A Room of Windows and Voices

POWERFUL IN PINK. PINK LIPS PH is a Philippine-based non-profit organization that advocates for women’s wellbeing through youth-driven activism. We provide a platform to inspire involvement, highlight the well-being of women, and empower others to spark change in the community. © Pink Lips PH executives & Santos

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Screens burn a little brighter when they share in your anger—stomach-sinking dread, heart-shattering outrage, and a little bead of hope amidst all destruction. You hold Pandora’s box in your stomach and there is nothing left but wilting hope in its depths. I am curled under the covers and have never felt so small. Outrage is a great, great thing when it is shared; anger is beautiful in solidarity—the world marches through timelines and our algorithms are ridden with fire.

Throughout these few months, the world, with slipping calloused palms, has yet to fully grip the reins of isolation. It has found a strange rhythm in which outside has contained itself in smartphones and monitors. From home, hashtags become windows to the world—and they’ve become our voices too, our symbols of solidarity. In the midst of a global pandemic, 21st century voices have not hesitated in finding their place. In a world where everything is suddenly misplaced and lost to a void of uncertainty, our voices have not hesitated to speak volumes, rise in number. The pandemic has become home to online revolution.

This is the evolution of our anger, 2020’s little fires.

#OUSTDUTERTENOW – April 1, 2020

The late night of April 1st was brought to life by towering numbers of red. Filipino netizens set fire to the night as they expressed their outrage following President Rodrigo Duterte’s surprise address to the nation. The president’s address, meant to cover COVID-19 relief updates and concrete plans, was riddled with threats to the left and the Filipino masses, threatening to detain protesters and shoot them dead. Earlier that day, 21 Quezon City residents were arrested for appealing for food aid in the face of the pandemic and the early stages of the lockdown. Their hunger has brought them to the streets, and instead of being heard, they were chased down and detained.

“Intindihin ninyo ‘yan. Kaya huwag kayong mag gawa ng kalokohan at mag-riot-riot diyan because I will order you detained at bibitawan ko kayo pagkatapos na wala na itong COVID.”

#OUSTDUTERTENOW peaked on Twitter’s worldwide trends at number one on April 2, with more than half a million tweets. Filipinos expressed their criticism of the government’s response to the ever-rising cases of COVID-19 and the countless families who have been stripped of their livelihoods waiting on support.

“I am addressing the left na ‘yung pambabastos ninyo ‘yung slamming about the distribution. Remember kayong mga left: You are not the government. Naintindihan ninyo yan? Hindi kayo nasa gobyerno and you cannot be a part of what we are planning to do for the nation.”

We are part of governance, the timeline chants. What is a nation without its people? The many days following the night of April fools were stirred with national unrest. “Huwag ninyo… Huwag ninyong subukan ang Pilipino. Do not try to test it. Alam mo, we are ready for you. Gulo o barilan o patayan, I will not hesitate my soldiers to shoot you. I will not hesitate to order the police to arrest and detain you,” the president said. In turn, the timelines roar louder than they ever have. We do not hesitate as well.

#NoToABSCBNShutdown – May 5

#NoToABSCBNShutdown trended along with the phrase “MALAYANG PAMAMAHAYAG” the night of May 5, the day after the expiration of its franchise. The Philippines met flat static from their homes after giant broadcast network ABS-CBN signed off at 7:52 PM, airing the national anthem and naming its engineers and TV stations. For the first time since the Marcos regime, the network has gone off air. 1972 seems so eerily close, and Filipinos continue to fear for the nation’s democracy.

Thousands of Filipinos flooded the hashtag with criticism towards NTC’s order to cease broadcasting operations, standing in solidarity with ABS-CBN, its 11, 000 employees and talents, and the millions of Filipinos who are looking for legitimate avenues to receive news. In these trying times, information saves lives. Along with the nationwide protest against the network’s shutdown, many expressed support for the Filipino creative industry and the press.

The newsroom held a heavier air; the employees still cannot embrace each other in the face of the pandemic. It was another dark day for press freedom.

From #NoToABSCBN and “MALAYANG PAMAMAHAYAG”, the tags have morphed to #IbalikAngABSCBN and “MANININGIL ANG KASAYSAYAN” after the network was later on denied a franchise on July 10 by the House of Representatives at 70 to 11 votes. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon stated that the denial of a new franchise is “reminiscent of the dark pages in the history of Philippine press in 1972”, but as said by Senator Risa Hontiveros and the thousands condemning the franchise denial, “Maniningil ang kasaysayan.” Filipinos refuse to stay silent as they hold a noise barrage outside the ABS-CBN compound on July 18.

#BlackLivesMatter – May 25, 2020

Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc. is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy, as well as to build local power to be able to protect Black communities from violence inflicted by state and vigilantes. In 2013, BLM was founded in response to the acquittal of the murderer of Trayvon Martin. On May 25, seven years later, the movement gained international attention following the Death of George Floyd to the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, along with officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane, and Tou Thao. The recording circulated rapidly all over social networking platforms, stirring global unrest and outrage.

