Wexistence

I haven’t seen the art installation myself but I get the picture. A penis on the crucified Christ’s forehead, bunny ears on the Holy Family, etc. I can understand why Catholics are angry. What I don’t understand is why they’re not angry about all the other forms of “blasphemy” around them.

As some friends have pointed out, with the exception of the gallery wall, all the components of the exhibit can be found within a five-block radius of Quiapo Church.

Openly displayed on sidewalks next to religious statues and prayer booklets are sex toys and (pirated) porn DVDs.

Ride any jeepney and you will find a rosary hanging from the rear view mirror, a Sto. Nino on the dashboard, a proliferation of lewd messages, and pin-ups of “bold” stars. Millions of Filipinos see this scene every day and yet not a single devout commuter has complained about the unholy juxtaposition.

Go to a mall on a Sunday and you will see priests celebrating mass at altars framed by billboards featuring sultry, half-naked men and women. The body and blood of Christ is raised during the consecration in front the enormous bulging crotch of a Bench underwear model.

I don’t know what the artist’s intentions were, but if Poleteismo has achieved anything I think it has been to show the great irony of the Filipino Catholic response to “blasphemy.”

Dear Representatives Tieng and Velarde,

A bill that criminalizes sex toys? Seriously? What’s next, a bill that bans orgasms? Please don’t deny everyone else the sexual pleasure you are incapable of enjoying because of your puritanical beliefs.

I don’t know how you could possibly enforce a law that defines sex toys as any device that “can be used to stimulate human genitals,” “could trigger sexually impure ideas” or “can give room to sex-related offenses”. Human beings are both horny and incredibly creative and will continue to find sexual functions for everything, and I mean everything. From phallus-shaped fruits and vegetables to common household items to random things for which you cannot, for the life of you, fathom an erotic application. In aid of legislation, may I submit for your consideration: isthisasextoy.tumblr.com.

Conservatives love to talk about colonial mentality and how loose sexual morality is the product of western values eroding our own traditional Filipino values. Actually, this prudishness about sex is the Western influence and what we deem immoral sexual behavior was the norm in these isles before the western powers colonized us. The Spaniards were shocked by the sexual freedom of the natives. Pre-marital sex, multiple sexual partners, sex toys were no big deal. A girl’s virginity only mattered if she was of noble birth, e.g. the daughter of a datu whose marriage was intended to forge a political alliance. Some of those sex toys they sell in Malate and Quiapo are traditionally Filipino, and a lot kinkier than many western inventions.

Wouldn’t you like to know what those are for?

Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours Sincerely,
Harlot, Heathen, Hoor of Babylon

I’m at that age where everyone is terribly interested in the contents of my uterus. It’s infuriating that no one seems to think that asking me about my reproductivity (or lack thereof) is intrusive and obnoxious.

It disturbs me that my inquisitors seem to imply that upon reaching a certain age, women should bear children whether they’re ready or not. I’ve repeatedly explained that I’m neither emotionally nor financially prepared for such a responsibility but this does not seem to be a valid reason for remaining childless. I get stupid responses like:

“But babies are so cute!” So are puppies, and they’re cheaper and lower-maintenance.

“Bahala si Lord!” This kind of thinking is responsible for the large impoverished families all over the country. Support the reproductive health bill.

“Kawawa naman parents mo, wala pa silang apo.” Bakit hindi kayo naawa sa aming mag-asawa? Hindi naman yung magulang namin ang magaalaga at magpapaaral sa aming anak. Bakit gusto mong maghirap kami para lang magkaroon sila ng laruan? Bibigyan ko sila ng tuta.

First of all, if and when I choose to have a baby is no one’s business but mine and my husband’s. I’m not the crown princess; my ability to produce an heir is not a matter of national importance. Second, while no one is ever 100% ready to become a parent, 80% is still a lot better than 20% and I’m still in the lower quintile. Third, social conformity is a stupid reason to bring a child into the world (or to do anything, really).

I’m aware that my biological clock is ticking. I understand that childbearing will become increasingly difficult and risky as I get older. I’ve been warned that by the time I finally feel ready to have a child, I may not be able to conceive one.

