Bamboo covers Buklod classic “Tatsulok”

It’s about freakin’ time!

Pinoy rock band Bamboo has recently come out with a cover of the Buklod classic “Tatsulok” as part of their third studio album. The song has been getting quite a lot of radio airplay, creating a buzz among activist circles familiar with the Buklod anthem. http://www.bamboo.com.ph/discography_tatsulok.html

Originally, the song Tatsulok was part of Buklod’s second album of the same title. The song deals with militarization in the countryside, and the root of the armed conflict in the country. It was released at the time of the Total War policy of then president Corazon Aquino. The Total War policy then, as is with the “all-out war” policy of current president Arroyo, intended to crush the insurgency. But instead of defeating the armed revolutionary movement in the countryside, the militarization campaign’s first casualties were civilians.

Totoy bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo
Ilagan ang mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo
Totoy tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan
At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw

At the time of the song, memories of anti-communist vigilante groups were still fresh in the minds of the people, especially with the rise of such infamous groups as the Alsa Masa and other “death squads” tolerated by the Aquino administration and the militarists in the regime.

Totoy makinig ka, wag kang magpa-gabi
Baka mapagkamalan ka’t humandusay dyan sa tabi
Totoy alam mo ba kung ano ang puno’t dulo
Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito

Quite interestingly, the same incidents of death squads have come to the fore again with the rise of extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo regime. Those killed have been conveniently called “NPA supporters”.

Hindi pula’t dilaw tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ay di syang dahilan
Hangga’t marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman[Chorus]
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
Di matatapos itong guloLumilikas ang hininga ng kayraming mga tao

At ang dating munting bukid, ngayo’y sementeryo
Totoy kumilos ka, baliktarin ang tatsulok
Katulad mong mga dukha, ilagay mo sa tuktok

In the end, the song tells us that the armed conflict is not just about fighting between the NPA and the Aquino regime at that time (pula’t dilaw). The root causes of the fighting are poverty, the social pyramid.

The song is tight, lyrically and musically. Hands down, it is one of the best songs by Buklod (even better than the other popular Buklod song used in a McDonald’s commercial).

The remake is long overdue. The airplay is much deserved. The timeliness is beyond question.

I only hope that the impact transcends the traditional rock song airplay-sales-awards cycle. I do hope the song raises questions about how things are being run in the country today. Tatsulok does not mince words in describing society and the justice system. It is straightforward in “sticking it to the Man”.

Bamboo does an excellent job in covering the song, though I personally feel that the intro sounded too much like the intro of Hallelujah. One misses the original Buklod strumming and flute background. The vocals are great and invoke strong emotions and are almost like the subdued anger of the original Buklod. The percussions seem to be holding back, unlike the guitar riffs which are let loose, almost like in a fit of rage.

The remake of Tatsulok raises the bar in socio-political songwriting and performances for this generation’s rockers. A trail has been blazed anew for the current crop of bands and singers. This is no longer uncharted territory for mainstream acts.

And as for our friends abroad, we hope they could catch the following tour in the
US. Check it out. Let’s hope “Tatsulok” gets to be played live and loud, in the belly of the beast!

US TOUR BAMBOO & PNE PART 1

MARCH 16, 2007- SAN DIEGO/ EPICENTER
MARCH 17, 2007- LOS ANGELES/ AVALON HOLLYWOOD
MARCH 18, 2007- LAS VEGAS/ GOLD COAST CASINO
MARCH 23, 2007- CHICAGO/ PARKWEST
MARCH 24,2007 – NEW JERSEY
MARCH 25, 2007- NEW YORK/ KNITTING FACTORY
MARCH 30, 2007- SAN FRANCISCO /SLIMS

Pagpupugay kay Monico Atienza, kaibigan at dakilang guro ng mga kabataan

Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

Tagapagtatag na pangulo ng Anakbayan

 

Si Nick Atienza ay maituturing na dakilang guro ng mga kabataan, sa loob man o labas ng classroom. Para sa aming henerasyon ng mga aktibista hindi man kami naka-enroll sa kanyang mga klase ay tiyak namang nabahagian niya kami ng maraming kaalaman hinggil sa lipunan at rebolusyon.

 

Mahigpit at kailanman ay hindi naputol ang ugnayan ni Nick at ng mga kabataan, mula noong dekada ’80 sa UP hanggang sa dekada ’90 sa panahon ng kilusang pag-aaral at pagwawasto.

 

Kilala si Nick ng marami bilang guro ng wikang Pilipino at PI 100, ang teacher na madaling lapitan pag kailangan mag-room to room ng mga tibak. Pag kailangan ng klaseng ire-require na dumalo sa forum o makikinig sa discussion group, si Nick ang laging takbuhan ng mga kabataan. Pag kailangang humiram ng aklat, tulad ng Lipunan at Rebolusyong Pilipino, si Nick pa rin ang puntahan. Pag kailangan ng speaker para sa commemoration ng First Quarter Storm, siya palagi ang nasa unahan ng listahan.

 

Kilala din si Nick bilang “dakilang guarantor” ng mga student loans. Madalas niyang sinasalo ang mga student loans dahil may ilan na nagiging delingkwente sa pagbabayad. Kasama sa mga di nakakabayad yung mga student loans ang mga tibak na nag-fulltime na sa kanayunan. Syempre napapa-iling na lang si Nick sa mga bayarin, pero alam mong kahit papaano ay masaya na rin siya dahil may mga kabataang nag-fulltime.

