MOD I: Florimar Jay Miyat

Modular Paper #1

Popular culture is a loaded phrase. Not one definition is enough to fully explain what the term actually means: This is because it means different things when seen through the eyes of different perspectives. We learned of 6 viewpoints that all work together to give us the bigger picture of the word. After all “Popular culture changes constantly and occurs uniquely in place and time.” Causes of the change could be from a variety of sources. From folklore to television, even the internet. The study of popular culture has grown and has revealed many different theories which try to make sense out of what seems to be nonsense. While doing so many reoccurring issues appeared…….
The Internet: Our information super highway more dangerous and problematic than we Westerners thought? This is evident in its use or lack of use in other countries due to funds, cultural concern, and language barriers.
Information at your finger tips made available to an individual in a matter of seconds about anything and everything. What could be easier than that? No going to the library leafing through countless pages of books only to find that the answer is not there. To us Westerners the internet has revolutionized the way we see the world. Yet we are still unaware of the areas of the world that do not have internet connection. We take the internet for granted because it’s accessible to everyone who has access to a computer. Even if one does not own a computer, you could stop by your local library or even the nearest Kmart. Then why is it that only less than 1% of the worlds population has access to the internet? Funds in certain countries just can’t cut it: Only the main cities have basic telephone access, which leaves the majority of rural areas in the dark. This also brings about the distinction of social classes in some cultures. With the high elites getting internet, while the poor are just left with nothing. This is something that some countries try to avoid.  Cost is said to be dependent on the delivery time of the message. The newer the equipment, the faster it is: due to advancements in the technology. With no money poorer countries can not afford the more up to date equipment. In turn they are left with nothing. Or in most cases are left with the slower older models which can no longer be used by us Westerners. Which ironically will cost the poorer countries more to maintain in the first place.
To other countries that would seem like music to the ears. The idea being that it would be better to be without the internet. Why would someone ever wish for that? Just the thought of it sounds absurd. The internet has so much to offer. Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook allows individuals to meet others who live oceans away from them. Giving us the opportunity to learn about different cultures and beliefs. Interestingly enough is the belief that internet is giving out a little too much information: information that could be interpreted as offensive to different individuals,  information that could start political oppositions, or information that could bring about harming change to certain cultures. For this reason a few governments, like Iran, Myanmar, the People’s Republic of China, and Saudi Arabia, restrict what individuals in their countries can look up on the Internet. This is especially true of content that deals with politics and religion How is this done? This is accomplished with software which filters the content so that they may not be easily accessed. It is certainly true that the internet can be a dangerous place. But our worries definitely differ from that of other countries. Kids can easily look up porn if they are not supervised. Some have even looked up violent acts on YouTube and have even gone as far as acting them out. Cyber bullying is now a more prominent issue. And sometimes too much information about yourself on the web can lead to bad things such as unwanted attention or even ID theft. Hackers are becoming more abundant as we speak.
While on the subject of speaking, language barriers are another cause of why the  internet can be such a problematic thing. It is mainly in English, meaning that one would need to have prior knowledge of the English language itself. We obviously know that English is not everyone’s first language. So things could be misinterpreted (something that I have never really thoroughly thought about). Languages do not always have the same words: So meanings could get lost in translation. Yet apparently the internet was designed mostly for the use of Americans. Therefore cultures who have a different set of writing alphabets or symbols already have a road block ahead of them. On top of that is the fact that non-phonetic alphabets can only be transmitted as images. In turn that means longer waits, or unclear visibility. So issue upon issue begins to surface.
In conclusion the world wide web is not so wide as we thought. We Americans take the use of the internet for granted. We view it as a tool that is supposed to help us gain knowledge. It goes to show us how little we know about the rest of the world. I am now aware of the internet in a much more bigger perspective. I see that we must use the internet wisely: Just because the majority of Americans have access to it, it does not mean the whole world does. (America is not the only country on earth). The internet is a big force that helps to shape popular culture in more ways than I thought was possible. For that reason we should learn more about it.

