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| KP GALLERY | |||
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| By MC Canlas "IS IT really gone?" my friend Jojo asked me on our way to Daly City from San Francisco, riding his Murano along freeway 101. Yes. I said, "Haven't you noticed it? It's been out for months now." Sayang, "what a pity" was not the right word. What he actually meant is paghihinayang or hinayang; a certain feeling of having missed a chance or of having wasted something. It has been there for 20 years, since 1986, we could have been celebrating its 20th anniversary. When it was new and fresh, in the mid-80s, its colors were alive. It was an attention-getter, a-not-to-miss sight among commuters to the south. Years later, its color began to lose its luster, a faded glory of sort, and sad to say, nobody cared, even among reputable Filipino community leaders and artists, to save the glorious symbol of the Filipino brand of "people power" against tyranny and dictatorship. Not only that, when the property was sold to its new owner, what would you expect? He did not understand its meaning, history and significance to the Filipino community, and nobody from the community dared to enlighten him. Out of ignorance or lack of cultural sensibility on the part of the owner, or perhaps because it was his property, he posted a big tarpaulin over it, advertising his business, "Clothing Broker- Open- Fri.Sat. Sun." It covers the important image of Ninoy Aquino's assassination and the protest movement. Sixteen years after the 1986 EDSA uprising, the 'people-power' showed signs of wear and tear, discoloration and neglect. And nobody seemed to care to save it. It needed much repair and restoration. Even then, it was not easy to discern this 1986 mural entitled "Lakas-Sambayanan" by Johanna Poethig, Presco Tabios and Vic Clemente. And late last year, when it could have been its 20th year, another owner bought the property. The owner he did remove the faded tarpaulin, but instead repainted the entire wall - erasing the work of art that depicted the historic uprising of Filipinos against Ferdinand Marcos who ruled the country under martial law. Lakas-Sambayanan is the profound Tagalog translation of the term "people power." It was called by several names - EDSA Uprising, February Revolution, People Power Revolution and the Philippine Revolution of 1986. Its biggest impact in the aftermath is perhaps the term "people power," which has entered the imagination and languages of people all over the world. The book "People Power: An Eyewitness History" published in 1986 describes the event as "The Greatest Democracy Ever Told." The book introduction summarizes: It was a revolution without a precedent. Men, women, and children-armed only with crucifixes, images of the Blessed Virgin, songs, and rosaries to signify their prayers - made themselves into human barricades. Made invulnerable by their vulnerability, they faced up to armed Marines and stopped tanks. Thus, the people disarmed the Marcos forces. Corazon Aquino took her oath of office as president and Marcos fled into exile. People's power had regained democracy." The mural along Alemany Boulevard (near the place where the farmers' market is held every Saturday) and facing freeway 101 had at its centerpiece a picture of Marcos which was copied from the Marcos bust atop the mountain in La Union on the way to Baguio City in Northern Luzon. In the mural, the bust is broken into three parts by the strong grip of a man holding a torch - symbolizing the people's power and the fall of the Marcos dictatorship. The mural's right most panel shows the artists' interpretation of EDSA - strong men stopping an army tank. On top of the tank is a huge silhouette of "Ibong Malaya" - a symbolic bird of freedom and peace made popular by political detainees. In the two center panels, below the collars of Marcos face are images of skeletons, poverty, slums, filth and garbage; depicting dark stories and sins of the regime. Marcos ruled the country for more than 20 years, from 1966 to 1986, fourteen of which can be described as the most repressive and despotic years of the Marcos regime. Human rights and civil liberties were curtailed and violated. Graft and corruption were prevalent- with Marcos himself amassing wealth for his family and relatives, cronies and close friends in the military. Now the mural is finally gone. It was overlooked before. Even my friends who were active in the anti-Martial law struggles, Philippine support and solidarity movement in San Francisco, failed to realize the value of the mural in telling and retelling their life stories to the younger and post-people generation. People Power was once a reputable brand that defines the Filipinos as a people. It was a source of pride and inspiration to many. It was even mentioned by many world leaders as "The Filipino people's brave example to the world may well stimulate new violent freedom struggles elsewhere." And the truth is, it did. People power also happened in Indonesia, South Korea, Haiti, Poland, South Africa, and the many nations in the Soviet Union. Sayang. Nakakahinayang. The City of San Francisco deserves to have a mural that commemorates the anti- Martial Law struggle and the People Power of 1986. Now that it is gone, perhaps we have to resurrect the mural project. Learning the lesson of the past, we should look for a better location and much improved and appropriate designs. If Boston was the center of the anti-imperialist league's campaign at the turn of the century, during the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War, the San Francisco Bay Area was the stronghold of the anti-martial, democratic and progressive movement. KP Gallery affirms People Power as our Kagitingan Pilipino and a brave example to the world and its lasting symbol should be promoted and shared to all. ---------------------- KP Gallery will feature the remarkable "brand" of the Philippines, of Filipinos and of Filipino Americans. KP stands for Kulturang Pilipino, Kagalingan Pilipino, Kagandahang Pilipino, Kathang Pilipino, Kasal Pilipinas, Kusinang Pilipino, Kalinangang Pilipino, Katutubong Pilipino, Kalikasang Pilipinas at Karunungan Pilipino. KP Gallery welcomes suggestions and ideas, please send them at bayan2bayan@aol.com or call MC Canlas at 415-513-5442. |
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