You entered the classroom and found your way to the seat a few chairs from mine. I looked at you as your put down that old, rugged bag. Dressed in a red shirt, faded jeans and a worn out pair of sneakers, I wondered to myself what had made you come to school this time.
As if reading my thoughts, you approached me and handed me a flyer. I looked ar the piece of paper and read. It was an invitation for a class walk out tomorrow. “So that’s why,” I said to myself.
At our university, you are just one of the many. They are called activists — radical individuals walking down the all too familiar street of Mendiola waving red flags and shouting battle cries for the poor, the weak and the abused, radical in thinking and very much passionate about their ideals. I have been invited to jin their nationalistic pursuit to rally down the street more than once but I always turned down the invitations. Not that I have something against them, or you.
You and I have different views regarding these matters. You can call me a coward as much as you like for, yes, I am afraid. I have this extreme enexplicable fear of blood — and there are often incidents when these movements result in bloodshed. I am afraid to be seen on national television being splashed by water hoses from nearby firetrucks while trying to penetrate the barricades of policemen. If my lola would see me, I know she would have a heart attack. I’d probably end up chained to my room like a monk to his monastery.
I know the thought of marching off to Malacanang shouting criticisms (not too constructive at times) for all the world to hear can be very exhilirating. Who wouldn’t be overwhelmed by how freedom of expression gives you power. If you can kick a president out of his republic, then who can stand against you?
As appealing as it is, power intoxicates. One may acquire a little authority to dominate but then begin acting as if he’s invincible. Then again, reality bites. Your right to say that what you feel, your so-called freedom of expression ends where the right of freedom of another person begins.
I heard you demand chairs, tables, electric fans, and other things. But then I saw how you sat on those armchairs, how you dragged those poor chairs carelessly from one place to another and how you left those fans switched on when not in use, eventually causing them to overheat. Now tell me? Why are we lacking facilities again?
I heard you demand clean and organized surroundings. Yet I saw you throwing your cigarette filth in the hallway. Weren’t you also the one who left the sandwich bag and an empty can of soda underneath the lobby bench? Or maybe you just forgot it?
I know you are fighting for our right to get an education. According to you there are a lot of students who can’t afford to go to college because they just can’t afford it. But then I happened to know that you’re celebrating your 10th anniversary as a student of this university and you still haven’t graduated. Come to think of it, you’re taking up Mass Communication and not Medicine. So what seems to be the problem?
I know our university is one of the cheapest academic institution for the service of our fellow citizens that are economically challenged. But then again only a few can qualify because the slots are limited. So in your 10-year stay, there could have been one student who would have graduated from Engineering if you and your colleagues just choose to stick to a 4-year college plan.
I remember when I refused you told me that I was just too selfish. Here you are fighting for our rights while all I do is just sit around. I am not just sitting around, friend. You might think I’m selfish but I’m not. I’m just doing my part as a student. It’s called being responsible.
We both share the same sentiments. You fight for a higher education budget, I don’t object to that. I’m also greatly affected by how scarce our financial assests are. I also want change. I just believe that you cannot change the world all at once. It is a process. That process starts with one single step. It starts from within. It starts with you.
Sometimes shouting is not the answer. If you can speak up, why don’t you try to shut up an listen. Listen to the people around you. Listen to the small voices that may help you realize what is wrong or what is right.
You may say I’m just being a ridiculous coward, that nothing will happen with what I’m doing. But come to think of it, just because you have the loudest voice doesn’t mean yours should be the only one heard. A loud cry doesn’t make you right.
Why don’t you start change within yourself. Reflect and see what bad habits you need to let go. The outcome may be small, but big things start from little things.
If fire can start from a tiny match, if a peso wouldn’t be complete without a cent, if a man was created from dust, then isn’t it possible that change can start from you?