My husband and I aren’t overly concerned. We figure that if we get to the point where we want to have a child but cannot conceive one, we’ll adopt. When I tell people this they seem shocked, like adoption is not a desirable option. I can’t understand why. We would love an adopted child just as much as we would a biological one. We don’t see how the lack of common DNA would in any way diminish our family.

© Neatorama

There are a lot of myths going around, and a lot of incorrect assumptions derived from them. Everyone deserves access to the right information. Mulat Pinoy presents you with Get Real: The Facts vs. Myths on Population, Family Planning, and Reproductive Health, a comprehensive paper with cited facts and figures.

I recommend that you read the entire paper, but the Cliffnotes version is thus:

Myth #1: Contraceptives cause abortion. Life begins at fertilization, so contraceptives kill children.
FACT: Contraceptives DO NOT cause abortion. Research has shown that the use of contraceptives prevents up to 112 million abortions each year and reduces abortion by 85%.

Myth #2: Contraceptives are dangerous to health and cause cancer.
FACT: Contraceptives DO NOT cause cancer, have been proven safe worldwide, and even lower cancer risk.

Myth #3: Mandatory sex education and contraceptives will destroy the family, compromise morality, increase promiscuity and promote HIV infections.
FACT: Age-appropriate sex education and contraceptive provisions will support informed choice and lower the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Myth #4: Family Planning using artificial methods is against Filipino culture.
FACT: National surveys show that a majority of Filipinos believe that family planning using modern and artificial methods is important. Many of them prefer smaller family sizes.

Myth #5: Natural family planning (NFP) is the most effective and safe family planning method, is free, and is the only program that should be supported by the government.
FACT: Both NFP and modern methods are needed to effectively and safely address maternal health, family planning, and sustainable development.

Myth #6: There is no link between population and poverty. Corruption is the sole cause of poverty.
FACT: There are strong, proven links between poverty, rapid population growth, and large, unplanned family sizes.

Myth #7: The Philippines has enough resources to meet a larger population.
FACT: The Philippines will not develop sustainably unless it slows its rapidly growing population.

Myth #8: Highly populated countries like India and China are successful because of their large populations, while other countries are experiencing a “demographic winter.”
FACT: India and China have been trying to reduce population growth and family sizes for decades, and their growth is due to the improving productivity of their citizens. The Philippines is 100 years away from a “demographic winter,” and even with lowered population growth and fertility rates, will already reach 160 million in 2060. Without this, the Philippines may have an unsustainable population of 240 million people.

Myth #9: Family planning through modern contraceptives is against the Philippine Constitution.
FACT: The Philippine Constitution and Philippine commitments to International Agreements allow family planning and the use of modern methods.

Myth #10: Islam, Christianity and other major religions forbid contraception.
FACT: Islam, most Christian denominations, and other major religions allow couples to use modern and natural methods to plan their families. The governments of Catholic countries have accepted family planning policies with State provision of modern and natural family planning methods.

Mulat Pinoy is a project of the Probe Media Foundation, Inc., supported by the Philippine Center for Population and Development. Its goal is to help the Philippine public understand the issues involved with population, based on accurate facts, figures and research from experts in industry, governance and the academe.

On my social networks I posted a link to the Inquirer article Aquino accused of posturing on land reform issue. The article makes reference to a New York Times interview with Fernando Cojuangco, Noynoy’s cousin and chief operating officer of the holding company that owns Hacienda Luisita*, in which he said the Cojuangco clan has no intention of distributing the land to the tenants. In response to this, Cavite Rep. Crispin Remulla was quoted saying “[Noynoy] cannot control his family and shows the weakness of a person masquerading as a leader. He cannot stand up to the family patriarch and proves he is not his own man.”

A friend of mine who is a Noynoy supporter reacted negatively.

Him:

Let’s all hope then that all our cousins and assorted relatives are all virtuous, lest their actions be attributed to us.

Me:

I don’t think that’s the point. I think the concern of many is whether or not Noynoy is strong enough to resist pressure from his assorted relatives. According to Malacanang insiders during Cory’s presidency, his mother wasn’t, and the Aquino-Conjuancos supposedly had their fingers in all sorts of pies.

