NATIONALISM is a word every single citizen experienced heard not merely once although a lot of times especially for a History college student like me but this time through no longer satisfying a requirement of an undergrad degree but to a more legendary one the GRADUATE SCHOOL. Still the meaning of Nationalism had not improved over the course of time, it is continue to equated while using word PATRIOTISM or love for one’s region. The challenge to write down a paper on one from the pioneers of PHILIPPINE NATIONALISM has been a huge task simply because the past due RENATO CONSTANTINO’s theories can be not an easy one to compose.
He had recently been a nationalist in center and nature.
As one of my literature teachers used to declare, “YOU CAN CAPTURE THE HEART OF YOUR PERSON BY SIMPLY SWEET WORDS UTTERED HOWEVER, NOT IN SOUL COZ WHICH IS A SEPARATE DOMINION THAT ONLY YOU, YOURSELF CAN EASILY SEE; recover only RENATO CONSTANTINO are able to see the heart apart from feeling it as well.
In this paper, We are delving about THREE works of RENATO CONSTANTINO all compiled into one condensed pamphlet entitled “DISSENT AND COUNTERCONSCIOUSNESS. I will be confronted with the task of analyzing the said compilation, giving ideas and overviews and the much-awaited conclusion. As being a former subversive, I was dogmatized with Karl Marx, Mao Tse Tung and Renato Constantino certainly not because the last mentioned was a leftist like me although more of a nationalist in the truest sense with the word. To know him wonderful works, it could be a fair deal to learn somethingabout this man.
WHO IS RENATO CONSTANTINO?
He was delivered on March 10, 1919. He was the eldest among the list of three children of Atty. Amador Constantino and Francisca Reyes. While in his pre-adolescent years, he previously a grand time listening to the stories of his mother’s grandmother regarding the abuses made by the Spanish friars. In one way or another, he previously developed a beginning consciousness in the plight of his fellowmen. All during his university years, having been a product of public educational institutions; Arellano Secondary school and University of the Korea.
He was the youngest editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian (the school organ of UP). He was the star debater and after providing a critical approach to Manuel Luis Quezon’s talk, Constantino became a fan of the great man, Quezon. He became a member of the Philippine troops in Bataan through the Japanese program and luckily has not been captured as he went into hiding in Bulacan.
He was a professor in Asian University (FEU), Adamson College or university, Arellano University, University from the Philippines both in Manila and Diliman. He was also a lecturer here and abroad mainly because it has something to do with being an business secretary for the Philippine Mission to United Nations from 1946 to 1949. He became an official reporter from 1945 to 1998 on Evening Herald, Balita, Manila Bulletin, Manila Chronicle, Daily Earth and Malaya among others. He was also a recognized historian and writer. Having been married to Letizia Roxas since 1946. They have two children; Renato Junior. and Karina who is hitched to the politics commentator Randy David.
This individual died in September 12-15, 1999. Renato Constantino’s life had been a sheltered a single but his father, a lawyer had educated him regarding independence. This individual did not safeguard Renato through the true facts of lifestyle, the existence of oppression and exploitation. At a young age, he previously the consciousness of being a nationalist, of someone who wants to uplift the sufferings of his fellowmen. Through his articles at a lot of newspapers, his lectures, his teachings and his works he had reached his goal and that is awakening the Filipinos and I am certainly not afraid to admit I used to be and still is one of his disciples.
THE BOOK REFUSE AND COUNTER-CONSCIOUSNESS
This book is known as a compilation of three pamphlets of Renato Constantino namely: Source of the Fantasy, Veneration with no Understanding and A Leadership for Filipinos. It would not be a reasonable deal merely go straight to the overview of this guide without tackling some of the essays related to this book such as Nationalism and Liberation, Synthetic Culture and Advancement and Id and Consciousness. Nationalism while defined simply by Wikipedia “as a personal ideology that requires a strong id of a band of individuals with a political organization defined in national terms and in Renato Constantino’s eye nationalism has become described as a great end-result of your distorted good colonization. In his pamphlet, Nationalism and Liberation. He tracked the history of colonization inside the Philippines. Through the time that the two superpowers of the Aged World; Italy and Spain had put in money intended for sponsoring trips to the finding of the Israel by Ferdinand Magellan towards the propagation of Christianity towards the natives being a tool of imperialism.