MOD VI: Florimar Jay Miyat

Filipinos are all over the world. Many of them are OFW’s (Over sea’s Filipino Workers) who work hard to send money back home to their beloved family members. We may see one another as hard workers who do not mean harm, yet others may look at a Filipino and think otherwise. This module depicts Filipinos in the eyes of the world through media, public opinion, and art. It also shows us our culture through events such as beauty pageants and balls that we are known for attending.
The very first reading that we looked at was a sonnet that was titled “Why choose Pilipinas?” The whole sonnet dealt with the topic of Filipina mail order brides. To me it was quite degrading because it tried to sell our women as if they were some product that you can buy off of a store shelf. For example, the benefits of a Filipina wife is that she will clean your house, cook your food, and take care of every need that you may have, without stepping out of line. And she is all yours for just a little price. The next part of the sonnet is coming from the woman herself. In this pare of the sonnet she stands up for herself and reaffirms the fact that she is a human being who can not be won over in that way.
In the reading “Is Art Meeting the challenge of Global times?” It is about how artists need to look at the challenges that the Philippines society is going through: the artists need to depict the struggles of the Filipinos in hopes that individuals will be inspired to make a change. These issues need to be a part of the Filipino popular culture.
In the article “Desperate housewives and Aging Veterans” it states that Gfilipinos

should take control of their image in order to make sure that they are represented in the right way. So basically we should conform and act the way we want to be perceived. And it is not through participating in beauty pageants that we will achieve this goal. We should learn to focus on the important issues that can get the Philippines out of such troubling conditions.
Desperate Housewives is one of my all time favorite shows. I did see the exact episode that the article Desperate housewives and Aging Veterans” speaks of. My first reaction was that I was shocked. I could not believe that she had said that. I think my exact thoughts were “Oh Hell to the No!” The comment was in regards to Philippines Medical Schools being much inferior to those in the United States of America. I can see why many Filipinos would be so offended. Look at the health field here in America: many of the Nurses are of Filipino ancestry.   It did make me angry but it made me think. This article was exactly what my thoughts were centered around. We as Filipinos have to take charge of the way we are represented.  We must portray ourselves in the light that we want to be seen as. We are a people so big in numbers yet we are docile therefore can not be heard: which in turn deems us invisible. We need to be more visible.
It was not tasteful on the shows part because it only portrays the United States of America as an ignorant country. Why so when we are supposed to be the melting pit of all cultures? Americans don’t look at other countries struggles but look at other bits and pieces of what they fell makes a culture who they are. They need to learn to see other countries for who they really are.

Moving into the beauty pageants. Mothers and daughters only want one thing. And that is to win the crown, title, and money that comes with their high acclaimed position. Hundreds of dollars are spent in hopes to reach such a goal: they have this idea that by winning they can represent and fix the  way Filipinos  are seen. My question to them is why not just directly send the money to the Philippines to aide in beneficial programs instead of throwing it all away into something that can be so superficial and so fake. The winner usually is the one who collects the most money anyway. Who knows where it comes from? With the crown comes  high status in the community. The parents radiate with pride as they can say that their daughter Miss so and so.
Maybe us Filipinos should not be so reliant on America to help us shape our image. By doing so I think we are just misrepresenting ourselves. If we don’t shape our image they way that we want it to be seen, then other people would be more than happy to shape it for us. This is what is going on  in America. Workers are coming overseas for a better life in America. But they are not being represented the way that they ought to be. We can not blame them for wanting what is best for themselves and their families. Look at the condition of the Philippines. I too would move. So if we cant change the country then we can at least change the way others look at us.

MELODRAMA: Florimar Jay Miyat

Why do Filipinos Love their melodramas?

If the typical Filipino does not have their eyes glued to the television screen watching Wowwowee, or dancing along to Game Ka Na Ba, you can be certain that a Philippine drama is on. We are as captivated by drama, whether it is that of our own, or other people: even though they are made up characters.
The most popular form of Filipino drama is called teleserye. It is a
Melodramatic serialized fiction that gets its name from two words. “Tele,” short for television, and the Tagalog word “serye,” which is a term for series. So basically it is the Filipino version of the soap opera and telenovella. Yet several characteristics make the teleserye different from the two. For one the shows tend to reflect social realism of Filipinos. This fact alone attracts a broad range of individuals, and achieves the highest advertising rates.
The first Filipino TV soap opera was Hiwaga sa Bahay na Bato in 1963. Back in the days soaps were shown during the daytime. That all changed when the popular Mexican telenovela, Marimar, began airing during primetime. And this was the beginning of the craze. Big networks jumped on the bandwagon by having local and foreign telenovelas in the timeslot. It was not until 2000 when the first official teleserye “Pangako sa Yo came on. It became a big hit in not only the Philippines, but also in other countries. So what makes them so addicting?
We first start off with the storyline. Older storylines of Teleseryes usually focus on the matters of love, social status, jealousy, betrayal, and revenge between characters.
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Usually their family history and relationships are what affect the later generation. A typical plot is what we know as the Romeo and Juliet syndrome. Two star crossed lovers who can not be together because of feuding families. Today that still remains the same, but in a more current view. For example, former friends or siblings fighting for fame and popularity in the showbiz industry.
Then comes the big twists. Common ones back in the day was about a romance between couples who later find out they are brothers and sisters: You think it ends there right? NO! Later they find out that they are not even related, but one was adopted. Teleseryes are known for adding in new characters. Of course these characters are here to stir things up and add new interesting twists to the story. Sometimes teleseryes even bring back characters who are supposed to be dead: but by some miracle they have come back to life. Today unpredictable twist are used. For example, even though the artist is almost stating what the twist is going to be it just doesn’t happen. It’s a lot of mind games which keeps the viewers interested. It is always fun to try to guess what is going to happen in the next episode. Especially when you are left in suspense, wondering. It’s a big reason why people are so addicted.
Another favorite aspect about the teleserye or any drama  is the villain. One can not have a drama without a bitch to make things interesting and of course dramatic.
Old dramas had very rude, greedy, violent, and crazy villains. These villains used things