Him:

The point is that conclusions about his position are drawn from statements made by other people. Aquino is posturing on land reform because his cousin says he’s not serious about it? And now you’re implying because his mom wasn’t able to resist the pressure, he won’t be able to handle it either? Come on….

Me:

It’s not that I think he will succumb to the pressure simply because his mother did. The question of whether or not he will succumb is not a question of DNA. It’s a question of strength. People who knew Cory and who were there during her administration say that although Cory was a saint, she wasn’t strong enough to fend off her relatives. Is Noynoy stronger than his mother? I don’t know. So far Noynoy does not seem to be a particularly strong, decisive personality and that does not fill me with confidence.

Him:

We need Moral Leadership at this stage. The claim on intelligence, or political will, or competence are minor considerations at this stage of our collective lives. We need someone up there who at least has not YET been tainted by corruption or greed. This intelligence-competence-will argument was the exact same thing people used in 2004 when they voted for GMA. They got what they deserved. Unfortunately, so did the rest of us.

I let the exchange end there because it’s pointless to argue with people who’ve already made up their minds. But to those who are still on the fence, I pose the following questions:

Why does Noynoy have a monopoly of morality? What good is his so-called morality if he doesn’t have the intelligence to understand the nation’s problems or the will to implement politically difficult solutions? Where does his moral ascendancy come from? From his parents? On one hand, Noynoy supporters say we shouldn’t judge Noynoy on the basis of Kamag-anak, Inc. On the other, they expect us to accept his Moral Leadership on the basis of Ninoy and Cory. Ano ba talaga? Should we judge a person by their blood relations or not? Stripped of the Cory Magic and the Aquino Legacy and the messianic narratives that people have woven around him, what are we left with to judge Noynoy? Let us consider his personal merit, or lack thereof.

*GMANews.TV special report on Hacienda Luisita:
Part 1: Hacienda Luisita’s past haunts Noynoy’s future
Part 2: Cory’s land reform legacy to test Noynoy’s political will
Part 3: How a worker’s strike became the Luisita massacre
Part 4: After Luisita massacre, more killings linked to protest

Some thoughts provoked by Winnie Monsod’s Mussings*:

1. I, too, share the same fears about Manny Villar.

2. After Cory died, when people first started buzzing about a Noynoy presidency, some government insiders I know rolled their eyes at the idea and dismissed Noynoy as “tamad” and “bobo.” Senate staffers observed that Noynoy is dull, can’t seem to keep up during senate deliberations, and is a notoriously late riser because he’s up all night playing PS3. Some community organizers we work with in Nueva Ecija said that they supported Noynoy up until they actually met him at a sortie, where he did not answer their questions satisfactorily and he was so spaced out that they wondered if he was autistic. A senior government official during Cory’s presidency said that while Cory was a “saint” she did not have the intellectual prowess and technical knowledge to be an effective president. Even people who adored Cory have come to realize that pureness of heart is not enough to run a country.
3. I understand why people so desperately want to believe in Noynoy. After Erap, followed by nine years of GMA, we just want a president whom we can trust. Even if he is painfully mediocre. Sure, Noynoy’s clean and he won’t steal, but c’mon. He has no outstanding achievements and he wouldn’t have even been considered as a presidential candidate if Cory hadn’t died. It was the outpouring of love for Cory and all that she represents (hope, democracy, goodness) that propelled Noynoy to prominence. Without his Aquino lineage, he is nothing.
4. Men Sta. Ana defends Noynoy’s lackluster legislative record, saying “The number of laws sponsored by a senator or congressman does not make one a competent legislator.” Okay, sure. Quality over quantity. I get that. But seriously, 9 bills? That’s all? Miriam authored 738 in the same time period. And technically sound as Noynoy’s bills may be, they aren’t exactly exceptional. It’s not like he has gems in there like, say, Mar Roxas’ affordable medicines act or EVAT funds for educational and healthcare law.
5. During presidential debates it’s all motherhood statements, he throws around terms he clearly does not understand, and when backed into a corner he invokes the memory of his parents as a talisman against difficult questions. During the Face-to-Face forum with LGUs, Noynoy sounded like he was just parroting sound bytes that had been previously fed to him by his handlers and could not expound further. Also during that forum, it became apparent that though Noynoy is chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, he knows nothing about local government issues, particularly devolution. His answer to everything was “Pinag-aaralan ko pa ho.”
6. While Noynoy’s campaign slogan “Kung Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap” is emotionally compelling, it is also largely untrue. Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand are all notoriously corrupt but they were able to significantly reduce poverty. The solution to the problem of poverty is much more complex than the slogan would have you believe. Corruption is just one of many problems. Eliminate corruption and you’d still have to: (1) stabilize the country’s fiscal position; (2) provide adequate infrastructure; (3) strengthen the investment climate; (4) equitably distribute growth among sectors; (5) address the unequal pattern of development among regions; (6) alleviate demographic pressure; (7) implement genuine agrarian reform; (8) develop human capital, invest in basic services, especially education and health… and that’s just the beginning of a whole laundry list of things the next administration will have to address. An administration that is not corrupt will not necessarily know which strategies to pursue. “I will not steal” is not a substitute for “I am technically competent.” Integrity is a necessary but not sufficient condition for one seeking public office.
7. As unimpressed as I am with Noynoy, I admit that there are valid reasons to vote for him. It just annoys me that people insist on romanticizing him. Let’s recognize him for what he is: a mediocre candidate, but the only who seems capable of beating Villar in the polls. If it’s down to a choice between Noynoy and Villar, I can understand why you’d choose Noynoy. But please be honest with yourself and cut the crap about his “competence.” He is not our messiah. He has not demonstrated that he has any capacity whatsoever of fulfilling all the hopes and dreams that the nation is so eager to pin on him.
8. A number of people I respect and admire support Noynoy for pragmatic reasons. Former Finance Secretary Bobby de Ocampo told me that this election isn’t about who’s smarter or more competent, but it’s about making a clean break from the present administration. I don’t necessarily agree but it’s certainly something to think about.
9. I like many of the people who’ve chosen to rally behind Noynoy, among them Mar Roxas (accomplished in both the private and public sector, impressive legislative and executive track record, my presidential candidate if he hadn’t stepped down to make way for Noynoy), Risa Hontiveros (beauty and brains, Nobel peace prize nominee for her work as chair the Government Panel’s Reciprocal Working Committee on Socio-Economic Reforms in the Peace Talks with the National Democratic Front), Neric Acosta (distinguished academician and political scientist, principal author of many environmental laws including groundbreaking Clean Air Act), Jesse Robredo (outstanding multi-awarded Mayor of Naga City, my dream DILG Secretary), Mike Luz (former DepEd Undersecretary, the brains behind the LP platform on education, my dream DepEd Secretary). Noynoy is not lacking in advisers, intelligent people who understand our various problems and have concrete plans on how to solve them (even if Noynoy himself doesn’t). Maybe that’s enough to get him through. Maybe it’s okay that he’s not brilliant for as long as he listens to his betters. But I’m not sure.
10. I share Ma’am Winnie’s concerns about the Liberal trapos: “My only concern with Noynoy is how deep he might be in the Liberal Party and whether he has accumulate political debts to Liberal trapos. The Liberal Party, like any party, has its own share of crooks (including those bandwagon trapos who jumped off GMA’s boat to ride on Aquino’s popularity).” In that sense, Noynoy is really no different from Gibo, whose only real flaw seems to be membership in Lakas-Kampi-CMD — GMA’s party. If the concern about both candidates is political indebtedness to the trapos in their respective parties, what then makes Noynoy a more desirable candidate than Gibo?
11. Gibo’s party affiliation does concern me, but the guy is a shrewd politician. He’s managed to distance himself from GMA and the party. It’s a tough balancing act because he needs the political machinery of the party but at the same time he doesn’t agree with their positions on a lot of issues. I’m impressed by the finesse with which he’s handling himself. But I’m still wary of the people around him. And it’s still not clear who will hold important cabinet positions if he does become president. I want to make sure that no one is pulling his strings, that he won’t be so politically indebted to the party that it will compromise the decisions he’ll make in the future. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt though. Thus far he seems to be his own man. I don’t believe that if elected he will merely be the party’s lapdog.
12. Gibo is a bar topnotcher and a Harvard magna cum laude. He is intelligent. Unlike many of the candidates out there, Gibo doesn’t fumble for answers. He knows what he’s talking about. I’m impressed by the depth of his understanding of issues. (In this interview with National Artist F Sionil Jose, he answered all the questions impressively, and I particularly liked his answers on poverty, population management, and the Philippines’ “damaged culture.” He quoted Mancur Olson and Thomas Friedman in the same breath and is apparently a neo-institutionalist. Be still my heart!) He’s not afraid to take tough stances, he will say things other candidates are afraid to say (e.g. disarm government and non-government groups in ARMM, yes to comprehensive reproductive health program). As far as I’m concerned he’s out-performed all the other candidates in the presidential debates.
13. Gibo is strong and confident, but I see no traces of ego whatsoever. I like that. He does not see himself as a messiah; he is offering himself up as a humble public servant.
14. Gibo exudes sincerity. I feel like I can trust him, and his public record suggests he is deserving of that trust. He is untainted by allegations of corruption, and is by all accounts an honest man. Noynoy isn’t the only one with a legacy to protect. Gibo is proud of his name and has carefully guarded his reputation.
15. Ma’am Winnie’s criticism of Gibo isn’t even really criticism. She’s holding his “galing at talino” against him because GMA supposedly has those qualities but she turned out to be a lousy president. She’s holding his eloquence against him because Marcos was a great public speaker. Should we not elect intelligent presidents just because they’ve screwed us over in the past? We elected a dumb president (i.e. Erap) and that didn’t turn out so well for us either. Intelligence is not enough to ensure a good president. But neither is moral uprightness (e.g. Cory).

