Our group joined the Tindignation ( meaning: Tindig (Stand) combined with: Nation (A nation in indignation) rally against Con-Ass. Con Ass refers to H.R. 1109 – a resolution by the House of Representatives approving the amendment of the Philippine Constitution through a Constituent Assemby and not through a Constitutional Convention.  The issue here is the timing of the amendment. Majority of the Filipinos observe that the amendment most important to the present administration is the changing of the provision of the form of government from presidential to parliamentary, making it legally feasible to extend the term of the President. Aside from the extension of the President’s term, the most ticklish provision vulnerable to a Constituent  Assembly’s manipulation is the one on ownership of foreign corporations in the Philippines. Those in the administration who believe in free trade as the sole strategy  towards economic advancement believe that granting privileges  to foreign corporations, among them a 100% ownership of corporations in the Philippines, is good for the country. But logic says otherwise. This is the reason for the growing protest against HR 1109. Besides, a Constituent Assembly with no approval from the Senate is utterly unconstitutional.

With the interest of the democratic institutions in our minds,  we joined the assembly at 1:00 pm in front of the Commission on Human Rights Office in Quezon City. The stage was a 10-wheeler truck where someone in the role of a policeman (Juana Change) was prominent. Key figures of the TindigNation Coalition were on stage. There were speeches and singing but the highlight of the program was the skit on the “trial of GMA” for the crimes she committed against the people. All crimes presented to the assembly were responded to by the chant “GUILTY”. The skit ended with GMA behind bars.

Then we marched towards Batasang Pambansa (Congress) chanting “Cha-Cha ni Gloria ….Ibasura (GMA’s Cha-Cha (short for constitutional change) ….Throw to the garbage bin. Mabuhay ang Manggagawang Pilipino; Mabuhay ang Kababaihan…..(Long live the Filipino Workers..Long Live the Women….and other chants. 

About 30 minutes after we got moving towards Batasang Pambansa with multi-colored banners flailing in the wind, it started to rain. Most of us had umbrellas so the rain didn’t bother us. But then the downpour was stronger than our umbrellas and a slight flooding of the streets started. But we continued to chant. We moved on. The rain was a part of the choreography of the event. My colleagues who didn’t bring their bags requested me to put their mobile phones and wallets in my bag. Suddenly my bag was full of different valuables that I had to hold on tightly to my it lest the water  seeped in. The flood after Tandang Sora was ankle deep and my pants were getting heavier. As I bent to roll the seams of my pants upwards, the downpour caught the portion on my back that was dry and I was dripping all over. Except my bag of valuables!

We stopped in front of Ever Gotesco in Commonwealth. We had a program there. Just like in any other rally, the time was a chance to re-connect  with friends who we only see during rallies.

When the rain stopped, the sight of Senator Mar Roxas drenched like anyone in the rally sent many people in the crowd applauding  and rushing to shake his hands or having a photo taken with him.

Congresspersons Walden Bello and Risa Hontiveros were also dripping with rain when people saw them while the program on the 10-wheeler stage was going on.

Our group headed for home ahead of the political blocks as we had members going home to Laguna.

As we headed home, the feeling that we did something right that day was a reason to feel  good.

That afternoon, I thought  of the yellow ribbons distributed at the rally. Yellow has always been associated with Cory Aquino as a sign of protest against the late dictator Marcos. In the news, Cory was in a stable condition but was sleeping most of the time due to the pain killers as her colon cancer has spread to different parts of her body.  Cory’s cancer resembles the socio-economic-political cancer of the Philippines. There is something utterly wrong in the way our political processes are conducted and the effect on us , Filipinos is just sickening. And we continue to wage this difficult battle with the belief that one day we will overcome.