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like their power and money to make the others life miserable. Their goal is to kill. In present times they are less violent, because they want to get revenge and instead see the
other character suffer slowly. We all just love to hate them, and stay tuned in to see what
evil this villain is really capable of.
We all look forward to this part, but at the same time we dread it. Yes I speak of the end! We know someone ends up dieing one way or another. Usually it is the villain that dies. If not another expected outcome is the main characters getting married and bearing children. Many complain that the endings are far to predictable, tiresome, and repetitious. That is why today things get a bit more complex. There is now room for reconciliation and forgiveness between main characters. Some of the main characters even end up dying. A cliff hanger leading to no end leaves possibilities for the show to have more seasons. Which is always a plus, because then you know you have something good to watch on TV. And this will literally be the end.

MOD VII: Florimar Jay Miyat

Module VII.
Philippine Popular Culture and the New Technologies: Excursus on Production and Consumption and Critiquing

The study of existence is what ontology is. In this module we seek to learn of what exists by looking into myths of first, second, and third world countries. We look also into the literature of the Philippines: romance novels and the idea of what masculinity is. Furthermore it is with the television that we see a large impact on the society. Especially in melodramas that makes ones life more interesting than it really is. A lot of things can be learned by further looking into these areas of interest.
A common misconception is that third world countries are very poor: These countries produced cheap labor, and had an abundance of resources. Many of the things that they made; they could not even afford to own. All in all they are at the very bottom of the totem pole of hierarchy. I myself had this mindset, until I read this particular article and was corrected. Third world countries were called this name because it was the label given to all countries that were neutral during the time of the Cold War. First World countries were the countries who were actually allies to the U.S., while on the other hand second world countries were those who were allies with the Soviet Union.
Moving onto Romance novels: as they are very popular in the Philippines. What draws so many to flip endlessly through pages?  It is the fantasy of such events happening to the reader. It explains the reality of Filipinos in the world. For it depicts a life of existing struggle.

In Philippine cinema, masculinity and the role of a man is a big concept that reoccurs. In many cultures it is the man that is head of the household. He is the one who
is dominant, makes the decisions and brings home the money.  This is quite the opposite in the Philippines. It is the female who is the top dog. Filipino males have a hard time in being open with their sexuality because it is tradition that has taught them to be and act this way. I personally feel that there needs to be a more defined image of what masculinity is in the Philippines.
Television melodramas are another large part of the Filipino popular culture. Elaborate characters are created where real life only gets to be so methodically plotted. There is drama and scandal that captivates the audience. Big twists are thrown in only to make things more interesting. Star crossed lovers who meet, argue, meet someone else, yet end up living happily ever after or dead is the main themes of most of the dramas. Yet time and time again we are drawn into these stories, wanting to find out what will happen in the next episode. We knowingly watch with the mindset that this kind of stuff could never happen in real life. It is all too good to be true, as if our lives were not filled with enough drama already.
But everyone wants to find their soul mate and have a fairy tale ending where life is nothing but a bowl of sunshine and happiness. Melodramas never want to show this part of the story only because if they did, there would no longer be an interesting story. For drama to be drama it must not be worked out and resolved. Yet again we stay tuned only hoping that one episode will soon depict the closure that we long for. We get our hopes up because we know this will never happen.