June 22nd, 2007 at 3:18 am
I definitely agree with the writer… because you just don’t join in rallies, doesn’t mean that you’re a coward… the right of the other stops where the right of the other begins…
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:54 am
This story is talking to the activist students. They are being reminded that once you fight for your rights you must be a good example to others. If you’re actively joining rallies, it doesn’t mean that you have all the concern for the thing that you’re fighting for.This is a very heart striking story in which others can see their lives in the person of the activist student.It is true that a change must start within yourself because how will you change others if you can not change yourself?We all know that we live in a democratic country in which freedom of expression is being practiced but it doesn’t mean that we will say anything that we want without even thinking its efects in our surroundings.It is said in the text that “freedom of expression ends where the right of freedom of another person begins”.We must practice what we preach.If you want a change it’s better to do it than saying it. - Mary Jane Roldan
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:40 pm
The “Aktibistang classmate” article by Bee de Leon is interesting because every U.P. student can relate to it. It is very true that change starts from an individual and it takes a long process for the world to change. While it is true that we should fight and speak for what is right, it is also true that what you are fighting for what cannot happen in a flash. U.P. is really one of the cheapest universities yet it cannot accomodate every aspiring student due to limited slots and 300% tuition and other fee increases this year. Where is the “Education for all” there? Isn’t it a university of the Philippines? Thus, it should serve Filipino students the good quality education they deserve.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
The article is very interesting because it is all about the change that people want. People nowadadays are always complaining to the government but if we want change it should start to our ownselves. It is right to criticize the wrong doing of an individual but then we should also look at ourselves see if there is also wrong with it. The loud shouts doesn’t make things right. Start the change within yourself.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Wow! this article talks about the activists that is present to UP… It just makes us thinks on what we should do. I agree with the writer… This is good article to read for.
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:04 am
Everyone has the right to choose which roles to play in life. Whether we choose to become an activist or not, we have the responsibility to change our society starting from our selves.
Perhaps these are the points which Bee de Leon tries to convey in the essay “Aktibistang Classmate”. I certainly admire the writer’s way of balancing diffrent point of views. The essay was crafted to awaken our minds to reality.
University of the Philipines is just one of the many schools which have students who constantly exercise freedom of expression. We always let our voices be heard, but we nerver really realized that our freedom requires us to perform a responsibility.
Our actions must be in consonance to what we speak of. Good work Bubuyog de Leon!!!
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:51 am
i like this reading…. a lot. this reading exemplifies not just what the usual description of an activist but it shows the side of one student happenend to have a classmate thats an activist. it shows that great changes comes from starting small changes which should starts with yourself. let yourself be the model of the great changes you want to have, for you can’t change others if you can’t change just even yourself.i dont say that being an activist is a bad thing, but if you wwnt to be in this field first be reasonable and evaluate yourself first…
June 23rd, 2007 at 2:36 am
Rally isn’t the only thing where we can have peace,democracy and improvement in our nation…I believe with what the writer said that if we want to change our country we should first start with our own selves…We always see the problems around us that is caused by others but we don’t often see our own faults…!
June 23rd, 2007 at 5:33 am
Based on the article,I was really impressed and at the same time, I have learned a lot on what the writer have written. It really touched my heart because majority of the schools are experiencing it right now. I can also relate about the article. A lot of students are doing the same thing w/o even thinking that they’re lucky enough for having a good education unlike the others. We must be practical and face the reality that nothing is permanent in this world. All we have to do is to strive hard and to appreciate the things we see. Yes, we have the freedom, but we should also know our boundaries. I know it’s also for the sake of us, students. We must give importance in every opportunity that will come to us, so that we will not regret someday.
June 24th, 2007 at 1:31 am
woah.nice literary work. i really like this one. the author has indeed a point. before one should start pointing fingers to WHO does the wrong thing and WHAT others should do, they must first look at themselves and make sure their hands are clean.like the author, i dont have anything against these activists, and like them, i also have this desire of change in our campus, and also our country. but then, violence and rebellion is definitely not the solution.changes don’t just happen in an instant. it starts, step by step. before we try to change the world, we must start the change within ourselves first.
June 24th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I really like the point of view of the author. It is true that we have the right to expressed our feelings,and there’s nothing wrong of being an activist.But I do agree that sometimes shouting is not the solution to the problem.A “change” is not done all at once, it is a process, and that process starts within YOU!