Constantino had been aiming to awaken the consciousness of each one of us to what have been the truth almost all along. An altered one when he aptly referred to it. The Spanish colonizers had not only captured the hearts yet also each of our spirits, they will imbibed changes mostly negative values which are still inherent up to modern-day generation. We’ve been brain-washed with their ideas and philosophies which one way or another acquired created selection among the Filipino people.
From this line, Constantino had in contrast us with other Southeast asian countries like Thailand and Philippines to name a few; the previous had not skilled colonial rule but the latter had been another type of case because it was beneath colonial guideline from the English to the The french language yet Dalam negri had elected to be independent amidst its diversity. Completely adopted politics and financial independence through the consciousness amongst its persons starting with one particular language which can be Bahasa Philippines. Thailand however been a monarchial regulation, blood and class rely but still the folks tried to gain independence and the class struggle had been a single big problem to be solved but at present Asia managed to end up being ousted in the list of THIRDWORLD COUNTRIES.
Through History, Constantino wants us, the Philippine people to the lessons through the past and that we can never be always dependent on a foreign colony to survive. We need to struggle to get rid oppression and exploitation of foreign powers. He would like us to return to the home town; to be self-reliant in our methods. Economic independence is the target here plus the key is to never depend on Transnational Corporations(TNCs). The us government should make programs which will would benefit more the Filipino persons than the extraterrestrials. We have to turn this country from an import-oriented to an export-oriented one. At the moment, we can see it really is still a far-fetched wish but who have knows in the lessons learned from History the awareness of being NEW FILIPINOS will take place from now on.
Regarding the pamphlet “Synthetic Culture and Development. Renato Constantino experienced explored the ills of neocolonialism. Simply no society can exist with no culture. Since Amilcar Cabral quoted “Culture is the active synthesis. with the level of specific or community consciousness, of the material and spiritual historical reality of a society or possibly a human group with the relations existing between man and nature along with among males and between social classes and sectors
But the culture prevailing in our society had been described by Constantino since synthetic which as identified means false or manufactured. The one offer blame here is the MASS MEDIA since it is the main reason for COMMUNICATION. Conversation means to supply a message and we cannot deny the fact that Media is a powerful application in opening the doors of communication among the list of people. From the information noted and unknown to people, our company is on guard day by day about the changes. The power of Neocolonialism plays a huge role in our creating a synthetic lifestyle. We have been motivated by the overseas power, the us most especially. From our like and obsession with imported products, seeking employment and climbing the corporate ladder owned by the Transnational Companies (TNCs), becoming an immigrant inside the land called as the “LAND OF MILK AND HONEY.
We have this european consciousness in each one of us and in respect to Constantino, if this could be the case where is the Filipino consciousness? Filipino identity? With this truth, as we assess deeper, the Filipino individuals are strong propagatorsof colonial mentality, that we will need to speak, educate, dress, feel like Westerners. In his pamphlet “THE WESTERNIZING ELEMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES, we are demoted to what he termed as SMALL BOURGEOISFICATION which means we are basically shopkeepers, sales people, professionals, federal government employees and so forth in other words merely mass products of a culture. That becoming the Entrepreneurs and presidents will only be far-fetched dreams. Our personality has been tied up or binded with Western influence and that the latter got used MULTIMEDIA to achieve that aim. An example will be we know even more about Tom Cruise than Nora Aunor.
We elected to patronize foreign movies than neighborhood ones. While shallow as they examples, that still signifies one thing, we could more determined, familiar and attached with western affects than our own. And that is what Constantino have been describing and detailing for the synthetic traditions. He wants a People-Culture than a Man made one which is achieved through: (a) ingredients and development of comprehensive countrywide communication procedures which should evolve from wide-ranging consultations using sectors concerned (b) removal of obstacles and restrictions which derive from your concentration of media title, public or perhaps private from commercial affect on press and broadcasting (c) successful legal measures to limit the process of concentration and monopolization (d) building up cultural id and creative imagination through the institution of nationwide cultural procedures such as returning to the grassroots culture (e) development of important elements of interaction (f) entry to technical details and advanced communications technology and (g) democratizing media administration. Lastly, the pamphlet “Identity and Consciousness, Renato Constantino had looked into the “whys there is an absence of consciousness among the Filipino persons. He had traced the real truth to two factors namely Elitism and Ignorance.