If the main character were to get married of course there will have to be some sort of drama or falling out between them. The show would not be as fascinating if it were the
other way around. Thank goodness for evil characters who are thrown into the pot to stir things up. It just would not be normal to be happy and good in a world of drama. These melodramas are very contradicting because they depict themes that are not what society deems as normal. It’s more interesting to watch the lives of others get ruined rather than to have such terrible things happen to ourselves. Heaven forbid if such things were to happen to us. We watch because we like to imagine what we ourselves would do if we were put in such a situation. What is real now a days and do these things really exist?

MOD V: Florimar Jay Miyat

Module V

Exilic Reflections: imagining the Filipino People in Exilic Communities

So what exactly is Exile and how is it connected to Filipinos?

Exile a noun that means:

1A. Enforced removal from one’s native country.

1B. Self-imposed absence from one’s country.

2. The condition or a period of living away from one’s native country.

3. One who lives away from one’s native country, whether because of expulsion or voluntary absence. (Wikipedia)

Home is where the heart is. And whether one is forced to leave his or her homeland or one chooses to wander far away for whatever reason it may be: being away from home is always a tough situation to cope with. This was clearly evident in the readings and the video that we viewed in class: as I will try to analyze through their different circumstances.

We have many individuals who make the tough decision to leave their country for a vast number of reasons. Yet all these reasons lead to one common goal: A better life.

A better life not only for themselves: but for their families as well. OFW’s (Overseas Filipino Workers) are notorious for taking such action. Examples are those hired to work in the sugar plantations of Hawaii, and those throughout Asia and the Middle East. They make the ultimate sacrifice of leaving their families behind so they can send money home to their loved ones. In the video we learn of a man whose children have not seen him for years because he is working overseas. They receive money and gifts from their father. It is said that 15 billion dollars alone is sent back to the Philippines “remittances.”  One

would assume that this is enough for them. But it is not. They want only to have their father home with them, to see them grow up, and be a family once again. In my eyes I would be torn both directions. Which ever decision is made, there is always going to be a negative aspect that equally weigh heavy on each side. Which of the two is a better life? To live poor with your family, knowing that you can not do anything to help them survive in the struggles of daily living, or living with out them knowing that they are being taken care of because you are doing something to better their lives? In the end if your country can not fully support and give its people their needs to live, then moving does seem pretty convincing.

Here comes the issue of Nostalgia. From what I understand it is the returning home to pain. The pain that your loved ones feel because you are not present in their daily lives. The pain that everyone has to deal with for missing out on such important events. It is only more painful because these overseas workers are homesick. Yet many can not afford to return home. Exile is definitely a performance. It’s sad because these workers are sending money home to support their loved ones but they themselves can not afford to go home. Instead where they work (this foreign country that pays them) is the place that they are forced to call home.

But what happens when one moves with the same intentions of a better life: Do they always get it? Even in such a promising land like America. The answer is not always. We have for example mail order brides who come to America thinking that they are going to live out the American dream with a man that loves them. Instead they are treated as sex slaves, and house keepers. Many of these women are treated like property. They are dehumanized! On a much bigger scale we see well educated Filipinos who are nurses, doctors, teachers, and lawyers in the Philippines. Yet when they set foot in America what kind of jobs do we see them in? We see them working as custodians, and in hotels: Cheap labor jobs that do not even make use of their talents and brains. I am angered by this because time and time again it seems like we are allowing ourselves to be treated like crap. All for the idea of a better life: yes maybe for your relatives back home, but what about you? These individuals are giving the ultimate sacrifice. They are giving up their lives for the betterment of their loved ones lives.

In the song titled “Life in America.” America is not all that it is cracked up to be. We are It is all beautifully summed up a country that has its own sets of issues. Aren’t we the same America who promised war vets that they would be able to become citizens of the USA and that they would be paid for their services: The same America that did NOT keep that promise, and is only now given the opportunity to get what was long past owed to them? The same America who when 9/11 happened: arrested some of its own American citizens of Filipino blood just because they were thought to have connections to terrorist, or they over stayed their visa. We are that America. And as a Filipino American I am really shocked to say such things. We are that same America. We hold a double standard with everyone else. We only want what is good for our country and will do what we have to in order to get it.

It is tough to look at our own people in this point of view. How far will we really be willing to go? Do you think that our honorable trait of doing what is best for your family could also serve as one of our downfalls? I think in a way it very well could be harmful to us. We should be aware of this and make sure that we are allowing ourselves to be treated the way we want to be treated. Because I feel in the end if you are not a happy person then it just is not worth all the hardship.