* It would seem that someone wants to use Winnie Monsod’s influence to win votes for Noynoy. Ma’am Winnie says she did not write the “Why I Will Vote for Noynoy” statement that has been attributed to her. I’m kind of relieved. I was surprised when I first read it, having previously heard her views on Noynoy. My reactions to the piece are the same regardless of who wrote it though.

I met Lenard and Joanna at a training session we held for teachers in Sarangani last October. Their story makes me bawl like a baby every time. Teachers like these, who demonstrate such passion, dedication and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, are my heroes.

LENARD AND JOANNA
by
Milwida M. Guevara
President, Synergeia Foundation

This is not a love story between Lenard and Joanna. Rather, it is a story about their love for B’laan children from Blat, Maasim.

Every Monday morning, Lenard and Joanna leave their homes in General Santos City to teach in Blat. Their school is up on the mountains and they have to bring with them their one-week’ supply of food, medicine, clothes, and school supplies. It will take them another week to see their family again. Joanna’s son Jaz is six-months old and is left under the care of her sister-in-law during weekdays. Sometimes, Jaz takes time to warm up to her when she comes home during weekends. Lenards’ daughter, Denise, is two-month’s old. Her wife who is also a teacher has to leave Denise as soon as she resumes her work in another school in a faraway village.

There are 81 children in Blat Elementary School with only two teachers. Joanna handles the students who are in grades one, two, and three. Lenard handles those who are in grades four, five, and six. Joanna used to cluster the children into sessions, e.g. grade one children were taught in the morning, and grade two children were taught in the afternoon. But no children came in the afternoon. They joined their parents in clearing the land, planting corn, and harvesting camotes. So, she meets them all in the morning and groups them according to grade level. Lenard does the same. How they are able to deal with six grade levels in a cramped classroom blows my mind away. Lenard constantly counsels the parents to allow their children to attend school in the afternoon. But he has to compete with their need for food and livelihood, and often times, he loses. His battle is often harder in influencing parents to send the boys to school. Boys are stronger and more useful in the farms.

