Santacruzan: Passion and Fashion

Santacruzan is Filipinized term for the way to the Holy Cross. It is one taste of the Filipino culture that anyone could see as part of the May flower festivals, at least in largely Catholicized places in the Philippines. Sagala is a more common term that refers to a parade of beauties. Hence, the term is interchangeably used with Santacruzan, because the stars in the commemorative event are bevvy of beauties, that local community has. But not everytime though.

The Santacruzan is a parochial affair. A Hermana Major is assigned in a community to make the necessary arrangements for the parade. This is usually a woman, of an older age, someone who has leadership potentials or at least influence in the community. Santacruzans are organized locally, as in a baranggay or a village. She also chooses who will be in the parade, and who would portray the most coveted Reyna Emperatriz and Reyna Elena titles.

It's not just a parade, there is a competitive aspect into it. The Reyna will have to dress the most beautiful gown she could have, find something from the baul, have one custom-made, buy from the ukay-ukay or rent from a gown collector. They just have to dress up gorgeously because everyone else in the community will lay their eyes on them.

The ladies dress up fashionably. Some others just dress up even though they end up to look like a fashion victim. So we see and hear people after the Sagala to be conjuring up comments, some good others bad. More often it becomes a fashion event rather than event that shows the passion of women and men to find the way to the Cross.

The historicity of the Santacruzan is associated with the representation of the Queen Rome, Constantine's mother, and her passion to find the original cross where Christ was nailed. It portray's Christianity's growth. Thus, it must present what Christ values the most - filial love, simplicity, charity, piety and fortitude in faith. Where are these now?

These queens go with a consorte or an escort. But sometimes you can find a lady with two escorts or an escort with two ladies. This is a confusion of modernity so to speak. To critical mind, it is understood to imply a message that it is alright to be not so filial. In life, monogamy is a virtue. Portraying such situations reflect postmodernity, worst a hedonistic lifestyle - that one can choose to have several partners or have two or more lovers at one time.

To shine at night, the ladies and even the men could not give an excuse to wearing make-up. To some ladies, make-up does the magic, but to others make-up makes them look "parang natutulog lang".

Citiwide, regional or national Sagala's are rare and they are organized for commercial purposes. The authentic Santacruzan or Sagala is what you can find in the local community streets. The ladies here dress up so fashionably, and sometimes exposing much of their skin. The preparations are too grand and expensive.

As a cultural artifact, the Santacruzan adds to the richness of the Filipino culture. As to its religious association, there are many things that we have to reexamine. How is fashion event shaping the passion of the Christians that view it? This I think will be more meaningful in holding this annual community event.

Lessons from the 2010 Election

The Filipinos have voted a new government to be led by President Elect Benigno Aquino and the Vice-President Elect Jejomar Binay.

Vox Populi vox dei. The voice of the people is the voice of God. It should be better understood that God has given the people their voice to participate in democratic processes through election. It is the people who choose the people whom they want to lead the country. Deux et Machina, the hand of God at work in politics is something else to be understood in theosocial terms.

Based on the election returns, the vote turn out have shown that the Filipinos have elected the same people who have served the government before, or the same names of people who have been in the government before.

Noynoy came in first, but Erap second, while Villar ran third. Clearly, still many of the Filipinos did not examine the track record of these people for them to be there in the top three ranks. Popularity and familiarity remained two important factors that influenced voters' decisions. From the readings of turnout per municipal and specific precints, Erap often advanced from Noynoy. It was also noticeable that there was such a thing as a "hometown vote". That people would vote for those people who were from the neighborhood.

The same people have been elected. Although this could also be attributed to their electoral machineries, the turnout of the election reflects much of the Filipinos decide the fate of this country. Bombarding the Filipino voters with ads did not really work best for Villar. Aquino's name as engrained in the people who revere Cory and the late senator, or maybe the fans of Kris, must have helped Noynoy gain the vote. The pre-election surveys got it all wrong. Noynoy and Binay were elected, their names were never really consistent with earlier survey results, except for the trust rating of Noynoy. Probably, trust is much more reliable factor to consider of who will be elected in the government.

The same people who stand in top of the social heirarchy have been elected. No "real" poor man was there to represent the widest sector of the Philippine society. By electing the same people, we can assume that the same traditional politics, from the same traditional politicians will be evident. The same corrupt practice, or may be even more will surey happen. How many of the elected senators, have legal backgrounds to be in the legislative? What can a dancer-fashionista, married to an actor propose as a bill in the congress, that the Leytenos would benefit from? How often will Manny Pacquiao attend the congress sessions, and how many bills will he pass, or how many bills from him will become a law?

We were able to manage, a generally peaceful automated elections. Thanks to the COMELEC, the teachers, and the PPCRV volunteers. We can count that we will have a more efficient system next time. Opponents of the President elect have conceded like true gentleman. Virtually, there was no sign of fraud, except the great fraud that the Filipinos have done to themselves by electing the same traditional politicians.

Another lesson we can learn from this election is that there will still be political dynasties. Recto will be in the Senate, his wife will be the governor of Batangas. Binay will be the Vice President, and another Binay will be in Makati. Change comes not just by changing political posts. Change is afforded by changing the people who run the government. When the time comes that the Filipinos or at least some of those who share the political power are aversed by the plans and actions of this elected government,the Filipinos will go to the streets again and call for change.

This election should have been an opportunity for a genuine change.