Protesters took to the streets all over the United States, as well as nations from different ends of the globe, advocating the end of racism and the abolition police forces. In solidarity with protesters all over the world, netizens have put together compilations of petitions, readings and resources even translated in different languages. The outrage after George Flyod’s death has become an opportunity to amplify Black voices and shed light on past cases in which justice has yet to be served. The conversation around the ever-present violence towards Black communities and lives had begun to take place more frequently, and it has sparked a conscious awareness to unlearn racial prejudices within ourselves and recognize them in our systems. In turn, more conscious efforts are being made to uplift Black voices and strive for a future where they are fully liberated—from supporting Black businesses and creators to continually attending or organizing marches and protests. Many petitions have been circulating around social media as well.

The attention the movement garnered has dwindled, but it hasn’t stopped. More and more are committing themselves to unlearning, to demanding accountability for all injustices towards Black communities and lives.

"We deserve a future where we are fully free. Where we are seen and valued as our full selves — mothers, fathers, teachers, students. Where politicians create policy and platforms to address the issues that impact our daily lives. Where we are not targeted and killed by law enforcement." – blacklivesmatter.com

Why do we have to debate over people like ourselves possessing basic human rights?

#JunkTerrorBill

The strong criticism towards the Anti-Terrorism Bill has taken three forms throughout the course of the pandemic as the Filipinos followed it through the legislative process; “Terror Bill” was accompanied by words junk then veto then law.

The first wave of outrage came about on May 29, in response to the bill passing the committee level in the House of Representatives. Filipinos took to Twitter hashtag #JunkTerrorBill their dissent and fear for their constitutional rights. As the bill was approved on its third reading on June 3 and transmitted to Malacañang on the 9th for Duterte’s signature, netizens placed their hopes in the veto power of the president and trended #VetoTerrorBill.

Filipinos condemned the passing of the bill for its lack of human rights safeguards and violation of the 1987 constitution that subjects more and more Filipinos to red-tagging—the law excludes no one. Many expressed their fears of being tagged terrorists for expressing dissent online, or for organizing and partaking in marches and rallies. The law’s overbroad definition of terrorism leaves opportunity for it to be abused and weaponized against the masses. There is such vast room for interpretation on who a terrorist is and what a terrorist act could be.

Others become more fearful as news and videos of protesters being violently dispersed and arrested began to circulate more often throughout the web. Cebu8 consist of seven activists and one bystander arrested at Anti-Terrorism Bill protest in UP Cebu after being violently dispersed. Cebu City police officers pursued the protesters inside the campus, violating the Soto-Enrile accord of 1982. Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) are a group six of elderly Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) drivers arrested in Caloocan for protesting to resume the continuation of their operations as PUJs are still prohibited to operate amid GCQ. It has been confirmed that two out of the six jeepney drivers have tested positive for COVID-19 after days in detention.

As the tweets under the hashtags only rise, numerous national democratic mass organizations (NDMOs), organizers, and even senators have conducted virtual seminars breaking down the provisions of the bill and explaining its risks. Protests began to take place in numerous forms—email protests to reach out to legislators have resulted in at least 20 lawmakers having their names removed from the list of authors, or retracting or correcting their votes; a “Grand Mañanita” protest was organized in UP Diliman in celebration of Independence Day and condemnation of the Anti-Terrorism Bill; and an Independence Day online rally filled with life, Ipaglaban ang Pinas, was held on Facebook featuring Senator Risa Hontiveros and many other speakers and performers.

Despite public outrage, the bill was signed into law by the president last July 3, #VetoTerrorBill turning to #JunkTerrorLaw. It is currently effective proceeding the fifteen days forth its publication in the Official Gazette. As of July 24, there are 17 petitions against the law before the Supreme Court.

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These movements stand amidst countless of others fighting in solidarity with our fellowmen and the oppressed. Tweets under #MassTestingNowPH has surged in number multiple times, criticizing the government’s COVID-19 response and general lack of preparedness, especially in mass testing and contact tracing efforts; #NoStudentLeftBehind expresses solidarity for students all over the Philippines, slamming the lack of support in the nation’s transition to virtual education; and #BalikPasada stands in solidarity for PUJ drivers and urges for the resumption of operations.

In the face of a global pandemic, we possess a common knowledge that the world will no longer be the same as we emerge from our doorsteps and greet all the things that have once encompassed our lives. We are united through social networking and all take part in carrying the weight of tomorrow. Social media is a space very vulnerable to misinformation, disinformation, and abuse, but it has become a space for mass movement and revolution. It is important to acknowledge our roles and responsibilities as 21st century youth to spread truth and combat misinformation and disinformation. We’ve been making use of trends not only to attract attention but to spread awareness and uplift the voices of the oppressed. Hashtags have become our windows of the world and a constant reminder of people power. Through speaking up and creating a unified voice as the Filipino masses, we are already fighting for our democracy. As we live through day by day with looming uncertainty, we are also shaping the world we are to return to—we need to live to see tomorrow, so we fight for it. In our room of windows and voices.

WRITERS' PROFILE

ANYA U. UNGSON

Features Associate Editor

Grade 10

JACQUELYN NAOMI J. SANTOS

Photojournalism Staffer

Grade 11 HUMMS