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BALIKTARIN ANG TATSULOK

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008
TATSULOK, OUR PRESENT STRUCTURAL DISORDER
TATSULOK was the song of the young, composed and performed by young band Buklod during the political transition of the Philippines from
oppressive Martial Law to the restoration of democracy sparked with the murder of Ninoy Aquino in 1983. The song presents structural
analysis of oppression beyond changing political colours.
This year 2008, twenty five years later after the restoration of Philippine democracy in 1986 with EDSA non-violent revolution, TATSULOK
remains. Another youth band called Bamboo has revived the song and has re-captivated the young of today crying for social justice.

In the triangular structure called TATSULOK in Tagalog, the few elite continue to live in excessive luxurious life while the majority of the people
live in dire poverty. Wealth and resources such as land and businesses are controlled by the few while the farmers are landless and exploited,
and labourers hardly survive with meagre daily wage income. Power and influence are controlled by self serving politics of patronage and
dynasty, while the powerlessness has reduced the many poor into non-persons. Cultural dominance exalting prestige for the status of the rich,
educated, balikbayan and those in power, shapes and dictates mentality and world view, while the rest are discriminated and underprivileged.
TATSULOK is indeed oppressive. It is structure of social injustice perpetuating economic poverty, political patronage, social discrimination, and
cultural values distortion.

The historical roots of TATSULOK are colonial. Spanish, American and Japanese colonial rule brought about local elite benefitting from the
system with subservient mass base. When the colonial masters left the country, the local counterpart took over the reign. The movement of
the Philippine revolution for independence declared in 1898 by the Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio who came from the working class, was
snatched by the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo coming from the elite class, who eventually succumbed to the new American colonial master in
order to stay in power. With the execution of Andres Bonifacio brought about by the power struggle exerting dominance of the elite
represented by Emilio Aguinaldo, the course of history has turned its back to the working poor. The struggle of the working poor which led to
founding of the Katipunan borne out of colonial dehumanizing experience and passion for liberation aspiring for liberty, equality and justice, as
the original and genuine spirit of the revolution was robbed by the pretentious local elitist leaders who betrayed them. Thus the oppressive
TATSULOK had remained throughout history up to the present serving the interests of the local elite who are subservient to the continuing
colonial powers.

The expansion force of TATSULOK is globalization. When the colonial masters ceased their political rule over the country, their economic
business interests remained with the multi-nationals called neo-colonialism. Now with the advent of information technology, cultural
colonialism has taken the form of globalization. As the world is reduced into a global village with undeniable advantages, globalization has
expanded the TATSULOK with the group of eight nations at the top, using two thirds of the worlds resources while the rest of humanity has
been plundered with their natural and human resources to maintain the consumerist industrialized societies. Globalization has brought about
the massive marginalization of the poor with contractualization of labour, import liberalization annihilating the local market economy and
privatization of government social services making them beyond the reach of the majority citizens.

However, TATSULOK is deeply rooted in the local culture of people. The control of wealth, resources and power elevated as prestige and
privileged class at the top of the TATSULOK is supported by a culture of political patronage monopolizing businesses, corrupting education,
controlling mass media and enforcing devotional religion. The fiesta culture serving as anaesthetic entertainment in order to deaden the
suffering of the poor aggravated by inefficient and corrupt government, has been effective cultural tool of the political patronage. Fiesta
sponsoring politicians and balikbayans are honoured as crowning and speaker guests. Enlisting politicians as principal sponsors for weddings is
family establishing and maintaining political connections for favours. Solicitations from politicians for family needs, projects and organizations
have become a practice perpetuating corruption, lack of delivery of government projects and services and continuing vote buying.

Prestige seeking and power association-titles have developed into a full blown local culture. Families of politicians are elevated into the
prestige honourable class with invented titles. The wife of a Barangay Captain is accorded with the title Kapitana. The wife of the mayor is
revered as Madam or Mayora. Balikbayan has now become a title written before the name of the person like the other revered profession. The
titles of every profession like teacher, engineer, doctor or lawyer are carried out even in communities outside their office and functions. When
the title holders speak out or do something in the community where they should be in equal with the ordinary citizens, they have greater
bearing than the others, while the janitor, farmer, fisherman, labourer or vendor who are not title holder, have no bearing when they say or do
something. Titles of the political patrons and the educated are inhibiting. This is TATSULOK in cultural practice of social relationships.

Education has also reinforced TATSULOK with practices of distinctions, competitions and solicitations. Birthday celebrations in the class or in
the school have placed the poor discriminated against by those who can afford. Donating medals and awarding of scholarship have promoted
political grandstanding with imposing tarpaulin advertisement. Magnifying and measuring achievements with winning competitions have
elevated the intelligent and talented over the average and the poor achievers.
POSTED BY ALBERT AT 3:43 AM