LITISM
Doing a trace for back to each of our History lessons there was the issue of course, of a separating of people when it comes to wealth and power. Through the pre-colonial moments, the barangay form of authorities had been ruled by the datu and presently there had been a disparity involving the datu and the alipin saguigilid. Then when the Spaniards arrived, they applied the Philippine elite to use the resources. They’d encouraged the elite to travel abroad to examine with the loves of Jose Rizal and Marcelo del Pilar among others to form a motion because up frontthey wish to be free from the Spanish guideline but still deal of to use groundbreaking means to end the have difficulty. Under the American Regime, the elite this time around under Aguinaldo, Quezon till Jose S. Laurel, they have been educated abroad but still imbibed with traditional western consciousness. Underneath the neocolonial secret, it is continue to the same ball game, our commanders have been educated and trained abroad but nevertheless the identity remains a similar, western advancement had been more appealing and in which do we add this mistake? This unpleasant result?
To us, the Filipino persons. We have not really learned nearly anything from Record. Until now, we could still uninformed. We are even now unidentified and never conscious of staying Filipinos. It can be like likely to school with no Identification cards (ID) were still unidentified. The european influence got built all of us to be by doing this and they are succeeding, until now we could still below their rule-of-thumb even if we all don’t have their military bases here in our territory, nonetheless we are clearly more determined with all of them than by being a Filipino. Constantino have been clear with this topic.
Until the awareness develops, id will follow. But it is an illusion until now because you observe for ourself that we need the United States to hold our economic climate going, that people are still hoping to see becoming the 57th point out of Usa. It had been an inherent dream that individuals will be spending in ALL OF US dollars rather than in pesos, that we need not go to the ALL OF US Embassy to get our visas and that the imported items will be bought at more affordable prices.
Unless there will be an economic innovation which could start from going back to the grassroots, which we will certainly realize that each of our country is definitely an agricultural one more than an professional zone. Until the time we will have the consciousness that people are Filipinos with much less dependency upon Western affects. That will be the only time which our identity as Filipinos will probably be established. That will also be the time that the heart of Filipino nationalism have been embraced by simply each and everybody of us. Today in relationship with the publication DISSENT AND COUNTER-CONSCIOUSNESS,?nternet site have pointed out earlier it is just a compilation of three essays so it can be best to discuss the pamphlets first before citing an overview in the whole book.
1) SOURCE OF THE FANTASY
Here Constantino tried to discuss about the parable regarding Usa States’ relationship with the Thailand. As we make an effort to recall background, we have found that United States initially has no interest in the Philippines but when it started to demand for a niche in the “SUPERPOWER realm, it had realized that colonizing Philippines is usually not a awful idea yet more of a indication that US was willing to be a top notch conqueror hence buying us from the Spanish rulers via Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Hongkong, twas the model battle occurred. We were not aware of the fact that ALL OF US has come not only to conquer but to stay, it absolutely was only after after the Hares-Hawes Cutting Rules took place through the Commonwealth period that we experienced this instant realization that United States was obviously a mother colony and we happen to be under their beck and call.
It was not the because of Manuel Quezon’s ignorance that pushed him to signal the Tydings-McDuffie law since one of the building there was to grant self-government after 10 years. Adding to the truth, that there were the outbreak of Second World War, and that Israel was in the dumps economically speaking. ALL OF US was right now there to lend a hand through international aid. The us government had not been fully aware of the motives from the US federal government because of the worth instilled simply by Spaniards inside us, the proverbial utang-na-loob. We were now having that concept that we are obligated to pay them. That is certainly where the myth came in; relating to Constantino, that reality cannot be separated from imagination and that Us had been our knight in shining armor. And so a special relationship or relationship had been shaped.
