Monday, September 22, 2008
Ano'ng Bastos sa Pagsuot ng Flag??
Kinumpirma kaninang umaga (22 September 2008) ng isang brand marketing officer ng Adidas sa radio show nina Mo Twister, Mojo Jojo at Grace Lee sa Magic 89.9 na itinigil na nga ng Adidas ang pagma-manufacture ng Philippine Flag jackets dahil they want to “uphold the Philippine Flag Code.” Apparently, sinita nga sila ng ilang mga hipokritong patriots kuno kaya hayun… In other words, minsan nga nga lang tayo pansinin ng isang global brand, minasama pa natin! The Adidas rep also said that the jacket, a part o their Fall/Winter 07 Collection was sold all over the Philippines, but she refused to say just how many units were bought.
This is another example why I think we should re-think this law, not totally scrap it because there are some provisions that do make sense, but some parts, like the prohibition of using the flag as part of costume or clothing seems too outdated, too conservative, and bordering on violating our Constitutionally guaranteed “freedom of expression.”
OK, medyo controversial siguro sa iba itong iniisip ko pero para sa’kin, walang masama kung isuot ko ang flag. Kahit pa as underwear.
Or as bodypaint.
I also disagree with the strict implementation of the law that prohibits the singing of the Lupang Hinirang in any other way except for its “original” version as a march. A country with so many great singers, and a rich musical culture such as ours should not be this limiting to the most important song in our nation. I also used to think that it’s important that we sing the national anthem as a march, and only as a march, because it reminds us of the revolutionary circumstances behind the birth of our country pero unti-unti ko ‘tong na-rethink dahil na-miss ko ang choral version ng Philippine Madrigal that they use to play in cinemas. Hindi na rin exciting panoorin ang iba’t ibang divas (at nagdidiva-divahan) sa mga laban ni Pacquiao kasi hindi na sila as free to interpret the song. Napaka-refreshing nga nang sa simula ng “Noli at Fili 2008” na pinanood ko kamakailan sa napakagandang PETA Center eh ang version ng Loboc Children’s Choir ang pinatugtog nila (albeit a voice-over disclaimer saying that it is not the “official” version.)
Kung nasa Ifugao nga ako, halimbawa, at merong katutubo/Igorot version ng national anthem, I will not be offended. I will be even more proud. Hindi ko na iisipin na hindi naman ‘yun ang orig dahil kung magiging strict na rin lang naman tayo, ni hindi natin makakanta ang Lupang Hinirang dahil una itong sinulat nang walang lyrics, noh! At ang unang version ng lyrics nito ay Kastila, tapos naging Inggles, at saka na lang nagkaroon ng Filipino version! So ‘wag nga tayong magpaka-historically accurate d’yan, eh, hindi naman tayo accurate to begin with!
Sa lahat ng mga iffy sa ideas ko, ang main concern nila ay ang pag-o-open ng floodgates for ugly versions ng national anthem, or hideous clothing items inspired by the flag.
Ang sagot ko lang d’yan ay isang konseptong natutunan ko sa class ni Prof. Avecilla sa UP Mass Comm na Law and Mass Media: That it is better and safer for a free society to err in favor of freedom than to curtail it in fear of abuses. Mabuti na ngang meron tayong karapatang maabuso kesa walang karapatan at all. “Abuses” to freedom can easily be tamed, minsan mere social pressure lang matitigil na ang “violator,” eh. Pero to win back a freedom. Tsk! Madugo ‘yun. Literally.
This is another example why I think we should re-think this law, not totally scrap it because there are some provisions that do make sense, but some parts, like the prohibition of using the flag as part of costume or clothing seems too outdated, too conservative, and bordering on violating our Constitutionally guaranteed “freedom of expression.”
OK, medyo controversial siguro sa iba itong iniisip ko pero para sa’kin, walang masama kung isuot ko ang flag. Kahit pa as underwear.
Or as bodypaint.
I also disagree with the strict implementation of the law that prohibits the singing of the Lupang Hinirang in any other way except for its “original” version as a march. A country with so many great singers, and a rich musical culture such as ours should not be this limiting to the most important song in our nation. I also used to think that it’s important that we sing the national anthem as a march, and only as a march, because it reminds us of the revolutionary circumstances behind the birth of our country pero unti-unti ko ‘tong na-rethink dahil na-miss ko ang choral version ng Philippine Madrigal that they use to play in cinemas. Hindi na rin exciting panoorin ang iba’t ibang divas (at nagdidiva-divahan) sa mga laban ni Pacquiao kasi hindi na sila as free to interpret the song. Napaka-refreshing nga nang sa simula ng “Noli at Fili 2008” na pinanood ko kamakailan sa napakagandang PETA Center eh ang version ng Loboc Children’s Choir ang pinatugtog nila (albeit a voice-over disclaimer saying that it is not the “official” version.)
Kung nasa Ifugao nga ako, halimbawa, at merong katutubo/Igorot version ng national anthem, I will not be offended. I will be even more proud. Hindi ko na iisipin na hindi naman ‘yun ang orig dahil kung magiging strict na rin lang naman tayo, ni hindi natin makakanta ang Lupang Hinirang dahil una itong sinulat nang walang lyrics, noh! At ang unang version ng lyrics nito ay Kastila, tapos naging Inggles, at saka na lang nagkaroon ng Filipino version! So ‘wag nga tayong magpaka-historically accurate d’yan, eh, hindi naman tayo accurate to begin with!
Sa lahat ng mga iffy sa ideas ko, ang main concern nila ay ang pag-o-open ng floodgates for ugly versions ng national anthem, or hideous clothing items inspired by the flag.
Ang sagot ko lang d’yan ay isang konseptong natutunan ko sa class ni Prof. Avecilla sa UP Mass Comm na Law and Mass Media: That it is better and safer for a free society to err in favor of freedom than to curtail it in fear of abuses. Mabuti na ngang meron tayong karapatang maabuso kesa walang karapatan at all. “Abuses” to freedom can easily be tamed, minsan mere social pressure lang matitigil na ang “violator,” eh. Pero to win back a freedom. Tsk! Madugo ‘yun. Literally.
# posted by rey agapay @ 9:04 AM 