June 24th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I really agree with the writer’s beliefs. Before we demand change and point our fingers on who is to blame, we should first evaluate our actions. Are we deserving of the change that we demand? Though most of the activists have good intentions, their way of getting their goals does not suit everyone well. They are also making other people suffer whenever they hold their rallies, just like their parents and innocent civilians. Although we have the freedom to express our grievances, we should not waste our time doing only that. After all, there are other ways in achieving change aside from being an activist.
June 25th, 2007 at 3:31 am
the literary work was so meaningful. i agree that changing starts from within. it doesn’t mean that if you don’t join rallies you’re already afraid to express your feelings and fight for what is right. there are other ways to show and express your insights aside from joining rallies. it is definitely true that we need to reflect and release the bad habits that we have within us and although the output is small, it would soon develop and make a big change.
June 27th, 2007 at 1:52 am
I am agree with what the writer said in her article…Joining a rally isn’t only the thing where you can have a development in our nation…We often see whats the wrong about the others but we can’t see whats the wrong to ourselves…we complaint immediately to their wrongs…in changing our nation’s status, we must first change ourselves for us to develop our country.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
It is really ironic to see people advocating for something when they themselves are not moving in line with what they are fighting for. For well done is still better than well said.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
The problem in the poem is so true since a lot of students especially in universities hold so much rallies and protests.Too much demand from the government is the least productive and for me, that’s a big problem with the Filipino society… Why don’t we start doing more so we can contribute to the country?
June 29th, 2007 at 5:03 am
When our cries fall into deaf ears, we say that they don’t listen. And the counteract for this is to bombard them with more cries, so that they will come to the point of realization. If we spend the time in studying and not into going into the streets and crying out, we would be more productive to the society. But ofcourse there is time for everything, there must be a day where we must shriek out our sentiments on this rotten thing (whatever that thing is). But if we’ll be doing this everytime, then we were just adding more rot to this thing.
The advantages and disadvantages of being a student-activist and just plain student, although comparable, is very complicated, not because we can easily enumerate it but because we hadn’t experienced it all at the same time. it’s an exception if you’ll be transferring from left to right, then you can conclude what and who’s better. Oops… i forgot your principles.
June 29th, 2007 at 5:26 am
….A standing ovation for the writer….!!!I really like this literary work.
i agree with the writer. it’s just right that we invoke our “freedom of speech” of (Article 3 Sec. 3) but we must first think about the consequence and the pros and cons of doing this. Joining a rally is definitely not a heroic act. if we want some changes, we must start it with ourselves.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
true, that it is not always right to say that those people(students) who joined rallies are courageous, some are doing it because someone told them to di it so, or there are rewards that’s why they joined it.
true that change must start always within you and not with somebody.
true that no matter how you scream till death to the individuals in position your grudges, that they seem they don’t hear it.
But is changing your attitude towards every bad things you do will change the corrupt-attitude of the government officials?
Are you going to just shut up on the dirty things they are doing causing every government institutions to detriorate and delapidate?
Wouldn’t you do anything if the tuition and other fees increase because of the lack of support coming from the government?
What will happen to the deserving students who are in need?
We need to fight for what is right!
I am not sayng that you need to rally and scream to death, maybe there are are things you can do, but as of now as a student in need for quality and low tofee education, abused by the higher officials , what can we do?
Yes, we should listen, then listen , then listen…
But what happens next?
What if the things you heard are all lies and not right, what are we going to do?! Are we just going to listen and that’s all?
Definitely you will do something, but expect that it will not change just in a slap. Just let them hear what you feel and let them listen.
We must change our bad attitudes but they must also change theirs.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:14 pm
The writer has her own way of viewing life and has her own stand. She believes in what she think is right. They may both have the same sentiments, but different reaction towards it. I believe that these activists in story cannot change the world all at once because they have to start changing themselves first. They should reflect first about the things that they have done before complaining. If we wanted to change something, we should start changing within ourselves.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Somehow the writer has a point. However, the depicted character in the piece does not really present the attitude of other activists. The writer only wrote what he/she saw and experienced upon encountering with one classmate, but he/she did not consider the essence of what was being fought for in the first place.
Rallying is a practice of one’s freedom of expression. It is the highest form of advocating woes and grudges to something or someone which/who is opposing to one’s beliefs. If a number of people have encountered the same ideas, they express it and practice their right.