We see that those who leave the motherland have to deal with a bunch of stuff. Emotionally it is draining, physically it is hard. Things are just tough when you leave, even though you just want a better life.  We ourselves choose what must be done, and if EXILE is the answer than that is what we will do. We choose to be exiles because we make the decision  to leave.

Stimulus Package: Florimar Jay Miyat

Stimulus Package Reflection

First of all it has been brought to my knowledge that thousands of Filipinos fought for the United States in hopes that they would be able to become US citizens, and qualify for full veteran benefits (Kyl). This was a promise made to these men by our country we call the United States of America. Shockingly after the war and many deaths Congress then established that Filipino veterans would not be recognized as “active service”. Meaning that the US did not stick to their word. They lied! This fact alone already gets me worked up because that is very shady of the US to pull such a stunt. I feel that they US just used our Filipino men, and that is wrong on so many levels.
Thank goodness for the Economic Stimulus Bill 2009. This bill states that Filipinos who served in the US armed forces during World War II would be compensated through lump-sum payments: $15,000 for those who are US citizens and $9,000 for those who are still living in the Philippines.
There are many people who are in support of the Bill, while others are against it. Yet through the reading of all the articles I found that a majority of individuals are more neutral about it. Let me explain.
There are those that are against the Bill, like Mr. Steve Buyer. Many individuals on his side argue that “The purpose of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to stimulate the American economy and create jobs, but this provision does neither,” he states. He includes that “our nation is at a financial crossroads and we face many significant economic challenges, such as taking care of the American veterans. Sending American’s hard earned taxpayer dollars overseas does not create jobs in America.” Many feel that American Vets should be taken care of first. One uneducated individual attacks the Filipino race by making such a bold statement, he says “Typical Filipinos; always standing off to the side waiting for a financial opportunity to present itself, then they swoop. Money hungry and willing to do anything for the US dollar, including grabbing it this way. Am I wrong or is my mind fuzzy? I thought the Americans were in the Philippines to extrapolate the Japanese from the Philippines, not the other way around. Many American boys  died in the fighting there. Why should we have to pay Filipinos for protecting their own fucking country?” This individual got me above and beyond angry. For him to generalize and be so malicious towards our people especially without having all his facts straight is really irritating. It bothers me to know that people can say such terrible things.
Yet on the bright side of things there are the people who are in support of the Bill. People like Senator Richard Gordon. He shed light on the situation and puts things in perspective for me. He says that Filipinos have been fighting for 60 years not for the money but for “the restoration of their honor and recognition of their dignity as soldiers who fought with the Americans during Word War II.” Many think that money is the prime motivation for this bill, but that is not the whole truth. Not all veterans are after the monetary consideration. Look at Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who never applied for any veteran’s benefits. Democratic Representative for Hawaii Daniel Inouye is a big supporter of the bill. He brings to the table the fact that if we don’t do this now It will be too late. He says, “It should be noted that as you read this, many of the Filipinos who would qualify are on their death beds, today the average age of these men is about 90.” This fact alone is really eye-opening. It will definitely be too late to fix things. Franco Arcebal who is the VP of the ACFV states that nearly 3,000 vets have died  since the lase count in 2007.
And here with in this category is where I stand. I am all for the Filipino War Vets getting their promised monies. But I do feel that by putting this line in the bill is wrong because it does not help the American economy at all. And by having this line segment in the bill it only give individuals reason to look at it in a bad fashion, or standpoint. One individual states that, “while I find this a worthy cause, and pay tribute to the Filipino Veterans who stood by and fought alongside the Battling bastards of Bataan, I think this benefit should have been determined years ago. This should not have been part of a Stimulus package because it does nothing for our economy.” And I could not agree more

MOD III: Florimar Jay Miyat

REVISION

Module III

Cultural Encounters: Spain, America, and Japan as Colonizers

The readings were very eye opening. I learned quite a bit about all the different influences that colonizers had on the Philippines. Whether it be of positive outcome or that of a negative one, the Philippines is what it is today because of its interactions with other countries that surround them. If it were not for the Spaniards we would not be known as “Filipinos,” for it is a word that came from their language. We have Japan to thank for bringing to us the noodles we call pancit, and our version of their spring roll: lumpia. These are some of the good things that came out of colonization, but of course when there is good, bad is not very far away.…

(Thesis) Living the American dream, something that all Filipinos strive for when they make their way here to the land of the free and the home of the brave. As outrageous as it may sound, could America be doing more harm to our homeland and people then we would expect? I feel that America is in fact harmful to the Philippines as we will see through the changes found in food, jobs, and malls: America is a forceful influence.

