"Protest Literature"

Some people say,

Politics is just a joke, 

Fame wins elections,

Blind people vote.

Social media is the voice,

Controlling the masses,

Intellect doesn't matter,

Money equals power.

Who shall we blame?

Isn't it a fun game?

Oh! What a shame,
You still chose fame.

Japanese Occupation

Japan invaded Philippines on December 8, 1941. Clark Airbase in Pampanga was the first to be attacked. On December 22, the Japanese forces landed at the Lingayen Gulf and continued to Manila. General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city as advised by commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon to avoid it's destruction. The Japanese occupied Manila in January 2, 1942.

MacArthur retreated his troops to Bataan while the commonwealth government withdrew to Corregidor island before proceeding to the United States. The joint American and Filipino soldiers in Bataan finally surrendered on April 9, 1942. MacArthur escaped to Corregidor then proceeded to Australia. The 75,000 captured soldiers were forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March on which an estimated 10,000 died or were murdered.

The farmers of Pampanga banded together and created local brigades for their protection. Luis Taruc, Juan Feleo, Castro Alejandrino, and other leaders of organized farmers held a meeting in February 1942 in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. In that meeting, they agreed ti fight the Japanese as a unified guerrilla army. Another meeting was held the following month, where in representatives from Tarlac, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija threshed out various details regarding their organization, which they agreed to call "Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon" or HUKBALAHAP. Taruc was chosen to be the Leader of the group, with Alejandro as his right hand man.

When MacArthur returned to the Philippines in October 1944, it was as commander of a massive invasion force. The ensuing naval battle of Leyte Gulf was one of the largest ever fought. In February 1945 U.S. troops reached Manila, which was devastated in fighting that continued until July. World War II ended with the Japanese surrender to the Allies on September 2.

A Eulogy of Roaches (Poem Analysis)

This poem talks about the people who do everything just to survive specifically the less fortunate people or the poor in which he used the metaphor "cockroaches". The author of this poem, Bienvenido Lumbera was actually an orphan. He probably felt empathy for the poor people and so he wrote this poem. He used the word "cockroach" to describe the poor since many people are disgusted when they see a cockroach which is most of the time the same when people see poor people or beggars. These bugs are also good in survival as the poem says, a trait in which poor people also possess.

The poem describes how I feel for the poor people too. I feel great sympathy for them since I know it must be very hard to survive when you have nothing. In our society today, I see a lot of people without a job, a home or even a family. Every time I see these people I always imagine myself in their position. I always wonder how would it feel to be all alone with nothing to do but find ways to feed my hungry stomach. I consider myself lucky since even after the death of my parents, I still have my relatives who care for me and provide all my needs.

March of Death

On April 9, 1942 a very historical event in took place in the Philippines. 75,000 American and Filipino soldiers were held captive by the Japanese colonizers and were forced to march for 63 miles to prison. Around 10,000 soldiers didn't make it due to the extreme conditions and brutality of the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese believed strongly in honor brought by fighting to death hence the surrender of the Filipino and American soldiers caused them to lose respect.

 In my opinion the Japanese were too harsh on the soldiers. They made the soldiers suffer the heat of the sun for five days with only two balls of rice to feed on and absolutely no water to drink. It was torture for the soldiers and they had no choice since anyone who was caught trying to escape was either shot or brutally murdered. The violence that they had inflicted was unjustified. The Japanese had absolutely no respect for the soldiers.

I think that the soldiers made the right decision in surrendering to the Japanese. Although they suffered too much, in the end they still won the war. If they didn't surrender they couldn't have survived and finished the war. Fighting to their death would have tragically ended.

Fighting to the death is indeed a mark of honor. But as the Filipino and American soldiers have proved, it is better to fight smart. They won the war because they fought not only with brute force but with their minds.