Lenard’s face is so sad. I asked him if it is because he misses his family every day especially in the evening. His face even grew sadder. He cannot even read a book or prepare his lesson plans in the evening. There is no electricity in the village and they have to get by with the light of a candle or an alcohol lamp. He is able to send text messages to his wife, but can only do so until Tuesday, because the battery in his cell phone runs dry. There is also no water in the village and the nearest spring is about an hour away. Lenard’s grade six school children help him fetch water everyday but they can only carry a gallon full.

Joanna brings her own supply of purified water from the town because she had amoebiasis. But she can only carry a maximum of 6 liters. Thus, she has to be efficient in rationing water for her many needs. She lives in a hut that was constructed for her by the parents. They insisted that the hut be in the center of the village so that they can keep an eye on her.

I asked Joanna what keeps her going. She recalled that her childhood dream was to be a teacher. Her face lit up as she recited the poem “To be a Filipino” which she asks her pupils to constantly read. She draws her inspiration from the poem as she reaffirms that being Filipino is enabling the B’laan children to learn well. Her eyes welled with tears as she remembers the challenges she faces. The children have no paper or pencils. She used to devote her salary for school supplies but she now has to use her money for milk and needs of her baby. With a tinge of guilt, her tears started falling down as she recalls that her grade one children have to contend with pencils that were used by her former grade one students. The pencils are so short and the children’s fingers are not big enough to hold them. Joanna’s tears came with the tears of her principal, Ms. Angelina, and also with mine.

Ms. Angelina is the cluster head of three schools. She was ever so embarrassed that the NAT scores of Blat children were the lowest in the province. The children’s average was only 20 percent, i.e. they can only answer 2 out of 10 questions correctly. She was also so upset by the failure of Lenard and Joanna to submit their reports on time. She called them on their cell phones, but there was no response. So, she sent a message to the two of them to report to her office to give them a reprimand. Lenard listened to her with a stoic expression. But Joanna was unable to contain her tears. The session turned out to be a crying session. The month following, Ms. Angelina went to visit the Blat school carrying with her “10 lechon manok” as her share in the village’ celebration of the new school building that the provincial government constructed. Ms. Angelina scolded Joanna again, but for a different reason. Joan was in labor but insisted on helping Lenard. Ms. Angelina sent her to the hospital and took her place. Since then, the principal has become a mentor, a principal, and a mother.

We had a box of crayons, paper, pentel pen, and scissors that we used for the teachers’ workshop. I turned them over to Ms. Angelina who gave them to Lenard and Joanna. Lenard hugged the box and Joanna hugged me. It was as if I gave them a treasure. It was my turn to feel guilty for being unable to appreciate so many things in life and for splurging on things that catch my fancy.

Later in the day, Governor Migs Dominguez gave them more hope as he promised to build a water supply system and devise means to supply the village with electricity. I saw Lenard smile for the first time. Joanna said that the scores of the children went up to 30 percent last year. With the help of the governor, the three of them will be able to move mountains. I think Lenard and Joanna will live happily ever after.

Food for thought. Text messages from my mentor and former Department Chair, Clem Camposano (Director of the Institute of Political Economy at the University of Asia and the Pacific):

Anyone who shines on borrowed light should have the common sense not to plunge into the dark and forbidding pit of presidential politics.

Aside from good vs evil, other equally plausible dyads: from the poor vs. from the rich, astute vs. naive, competent vs. incompetent, masipag vs. tamad, talagang may kakayahan vs. may pangalan lang, self-made vs. privileged, his own man vs. a puppet, genuine leader vs. figure head, reality vs. illusion, practical politics vs. emotionalism.

My thoughts on the issue to follow, when I finally get around to finishing the half-written post that’s been sitting in my drafts folder.

On the front page today:

(Click to read full article)

See, I’m a big fan of Facebook/Twitter/the internet in general! Who says I don’t appreciate the power of new media?

“Don’t want to fight for a feeling… We need a better kinder dreaming… Don’t need another fool, a faker… Be a mover and a shaker.” – Matthew Herbert, The Movers And The Shakers

Facebook responses to my previous post (sans the Ako Mismo drama because that just went on way too long)

CyberPatriot1:

Enough said about SLACKTIVISM…just do what needs to be done…at the right time, CyberPatriots will just rise up to situation when they are most needed…as far as i know, meron pupuntahan ang Filipino CyberPatriots Society!