Evidently America has gotten to the stomachs of the Philippines. It is appealing to have the quick and easy, ready to go, convenience and manageability of the foods. Americans would have it no other way: What is harmful is that some Filipinos have adopted that same attitude. It was once common for individuals who were always on the go to bring rice (and whatever was left from dinner) to work. Or what we Filipinos like to know as “balon.” But that is slowly being a thing of the past. Burgers are the new trendy thing to eat at lunch. It’s not hard to see why with American food chains like

McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and 7-11 popping up in our motherland. Even in many areas where surrounding homes can not even afford to buy a decent meal: as we saw in the video Cavite. Yet these American fast food chains remain so popular. Advertisement is the key reason why. Ironically when one sits to analyze the commercials and ads for these delicious foods, the Filipinos portrayed in them have the familiar face, and pale skin of an American (Fernandez). I am afraid of what is to come next for our people of the Philippines. For it is the bad fast food eating habits of the Americans that cause them to be one of the most OBESE countries in the world. Filipinos are then next in line to be an obese country. We will be accepting with open arms heart attacks, and disease.

America has given the Filipinos many opportunities, especially in the workforce. One of the main reasons why many Filipinos come to live in America is for working purposes. But America has always had a bad reputation in the eyes of those occupying these jobs. Filipinos who were once highly respected lawyers, engineers, and teachers in the Philippines come to America, they are downgraded to low paying clerical, and sales workers. Today it is common to see a Filipino working as a janitor or a maid, or any cheap labor job. In the article by E. San Juan Jr. he states that Filipinos only make 2/3 of an average white mans salary. Even though Filipinos have high educational achievements we have the lowest average income among the Asian race. Put into perspective America has not been the best place for Filipinos and work. Yet it is appealing and still is the place to come because of the fact that in the Philippines hard work is what is needed to survive,

while here in America hard work is something that you are rewarded for: no matter how low the pay is, America still has better conditions than that of the Philippines.

Why is it that the Philippines have three of the world’s top 10 largest shopping centers? two of them located in the capital of Manila. Americans have influenced our motherland so much to the point where 40% of the population in the Philippines lives just on $2 a day, yet the malls are always crowded (Reuters). Malling is the term used in the Philippines: it is in fact a verb which literally means: the act of going to a shopping mall and whiling away the hours. This can definitely be seen in malls here in Hawaii. Look at for example Pearlridge and especially Alamoana. Many teens go there just to kill time. A bunch of them do not even end up buying a thing. And that is exactly what the Filipinos are doing up there. “Malling is a way of life for them. Even with the economy as bad as it is, it is reported that 2.5 million individuals still visited the shopping centers. And I think that should tell you something. Why is it common to see such big malls in areas that seem so poor? With a bad economy I don’t think that people should just be spending their money right now. We Americans are hurting our people, for it is our money that we are sending back home ($16 Billion supports the retail sector). Still every couple or so years brings in even bigger and better malls. When will America stop?

We can definitely see that our America, whom many Filipino Americans call home is hurting our Filipino brothers and sisters in our homeland. We see through the different and adopted habits of the Filipinos how Americanized they are getting day by day. So is it ok that we’re living the American dream while our own suffer under the influence of a powerful America.