The only other side at that time was the HUKBALAHAP movement went by the overdue Luis Taruc and the US government was wise enough to make Ramon Magsaysay, a pure American boy and the CIA to penetrate and control the HUKS. Just about every law and treaty through the Tydings-McDuffie law up to the Bells Trade Action shows the control of the united states over the Thailand for two functions as reported by Constantino; he referred to it while the double premises of the myth: a) that there is no significant resistance to American rule and b) the fact that Filipinos were then not capable of self-government. There was clearly resistance plus the Filipinos were capable of self- govt as confirmed by the barangay system during pre-colonial instances. But US has a distinct plan for Israel and it has to be overall control which they do with all the treaties and the existence of the military bases as well as the “utang-na-loobinherent in all of us by making Jose Rizal the national leading man, the foreign help through IMF(International Monetary Fund) and WB(World Bank), making us a member-country of GATT(General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and UN(United Nations) and the like so that we all will embark on an open overall economy adopting Hersker Smith’s Free of charge Enterprise in the end whenever we look at every thing in hindsight, it was more to US’ benefit than the Filipinos.
The us was intelligent enough to be given our weak point and that is after three hundred thirty three years of Spanish colonialism, we were perishing to be 3rd party and it was also the Achilles’ rearfoot to speak of since ALL OF US was mindful of this reality, therefore it acquired sent the very best men like Dewey, Merritt, Taft and others to lead the Philippines to that “independence mediocrity. With the help of the Americanistas like Aguinaldo, Arellano, Quezon, Laurel even up to the present Noynoy Aquino. We can say that US is here to stay and I must not wonder if following your term of Noynoy Aquino there will be decide to make Thailand the 57th state states of America. It will not be a big surprise for all of us since?nternet site have stated earlier, we could more attracted to Uncle Sam than Juan dela Cruz.
Ultimately of this pamphlet Constantino tried to discuss the press censorship during McKinley’s administration where the BILL OF RIGHTS beneath the 1935 Metabolic rate was not honored particularly flexibility of press and appearance. The US had been wise enough to inflict a civilian rule rather than military regulation. It was inside its final stages for the Philippine authorities to realize that we were within military government than a civilian one when most of the troops sent in Vietnam were mostly Filipinos and that we would not have that inkling to wage war against Vietnam as it was US’ advocacy to indulge in battles to achieve more power and to include that regular place in the superpower realm.
When there were the eliminating of Philippine troops in Vietnam, United states of america was aware that it will build a chaos in the Philippine govt so the latter, wise when he is experienced groomed a young senator called Ferdinand Marcos to run to get presidency in 1965 and eventually earned the minds of the Filipinos as 1st because of his advocacy to get the poor. As the saying goes, in history, it absolutely was too late to understand that Marcos was not to be able to rule quite but to ruin the preservation of nationalism which was little by little growing in other folks since below and then having been a boytoy of the US government.
B. ) VENERATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING
In this pamphlet, Constantino talked about about Jose Rizal since an American paid hero and the tracing back side of Rizal’s function in the great the Philippines. Rizal was an illustrado, he was certainly not from an impoverished relatives so he had the opportunity to analyze and trained in different universities abroad. He was a professional, a jack of most trades. Having been a discovered man. For a lot of, he was the way out for self-reliance from Spanish rule. In the end, the conclusion dawned that he was an egocentric and narcisstic one who did not offer a damn about his fellowmen. He created the Propaganda Movement and La Liga Filipina not as they wanted to end the The spanish language colonizers through writing and other peaceful means (what we are able to termed today as ceasefire). He abhorred revolutionary means because deep inside that discovered man is situated a COWARD.
In my undergraduate studies regarding Rizal, I was given to be able to dissect and analyze Rizal’s letters to Ferdinand Blumentritt all in their original variations preserved by National Historic Institute. There were one notice that mentioned Rizal’s genuine reason why he did not choose the plan of Andres Bonifacio’s revolution. He belittled these for not having the literacy and leadership which in turn Rizal had been known to have got. He was double sure that the revolution can fail not merely because of deficiency of ammunitions and men but more of a poor leadership exhibited by a great ‘IGNORANT AND ILLITERATE FARMER.
The response of Blumentritt was different and sudden which produced Rizal mad because Blumentritt cited circumstances wherein a successful revolution advancing by a great ignorant and illiterate person had succeeded and and example was the French Wave. Blumentritt was objective enough to write to Rizal that maybe these has this impression on Bonifacio mainly because Rizal was obviously a coward and he basically can’t bring a gun and kill.
