!”
Me and mang Peping as the song goes “were inseparable”. I spent more time with him then with my immediate family. I was there with him for three reasons; 1) to read LA TIMES because I know he has one 2) to eat lunch with him and talk on issues 3) to tacticize and strategize about the veterans and community campaigns.
An American War Hero
Mang Peping, you are an American Veteran. No US Congress, no court or any man can take that truth that you for fought for the Philippines and America.
That American flag that is shrouded in your coffin is a living testament that you are an American veteran. No one can take that away from you.
Mang Peping, as we promised to you we will continue the fight for equality, for justice and for dignity and honor. We will not let up until we gain victory for your cause and our cause.
I salute you as our hero.
A Tribute to A Real American Hero
Mang Peping is a Filipino. An Ilocano, short and stocky. But he stood taller than the rest of us.
That is because he cast a giant shadow in the Filipino-American community in America.
He fought and sued the government of the United States and they won in the court and were one of the first Filipino to be naturalized as an American citizen because he was a veteran. This was due to judicial fiat. That is why we filed a case against the DVA because we are going to the course that Mang Peping went through in 1986.
I am happy that Congressman Becerra spoke in the hall of the US Congress to put into the US Congressional records and pointed out that Mang Peping was and is an American Veteran. No one can dispute that. He belongs to what America calls “ the greatest generation” though until now they refused to recognize the Filipino World War II veterans as American veterans.
Our friend, Mel Ilomin from California Senator Gil Cedillo reported that the California Assembly adjourned in his honor.It was nice gesture from them to honor our hero.
A Man of Controversy
Mang Peping is a man of controversy. He filed the case against FASGI in the 1990’s to fight corruption. He was against the Equity Village in 1999 and was very uncompromising in that because he say something dubious about it and will be used for political purposes. He was branded as “ as a communist agitator together with Edwin Habacon and Joe Navidad” because of that but he never budge from his position.
Mang Peping was an anti-imperialist and internationalist. He represented People’s CORE as a board of director in the ILPS in Zuthpen, the Netherlands during its founding congress in the in 2001. He represented not only the veterans but the plight of the elderly and the Filipinos in America.
Again in 1999, due to the problems about the Equity Village in Los Angeles and the failure of “all of nothing” campaign” in the US Congress, he was with us in founding the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and went for the incremental benefits. People called us “ collaborators’ but again he never budge and took it as a grain of salt. But when we won benefits, they were the first to claim it and forgot that they call us names.
In 2002, during the Veterans Day Parade, an American general from the Army Volunteers tired to stop a speaker from KMB from criticizing the US war in Afhanistan and Iraq. They want to stop her from speaking but Mang Peping told them let her speak.
The US Army volunteers platoon criticized Mang Peping and said they will not join anymore any Filipino veterans day march because of what happened. Mang Peping resigned his commission as a Captain in the USVA than to accept the imposition of the US veterans volunteers. He even returned his uniform to highlight his displeasure. He stood by the youth who always supported the veterans.
He told them; " you can never or ever stop our youth to speak against the war."
A Man of Principles
He stood with People’s CORE and never compromised on the questions of money when a funding agency wanted the People’s CORE to be subsumed under another agency in order to get the grant. People’s CORE was in financial crisis for a time and many detractors wished it will close but Mang Peping stood with us and we weather all the problems with his magnanimous help. Mang Peping will never compromise his principles even for millions of dollars.
Again in 2008, he was again mired in another controversy. He was just like many of us, were not satisfied with the lump sum but agreed that we take the benefit and continue to the fight. By then, he was instrumental in forming the group of widows.
He never wanted to call them as “ veterans auxillaries” but a widows organization. He was aware that the widows of the veterans who fought for equity as well as deceased veterans were excluded from the lump sum. Thus the AWARE was born in 2008 in Los Angeles and later in San Francisco, California.
He never wanted the lump sum. But as he said” Kunin ang 15,000 , ituloy ang laban.” Even at the last time even he was sick, he spoke at the Veterans Day rally at FACLA on November 11, 2009, he has only one call for all of us: “CONTINUE THE FIGHT!”
Me and mang Peping as the song goes “were inseparable”. I spent more time with him then with my immediate family. I was there with him for three reasons; 1) to read LA TIMES because I know he has one 2) to eat lunch with him and talk on issues 3) to tacticize and strategize about the veterans and community campaigns.
An American War Hero
Mang Peping, you are an American Veteran. No US Congress, no court or any man can take that truth that you for fought for the Philippines and America.
That American flag that is shrouded in your coffin is a living testament that you are an American veteran. No one can take that away from you.
Mang Peping, as we promised to you we will continue the fight for equality, for justice and for dignity and honor. We will not let up until we gain victory for your cause and our cause.
I salute you as our hero.
Depths
Depths
Deep between the valleys
Between the crevices
And high mountains,
It is warm and chilly
Even if it is summer
And winds sweep the air,
Behind the forward slopes
My eyes feast on the mount,
Gazing lower the rivers
As its flowers bloom
In the onset of spring;
I smile as I see
The hilltops blooms
With new leaves
To greet the new season;
But alas, the coldness
Of winter still aches
As the ice thaws
As the river banks swells
To moisten the dry beds
Of the short winter.
A. P. Garcia
Deep between the valleys
Between the crevices
And high mountains,
It is warm and chilly
Even if it is summer
And winds sweep the air,
Behind the forward slopes
My eyes feast on the mount,
Gazing lower the rivers
As its flowers bloom
In the onset of spring;
I smile as I see
The hilltops blooms
With new leaves
To greet the new season;
But alas, the coldness
Of winter still aches
As the ice thaws
As the river banks swells
To moisten the dry beds
Of the short winter.
A. P. Garcia
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