MOD II: Florimar Jay Miyat

Module II
Philippine Pop Culture and the Burden Of Representation

The readings were an abundant source of knowledge that focused on the different aspects of influence that has shaped our Filipino identity to what it has become today: But it is the touch of Filipino or “Filipino twist” added to the mix that truly makes it our own. This is evident with the introduction of the jeep and the Honda motor cycle. As visitors to the islands these items were put to its greatest potential of use: and so gave birth to the iconic Jeepney, and tricycle……..
With many spheres of influence constantly trying to change the Filipino ways, I feel that Filipinos do not loose their identity, but adapt other ideas: in one form or another making it their own. This can be seen as a central theme throughout all three articles. This quote literally sums it all up “Filipinism is the process of exorcising the alienness of the borrowed technology by bringing into it the familiar and social marks and features of Filipinicity thus giving the new creation a familiarity, a habitation and a name.”
To begin with we all know what the infamous tricycle and jeepney are: They did not just come to the Philippine islands in this form. Filipino’s made them what they are today. Transforming what was once this short mode of transportation that could hold around six individuals: to what is now a long passenger vehicle that can now hold up to 36 individuals (Defying the laws of Physics, the Filipinos make that all possible). These cars are not fully complete until they have curtains, colored jalousies, and its own little portable altar at the dashboard. It can not scream “Filipino” any more than that. We look at a Honda motorcycle that can fit only two people, and that is all we see. Yet from a
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Filipino view point something more can become of it. Something much more convenient: Thus came about the tricycle. Incredibly enough the tricycle at its maximum capacity can hold as much as sixteen individuals. In turn we have created and maintained a new identity that still is Filipino.
This is also evident in the adopting of other traditions, only to make them our own. We have taken from the Aboriginals the ancient traditional literature about the acts of the gods, the acts of the people, and the acts of the heroes: and made them to fit our needs of society. Wisdom was passed down from one generation to the other with these fine stories. It is through them that individuals learn the accepted behaviors and manners. Today it is said to serve as “a record of the mind and soul of he ancestors of the natives of this archipelago.” From Islamic traditions of the Quran, we have not allowed new traditions to take over the older ones. Instead we see an intermingling of two traditions that brings the best of both worlds together. This is clearly seen in some Muslim homes where there are offerings made to spirits that do not even have ties to any Islamic origin. The Spaniards brought to us not only Catholicism, but also the novel, and the journalistic and political essay. It is from the Spaniards that our inspiration for the national anthem came about: inventing our own to agitate against oppression and the oppressors. America also brought about some influence to the Philippines. Poetry, the one act play, and most importantly the recording of indigenous folk literature were just a few positive contributions. Unfortunately America did more harm than good for the people (but that in itself is another essay).  Fortunately the Filipinos saw the harm Americans had brought with them. Filipinos were able to adapt and weave together little pieces of other cultures
Miyat 3
to fill the needs that they felt strongly about.
Speaking of feeling strongly about needs: art is seen as a want more than a need. And it is in the never ending economic crisis of the country that this weighs heavily more truthfully than ever. Most artists only shoot themselves in the foot because they want to produce art as a commodity, seeking only good reviews, wanting only awards as they are the keepers of such a talent. And most seem to need national recognition. One Filipino by the name of Botong Francisco has gained recognition, not by just making art his own, but by also making it his communities. He has raised the artistry level in his town by teaching many individuals. He has also created a school there where everyone gets involved in the community in one way or another. It may be through the designing of costumes for the parade or helping a relative create a beautiful yet functional piece of furniture. He demonstrates that are can be a positive thing for the Filipinos in more ways than one. Especially economically if taken in the right direction.
In conclusion we see that Filipinos do not simply just drop their culture once change has come into their lives. No! Instead they have come to embrace many different ideas that come into the nation and in some form or another make it their own. The added dash of Filipino makes it better in the sense that the culture can use it to keep their identity yet move forward in such an advanced and complicated world. If Filipinos were not able to adapt and deal with change then they would be stuck. And though things can be much better for the country than they are now, it is better to move forward rather than take steps back.

Yumi Han-Module 5

Module V

Exilic Reflections: Imagining the Filipino People in Exilic Communities

 

IP 364

Yumi Han

 

   In this module, I was very impressed by some poems presented in the book. They simply showed and allowed me to feel which circumstances and situations are surrounding and struggling with their lives.

   I think the Poem ‘Canberra’s hot air balloons’ was reflected from speculation of Filipino people’s lives in the Philippines and also in U.S. Describing themselves as balloons is very adequate to compare. But at the same time, I wondered why was that balloon? Why not other fragile substances?

   As we know, balloons are very fragile and sensitive substances. If it’s reached or even touched by a needle or anything pointy, it will be popping right away. They are delicate and frail. There’s nothing to protect their thin rubber skin and it won’t be able to fly anymore. Balloons are supposed to be flying and I remember I sometimes flied them with my wishes and hopes in my childhood.

   Here, balloons cannot fly because the world’s burdens are too heavy for them and they are just too fragile to do that. All the wishes and hopes are suppressed and oppressed by the heavy, uncontrolled burdens. And the balloons, which couldn’t avoid carrying burdens, just kept enduring the situation. They were covered all over with wounds.

Imagining the life of Filipinos in America suppressed and circumscribed also allow us to ­­­­remind the balloon confronting a storm.