It was this explanation that Rizal stopped conntacting Blumentritt, mainly because deep inside this individual knows he should be the someone to plan your the trend and not somebody ignorant and illiterate just like Bonifacio. In one way yet another, we understood that the Cry of Balintawak failed however it instilled anything in all of us; an iota of nationalism and pride that we wish to be free from the Spanish rule, that the urge of independence is slowly burning in our hearts. That is what Constantino referred right here as “HEROISM not becauseyou died for the love of the country yet moreof placing “CONSCIOUSNESS THAT WE ARE MEANT TO BECOME FREE. Unfortunately, it was not just a continuous procedure since there is not a fearless man like Bonifacio once again in the present moments no matter how unaware and illiterate as he is always to stand up intended for our self-reliance, for our freedom. Up to now we are nonetheless a neocolony of United States and nothing improvements even if we are entering 2012.
C) MANAGEMENT FOR FILIPINOS
In this pamphlet, Constantino was brave enough to reflect the true head for the Filipinos. It is just a radical producing of the internal mind of Constantino when he tried to look for that head as he had described: inches someone who is definitely an showmaster, popular, brilliant, sublime and assured in its people. He had a great admiration for Andres Bonifacio due to his will certainly to let Thailand gain self-reliance even if having been an ignorant and illiterate farmer. So with Claro Meters. Recto who happens to be a populist by heart. It was just the wrong time for events which did not provide any merit or acknowledgement to a superb statesman like Recto considering that the latter has not been a member in the elite get together of Americanistas. “Recto is not a good audio, no . He will arouse not any mob. Nevertheless heaven ensure that the one in whose pretensions this individual chooses to demolish.
His sentences mar like bought battalions up against the inmost citadel of the man’s arguments, and minimize them to trash; meanwhile his reservations stand like equipped sentries up against the most quiet approach and every attempt at encirclement by the enemy. The decrease to nonsensicality of Nacionalista senator Zulueta’s conception of sound international policy was a shattering encounter, the skill that goes into the cutting of any diamond went into the work of demolition. There was no slip of the hand, no catch in the device. All was delicately, perfectly done¦ Imparcial cannot defend the indefensible, but what can be defended, he can see to it that it will not be taken.
This was quoted by Teodoro Locsin and Recto continued to be to be an inspiration to nationalists just like Renato Constantino, Lorenzo Tanada, Jovito Salonga among others.
Imparcial was able to help out with the molding of the intelligence of several Filipinos but he was not given the opportunity to mold most and it absolutely was brought byhis defeat in the presidential competition where Sergio Osmena won who happened to be a true Americanista. Still his subversiveness, patriotism, nationalistic heart lives on and i also admire the individual for his being elegant. He was a learned person like Rizal but this individual never was a coward. The requirement to be free and independent from overseas colonizers had been a dream of his. It absolutely was just a shame he was not given the chance to make it a truth. As Constantino described an innovator in the end site of this pamphlet. He mentioned “A persons cannot be wonderful by the posturing of a head nor simply by his well-rehearsed speeches yet by their own efforts.
They might be great certainly not by turning into worthy of foreign investments although by purposeful work. They could be great certainly not by depending on outside aid as the decisive element of development, but simply by sacrifice, by struggling and gaining self-confidence in themselves. He additional added which a “true head is not really afraid to struggle whether it would be pertaining to the common good. I for just one agreed to that, we can nonetheless export OFWs for financial reasons good results . the country they are in, designed for a single time will they will forget that they are FILIPINOS in both brain and cardiovascular system.
After talking about the three essays included in the publication DISSENT AND COUNTER-CONSCIOUSNESS, I have the room today to tackle the book and gave a review about it. DISSENT in layman’s term means to go against. You display an antagonistic frame of mind if it is not really what you have confidence in or need to believe in. Agitation, destabilization had been a taboo word ever since Guy had this kind of dream to always be FREE. This kind of word usually coincide with terrorism, ambushes, rallies, salvages among others, strictly negative in each and every sense in the word.