I do feel sad for other activists just like the one who is being described here but not all of them are the same.
The “oppositions” would somehow be troubled and affected if they see that a number of people are against them and would tend to take into consideration the woes of these people. However, some especially the meanest ones, would just ignore them. But at least they know that they are doing something not very pleasing to many.
The EDSA or People Power Revolution was the way to achieve the freedom from the dictatorship of Marcos. The world commended the power of this revolution. A number of strikes and revolts were successful with their advoicacies.
If you know there is something wrong, you better speak for it. Do something! There is nothing wrong if you do so. Nobody would not mind your grudge if you’d just sulk there.
July 4th, 2007 at 2:33 am
the article is really interesting and i had learn things from it. yes, it is really really true that changing the world starts within yourself. eventhough you cant see the outcome of your changes, still you did something good not just for yourself but for the world. definitely you made a difference.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:23 am
yOu’re right..that shouting is not the answer. But how can you tell and show to the people what you really want if you would only sit and listen to the people around you…without expressing what you feel…come on and think of it..you must be spoken out in a modest way…
July 6th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I do agree with the writer, i get the point that yah the changes really start in each individual. and before pointing there finger who’s to blame, they must make sure that their hands were clean. on other side, i feel sad to the description of writer towards the activists. There are times that joining rallies have sense, for it’s the way student can show their right for education.Not all student-activists were like that.For me, sometimes i join rallies for i know what i’m doing and i know the reason why we’re doing rallies. The writer generalized that all activists had that kind of manners but in fact it’s not. Changes begins with ourselves but expressing our freedom is not bad.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:14 am
I love this article… it makes us realize that the change that we want should start on us.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:30 am
There are times we want to help but sometimes insteaad of being a help, we add another problem. Instead of creating a solution, sometimes we just make the problem bigger. Think first before you act. Seeking change is not bad but first make sure that what you do is right. We don’t only consider the benifits of the actions we make but also the bad effects it could bring to you and to others.
July 8th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
i like the presentation of the article. one can really ponder “what is it like to be an activist?”. of course joining those activities are risks from your lives, just imagine the students you see on televisions, can you see yourself one of those? and of course joining rallies is not really the bases to measure how brave and coward you are. one must also evaluate herself/himself if he or she deserves to act like this. As the saying goes “observe yourself in the mirror first before you criticize others’ faults” (i am not sure who’s the author but i am sure this proverb exists)
July 8th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
I agree with what the writer was tryimg to tell us. Change should start within ourselves before we mind others business. I am not really “in” on joining rallies and walk outs here in our university too, that is why I can relate to the writer’s feelings towards them. Aktibista or not, what is important is we love our country in our own way as much as we love ourselves.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
nice one!out of the three entry that I’ve read this one caught my full attention of reading this.i agree to the author that change should start in ourselves.i like the way how the author criticized the actions of the activist student.well,this article only shows that ACTIONS speak LOUDER than WORdS.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Two thumbs-up to the writer! Yes, it’s true that we cannot change the whole world at once with our shouts and cry. Listen first before complain. Joining a rally is not bad but for me, it’s not that great. If we cannot do great things, we can do small things in a great way. How? Very simple and very easy. A simple act of taking care of those poor chairs and utilize them properly; picking up even a piece of candy wrapper, turning off those fans after class, all these could be great though simple and small. Let us examine first ourselves if we are ready to change. It’s not that easy to change beacuse it is a process. It starts from every individual. It is making our STEPS into STRIDES.
July 15th, 2007 at 7:59 am
I think the writer is biased viewing it generally the idea on activists , not all of the activists have that bad aspects.
But I do agree with the good points she emphasizes, that not all can be changed through one’s loud cry and shouts. It is somewhat true for some UP students.
Activism is also important in our society. There must also people who opposes so that limitations will exist.
July 18th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
the story makes us realize that we should change for the better.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:26 am
oh! Many people can really learn and relate from this article especially the students.Shouting is not really the answer. Before we tell something bad against our government or to the authorities,we must look at our own selves first and asked this question,”Am i doing my part as a citizen,am i responsible or am I just adding up to the weight or problems of the government?”…
It is what we act that really matters and not the words that we just say and then forget….