In the poem ‘Life in America’, we can find one of the reasons why the balloons cannot fly. ‘Life in America is like this, Poppy. Young, old women, old men are the same.’  How young, old women and old men could be the same?  Even if you are young, old or women, everyone should work and make money by himself or herself. Keeping their life is exhausting.

   I saw a TV program about Oversea Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Korea. They were very young like my age, 20 to 28. They usually work at the factory and get paid the minimum wages. Sometimes they get swindled because they have no right and power to fight back. Even if they earn money from hard working, they can’t leave the money for themselves. As in the poem, ‘A dead man’, they send all their money to the Philippines. Calluses form in the palm of their hands. It makes people’s heart hurt to see them. They suffer from home sick and being away from loved ones for long periods at a time.

   So the TV show brought the parents who don’t have enough money to come see their son. When they met again, they couldn’t even believe that they were together and just kept crying.

   It’s terribly miserable that you cannot see your family due to poverty. The world where I live now is very different from theirs. But the strange thing is we are in the same country. A gap between us is very far away. Why is that?

   In my opinion, I just can conclude it that it’s all because of money and poverty. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of need, Philippines are unable to fulfill the very first need, physiological needs. Among the five, Philippines cannot even reach the first level.

    I think the endeavor to reach the first level should be considered as a big issue. Not only to the Philippines, but also to the world. After fulfilling that urgent problem, I believe Philippines will be little eased off.

Yumi Han-Module 7

Module VII

Philippine Popular Culture and the New Technologies: Excurses on Production and Consumption and Critiquing

 

IP 364

Yumi Han

 

     ‘These photographs had to represent the colonized as inferior, as needing improvement, but simultaneously possessing the capacity to be improved, technologically and otherwise.’  This is quoted from the passage ‘Displaying Filipinos’. It basically tells there was the purpose to represent the pictures. What was the purpose to take pictures of Philippine and how did they represent them?

   Taking picture is one of the ways to represent something. So taking picture is representing of the visual world. But is it always showing the real world that we are living in? Imagine that control of taking lens is all depending on someone who shoots the scene and the taking moments were what exactly he liked.

   A year ago I saw one movie that is reminded by this article. A girl, Briony Tallis, narrates the movie called ‘Atonement’. When Briony, 3 years old an aspiring writer, sees her older sister Cecilia and Robbie at the fountain in front of the family estate she misinterpret what is happening thus setting into motion a series of misunderstanding and a childish pique that will have lasting repercussions for all of them. Robbie is the son of a family servant toward whom the family has always been kind. They paid for his time at Cambridge and he plans on going to medical school. After the fountain incident, Briony reads a letter intended for Cecilia and concludes that Robbie is a deviant. When her cousin Lola is raped, she tells the police that it was Robbie she saw coming the deed when in fact it was a visitor to the estate. In the movie, it shows the lives of Robbie, Cecilia and Briony. Robbie sends to the army and die. Even though Briony figured that Cecilia and Robbie actually loved each other and all the moments and scenarios she thought were misunderstanding in her childish pique, she couldn’t return the lives already gone. This story was really impressed to me because it shows that one person’s testimony of misunderstanding could kill and ruin three people’s lives. She, Briony, actually saw that she imagined or expected in her mind. So way of thinking was all depends on her imaginaries. She didn’t know how it would affect the rest of her and their lives. But the consequences already got into uncontrolled situation.

   People want to see what they want, what they expect. Peoples are making whatever they want to take advantages. If it seems that the way to get something is wrong, we might think there is ethical issue we should consider.

   I think if people who saw the pictures of Philippines presented in America at that time, they might have certain stereotype of Philippines. Even if people who were shooting those pictures thought it’s just one of the commodities they sold, but consumers or buyers adopt them as their knowledge and image that they will make about it.

   I think letting people know about Philippines were all depends on certain people who took the pictures and sold. They were not just selling the pictures, but they also sold the images or feelings of a country. It was not just one kind of commodity, it was one country’s features and pride.

 The pop culture of today, it is no exaggeration to say that it’s all made up by the past. So our future will be made by the present’s decision. Think about that all the moments and incidences will be compacted to make our future. So how are we going to do? How are we going to expect?

   In our lives, at this time, mass media is the main stream to spread out pop cultures. If any mistakes, any ethical issues were made in the past, we need to correct them in a way they were spread. Because we need to prepare to hand down bright and ethically clear country to our descendants.

    I believe pop culture is the answer. To spread and correct the issues that we made, we may use our pop culture to let the people know the right things and truth from now on. Keeping the ethical aspect clear and clean is the main key to convince and the first step to the better future.