CyberPatriot2:

@CyberPatriot1.. I am with you.. when the time is ripe… as I can see more hardships for the future generation now… we have to do something even if it will cost our lives!

Me:

“Often enough, if you just lived for country, you need not die for it.” (Conrado de Quiros, True Measure)

Ryan:

I have no doubt that many of us would be willing to put our lives on the line for our country.

However, the time for that is not now. I feel sometimes like the democratic action that took place during the original EDSA has created a nation of “war veterans” that no longer have a war to fight. Like old soldiers, old rallyists still insist on waging a war that no longer exists. Do we live in a corrupt country? Yes. Are we on the verge of collapse due to a violent dictatorship? Hardly.

We exist in a limbo where I honestly believe that the better action to take is to put down your figurative swords and find areas or causes that you want to support with concrete measures. WorldVision, Habitat for Humanity, Gawad Kalinga, Greenpeace, WWF, Haribon, take your pick. There are many ways for you to contribute beyond the pressing of a button to join what is in essence a virtual rally.

Me:

Another example: what students are doing for Project Citizen

CyberPatriot3:

Participating through advocacy groups now normally coursed through various (Facebook is the most popular) social networking sites helps in making people more aware about the issues that matter. You can’t do anything or for that matter fight for anything at all without first having proper and sufficient knowledge about it. I believe actual physical participation say, in rallies or any practical activity for that matter and “slacktivism” (as it is popularly referred to nowadays) are mutually reinforcing. “Slacktivism” (without seeing it as a pejorative term) in fact augments efforts to mobilize people toward a certain direction or goal, whatever it may be. Social networking sites, doubtless, further animates, intensifies, and certainly expands public discourse that leads to the next level of engagement on the part of willing participants. That in itself is a very positive contribution.

CyberPatriot4:

People have commitments not only to this country but to their families as well. People will focus first on their day to day sustenance before they can focus on anything else… If a person can only air their protests on line, then thank God the forum is available for them.

Me:

I don’t have anything against Facebook campaigns or similar activities. I do recognize their value. MGG is on Facebook and Twitter for a reason. And I love public discourse. As I mentioned in my post, “Awareness and information are definitely key to any kind of social transformation…”

My simple point is this: Civic participation shouldn’t end with clicking a button or buying into slick marketing campaigns. It’s a start and I welcome it, but people need to do more.

It’s actually not that hard to do something that has direct social impact. For example, there are people who supposedly care about HIV/AIDS, but the most significant thing they’ve done is attend a benefit concert or join a Facebook cause. But there are concrete things people can do to help prevent the spread of the disease or help make the lives of HIV/AIDS victims a little better. I know people who organize seminars in barangays to provide information on safe practices etc. I know someone who organizes fun activities for HIV/AIDS victims to help make their lives a littler happier. I think it’s small things like that, pooled together, that are going to produce real change.

Ryan:

@CyberPatriot1 I think you need to step back and take a look at what people who use the word slacktivism as a pejorative are frustrated about. They are frustrated because slacktivists’ actions end after the press of a button. All guilt has been assuaged. They have done their part for the greater good, and announce it to the world via Twitter, Facebook, and friendster. “look at me, I are changing d world.”

Awareness is great, but what you decide to do with that awareness is what really matters.

And let’s be clear, there are slacktivists out there. While it may be romantic to think that these people spread awareness of an an idea, let’s be honest and admit that once that button is pressed most people don’t bother thinking about it anymore. And that’s fine. They have responsibilities, as your fellow cyberpatriot said.

However, I personally feel that if that’s the level of commitment someone can give to a cause, then he/she might as well be honest with and admit that he doesn’t care enough.

Dante:

I saw that a lot back in UP, when I was a student and later an instructor. Certain people have this peculiar compulsion to be ‘part of something important’ yet not actually do enough of the mental or physical legwork. And it would really be a cause du jour situation for them because they’d just cause-hop constantly, like following fashion trends. It’s less about the cause than it is about defining your identity.