I thought, the Filipinos are ready for change. But I was wrong. I do not see any tangible change to happen in how the government of this country will run its affairs for the Filipinos. I can only hope and pray that something better will happen. That God's hands will move the spirits of these elected people to genuinely serve the interest of the country.

My Nation, My Vote, My Experience

Today is an historical moment for the Filipino nation for many firsts. It is the first time for the youth to have their voice, with half of the 42 million registered voters belonging to the youth population, ages 18-33. It is the first time for new voters. It is the first time to have a fully automated voting in place. It is the first time that the Filipinos will not have to wait for lenghty days to finish counting ballots. It is the first time that 9 candidates are vying for the presidential post.

I was probably too excited for this election that I could not sleep.I had to get up my bed when the cocks cockled. I showered so early, like I was going to work. Then I asked my mom with eagerness to get to the polls early. As usual, I turned on the TV and saw candidates headed early to their polls. Edu Manzano was in an island somewhere in Iloilo. Surprisingly, not so long years ago, he was the Vice Mayor of Makati, although his family residence was somewhere in Bicutan. Manny Pacquiao and his wife Jinky were in the polls even before they openned.There was both order and chaos in the precints.

At the first hour, there were throngs of people gathered at public schools already. Lots and lots of papers were scattered all over the polling stations.How much was spent to all these? How many trees were cut down to print special sample ballots that only keeps the names of the candidates or their allies. Crazy, the most recent sample ballots from candidates that I got have so many blank spaces, and the names that appear represent various parties. I guess I should believe that Philippine politics is not really partisan politics, but indivdidual politics.

On Manila papers, responsible individuals have placed maps of the school with the baranggay numbers to give directions to the voters. To facilitate the voting process, there are people who would rather keep a queue, no matter how long it takes and how many twists and turns it would get. The PPCRV main desk could be found right there at the lobby, they are equipped with a computer that has online access. Some supervisors of the PPCRV have radio communications to coordinate activities and report spurious incidents.

In our precints, seats were provided in a designated waiting area. A room was assigned for two baranggays. But the room was only occupied by the voters from our baranggay. Ten by ten, poll watchers call in voters. In the polling area, ten were lined up near the BEI desk, and ten more were lined up near the door. It was just a crowd. When our turn came, there were just very few inside, and I saw someone who was not really there in designated waiting area. Nobody even knew that person. As we idly stood there waiting, we got more curious about how the PCOS machine work, we got closer to it, which angered one BEI officer.

I blamed the pollwatchers for calling us in when it was not really our turn yet. I thought, the crowding in the room could confuse the BEI and to minimize the crowd, they will resort to more efficient but not foolproof process. Just like they never really ask us for a valid ID and they never really looked at the picture. I just told my name and the registration number which was posted in the voters registration list posted outside, presto I got the ballot. My cousin just pointed to his name and reiterated the number (not the registration number)and he also got a ballot. Without verifying the identity of the voter, this process makes the election prone to fraud.

There were so many poll watchers, each representing a party or a specific candidate. I find this chaotic, because there is really no sense of watching voters. POLL WATCHERS from parties may not be necessary at this type of voting. When the BEI asks for 10 voters to come inside the precint, another watcher would call another ten. With so many calls, the 10 voters come to be tripple. Poll watchers are not just necesasry because they add to the crowd inside and outside the precints. There is PPCRV, a COMELEC recognized entity, then what are Poll watchers for? At the sidelights they only take the opportunity to be close to voters then at the least try to sway voters for the candidate who paid them fees for poll watching. With so many people inside the precint, a malicious individual can sneak in and do something with the machine and so maligning the system and the validity of the process.

Five people can man the polling station. In our precint, I saw this could work. One BEI personnel can handle the validating voters identity. The other BEI personnel can give the ballot, the secrecy folder and pen, then register the voter as confirmation that a ballot has been given. The next BEI personnel should be assigned to the PCOS machine to assist voters, and likewise keep a manual tally of approved and disapproved cast ballots. Two PPCRV volunteers can help the BEI personnel, one of which should be assigned to keep the flow of voters entering and leaving the precints, the other can stay inside to keep a close watch of the proceedings and to readily assist voters if they may need help in filling out their ballots.

Poll watching is not a career, it is every Filipino's responsibility. Poll watching is not watching the voters, but keeping the integrity of the electoral process, and the sanctity of the ballot. Unaware of these fundamental concepts, the BEI and partisan poll watchers are not promoting democracy but leaving it prematurely prone to corrupt practices.

Since schools are designated polling stations. Volunteers should prepare seats and waiting areas for the voters. Immediate attention or preference should be given for the Senior Citizens, persons with disabilities or individuals who underwent or are in severe medical conditions (ie.stroke, asthma, rheumatism, etc.) since they can not stay waiting for a long time in the precints during hot summer days. My aunt who suffered a mild stroke came in with us and even got to the polls minutes earlier. She was registered in another precint, a precint that was just not so systematic in managing the flow of voters. They gave numbers to voters, 50 at a time. With my cousins, we finished earlier voting in another precint. Ten more finished, and she was still waiting with her daughter without a number.

A police nabbed one pollwatcher in our precint, because he did not really attend the required seminar for poll watchers and that his identity could not be verified or supported by anyone from our baranggay. The police were alert and responsive to calls. In our area, there are organized civic groups who work closely with the police officers to keep peace and security. At least, with this I noticed a responsive government unit.