Since Constantino communicates in this book, “Man in living in a material globe and principle is a much thought. In fact that has been taking place, Filipinos are becoming more satisfied with materials needs; something that money can buy possibly paying the the courtroom, bribing the federal government agencies to be able not to end up being penalized. Recover hunger to get material items, the responsibility of government companies go much beyond the principle. Graft and Data corruption had been a contagious disease, a new computer virus with no idéal. Man will be slowly getting wanton and unprincipled due to yen pertaining to material points. It is a unhappy thing that because of this fact Gentleman has been becoming a item. Someone having a price marked on and could be if an public auction comes along he can be sold to the highest prospective buyer. If we go through the situationnowadays, we could being sold towards the highest prospective buyer and that is the usa. It does not just control all of us in economical and politics aspects in all elements as well also spiritual.
We’ve been in their shell of SUPERPOWER REALM for so long now we are locating it hard to disintegrate or perhaps detach themselves from them. Our company is now set up as a commodity in a free enterprise economic climate. Our wits and intelligence were within their benefit because we are doing work for them. The us government whom all of us trust the most turns out the contrary, the one who have betrayed all of us. Even before as being a colony and now as a neocolony, nothing acquired changed were still below them. The American is going to had become the Filipino can. We you do not have that id that we will be Filipinos. Each of our consciousness like a Filipino is at the bottom.
We desparately need the Americans to outlive and that is a single malady that is incurable at this moment. But Constantino is certainly not giving up. Counter-Consciousness is his answer. It will not be an easy task that’s the reason why he used Background to trace the main of the challenges, to reveal the mind of the Philippine people, to dissipate the discontentment penalized without an identity. With History, we reverse the time, we all learned from the past and most of all it is going to pave the way on what we should do with this future. It will not be an easy task nonetheless it can be a reality if it will have a leader prepared to sacrifice him self for not becoming a commodity offered to the maximum bidder although that he will be of in order to the common very good.
Where is the fact leader? He can just presently there patiently biding for his time and I am aware deep inside that we can never become the 57th state of the United States because even the latter is not that satisfied in its niche in the superpower realm. It is now in the midst of economic recession and politics upheaval. Am I right in saying “what comes around goes around?
The answer is CERTAINLY, it is time intended for the United States to grant us that freedom we have been wanting for too long. We earned to be cost-free and that is our main goal, our direction. We may be employed by them, we might be buying imported goods from their store, we may be having our money converted into dollars but nothing to changes they all are material items that can lessen a day, weekly, a year coming from now but nothing to will change the very fact that I ARE A FILIPINO AND I ARE PROUD TO BECOME A FILIPINO.
With my brief stay with the mountains of Bataan within my college days and nights. I know We am a subversive and I am proud to be a single. I no more hide the truth that I was a leftist during my college days and nights and even at the moment I i am in a capitalist society nothing will alter the reality my mind has been in my own heart i am pertaining to equality and justice.
Trying out LAW has not been an easy decision because it negates everything My spouse and i learned in being a subversive but My spouse and i am not giving up as the LAW is not going to remain blindfolded forever, sooner or later it will eliminate that fabric and will consider justice as the fate and i also will you need to be waiting at a corner biding for that time.
CONCLUSION:
This kind of paper acquired occupied a unique place in my heart as I do not deny the very fact that Constantino had been a great icon to reckon with. He has been my inspiration in my vocation, most of all I actually learned to be proud of my own being subversive as He was. The book with all the several pamphlets attached with it has been Constantino’s way of reaching out the Filipino people that we cannot stay as unaware as america presumes. We could climbing away slowly in the shell that had been an unsafe haven for providing we make an effort to give ourself the chance to attempt a new life.
An independent life as every person’s goal is definitely. A Lifestyle that we can easily utter with pride we are FILIPINOS. We are little by little achieving this mark, the greater part are now returning to the grassroots culture. We may still be westernized in material goods however in line of pondering we are turning out to be conscious we are Filipinos and that is how it must be.
Eventually everyone will be aware of Juan dela Cruz than Uncle Sam especially that Uncle Sam can be crestfallen at the moment with all the upheavals he is right now facing I will not become surprised that his almost all knowing laugh will become a nasty smile. For my personal fellow Filipinos, we can stand with pride we can now determine ourselves as Filipinos with no longer Filipinos with US since our neocolonizer but Filipinos for Israel alone. Time will also arrive that the recognition of being a subversive is usually not a serious act not a negative feature but a breathe of fresh air to create about a TRANSFORM. MABUHAY ANG MGA FILIPINO¦
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