 

Pero marahil hindi pa alam ng marami na si Nick ay gumampan din ng susing papel sa pagtatayo ng organisasyon ng Anakbayan.

 

Bilang dating pangkalahatang kalihim ng Kabataang Makabayan noong dekada ‘60, si Nick ang isa sa mga naging pangunahing tagapayo namin sa Anakbayan National Organizing Committee. (Ang isa pang tagapayo syempre ay yung tagapagtatag ng pangulo ng KM). Sa panahong itatayo na ang AB, halos linggo-linggo ang talastasan namin hinggil sa pagbubuo ng bagong organisasyon.

 

Inilinaw niya sa amin ang mga panuntunan sa oryentasyon ng isang komprehensibong organisasyon ng kabataan, at kung paano magpaandar ng organisasyon, mula sa paano mag-recruit , paano magpatakbo ng isang chapter, paano magpalawak at paano ibwelo ang makapangyarihang kilusang masa. Ang kanyang maliit na silid sa Faculty Center ay nagsilbing classroom para sa mga bagong Anakbayan tulad ko.

 

Dumalo siya at nagbigay ng mensahe sa kumperensya ng pagtatatag ng Anakbayan noong Nobyembre 1998 sa Tondo upang talakayin ang kasaysayan ng KM at mga hamon sa Anakbayan.  

 

Huli kaming nagkausap ni Nick noong Nobyembre 25, 2006, ilang araw bago ang pinagsabay na anibersaryo ng KM at Anakbayan, sa book launching ng Dakilang Alay, ang libro ng mga kabataang martir na nilabas ng Anakbayan. Malaki ang naitulong niya sa pagluluwal ng aklat na iyon. Tumula pa nga sya sa book launching, kahit halos wala nang boses.

 

Sa aklat ng Dakilang Alay, binigay ni Nick sa mga kabataang martir ang kanyang “walang katapusang paghanga at pagpupugay”.

 

Sa pagkakataon ito, hayaan mo Nick na kami naman ang mag-alay sa iyo ng “walang katapusang paghanga, pagpupugay at pag-iipong lakas.” Hayaan mong kami naman ang magpasalamat sa iyong dakilang alay sa bayan at rebolusyong Pilipino.

US military aid to the Philippines and how Arroyo made sovereignty cheap

Updated News Release

January 8, 2007

 

Sovereignty made cheap

RP one of biggest recipients of US military aid

 

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan is accusing the government of putting a price tag on RP-US relations, saying that this has cheapened the country’s sovereignty and has led to compromises with the US .

 

According to Bayan, the Philippines is one of the largest recipients of foreign military aid from the US , thus explaining the attitude of the Arroyo government towards the souring of the relations between the two countries.

 

However, Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. dismissed as a myth the claim that the Philippines stands to benefit from continued US military presence in the country. The Arroyo government has claimed that the existence of the Visiting Forces Agreement has resulted in immense benefits for the Philippines .

 

Citing reports from the Library of US Congress-Federal Research Division on the Philippines dated March 2006, the total U.S. military assistance to the Philippines rose from US$38 million in 2001 to US$114 million in 2003 and a projected US$164 million in 2005.

 

“This makes the Philippines one of the largest recipient of US foreign military assistance. Still, this can’t be used to justify RP subservience to US dictates. You can’t put a price tag on sovereignty,” Reyes said.

 

And it remains big even for this year. According to the US Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Fiscal Year 2007), the Philippines will continue to receive a hefty amount of military aid, though much smaller compared to staunch US allies like Israel. In 2005, other US allies like Israel received $2.2 billion in FMF while Egypt gets $1.28 billion.

 

Worldwide, the biggest recipients of US Foreign Military Financing (FMF), a component of Foreign Military Assistance (FMA) include in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Columbia, Poland and the Philippines, according to the US Congress budget report.

 

The Philippines received $29.7 million FMF in 2005 and 2006 and is set to receive $17.6 million in 2007.

 

The Philippines is also the largest recipient of FMF in the East Asia and the Pacific Region, bigger than the combined FMF for Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Mongolia which is at around $11.3 million.

 

Bayan also revealed that based on a Federal Research Division case study on the Philippines, another $2.7 million was given as part of the International Military Education and Training (IMET) Program in 2004.

 

Based on a US Congressional report, the Philippines received $2.9 million for the IMET in 2005, the third largest recipient of US military education and training support, behind Turkey and Jordan.

 

At $148 million, the Philippines is also the number one recipient in Asia of Excess Defense Articles.

 

“US military assistance to the Philippines may appear big, especially from the viewpoint of a mendicant Philippine government. This may explain why the Arroyo regime will do anything to please the US government, even if this means surrendering sovereignty and jurisdiction over convicted criminals,” Reyes said.

 

“It is appalling that the Philippine government would surrender national dignity in exchange for ‘excess defense articles’ or surplus military goods. That is the height of cheapness,” Reyes said.

 

Bayan however disputed the claim that foreign military assistance will ever lead to the modernization of the AFP.

 

“Why is it that despite having US bases for more than 50 years, the Philippine armed forces did not modernize? Why is it that after 6 years of the VFA, the AFP still did not modernize?,” Reyes said.

 

Reyes also said that the US dollars being poured in for the Philippine military is the lifeline of a fascist institution responsible for widespread human rights violations.

 

“Both the Filipino and American people must realize that the US dollars being spent on the AFP fuels the number one instrument of repression in the country, responsible for more than 800 cases of extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo administration alone. United States military aid is propping up the current repressive regime, much as it did the Marcos dictatorship,” Reyes said.