Rebucas, Abigail, G.

TVL-ICT - Generous

A Eulogy of Roaches

A Eulogy of roaches is one of the most famous works of Bienvenido Lumbera. He is one

of the most famous writers during the 1960s. His writings were all about the nationalistic and

politically satirical. His work, “A Eulogy of Roaches” shows his anxiousness or dread towards

the people living in poverty and anger unto political leaders. The poem shows the situation of the

poor Filipinos in the hand of the sluggard leaders where those poor families were born and will

die without justice. That means that the roaches in the poem are poor Filipinos who suffered in

poverty and abused by the political leaders. Where the poor Filipinos who don’t have anything

else except to their rights as a human being will be killed without no hesitation and yet they all

didn’t gave justice for their death. They are the victims of the filthy administration at that time.

He described the ways of living of the roaches all they have in their life is the will of survival,

whether they survive or will be killed. Just like how the poor Filipinos live the situation at that

time. I know that it was pertaining to the Marcos administration and how Bienvenido Lumbera

feels the anger and anxiety for the poor citizens of the Filipinos on the hands of the Marcos

administration.

He describe the Filipino as a roaches where people disgusted when they see a cockroach

which is most of the time, the same when people see poor people or beggars. As the roaches live
in our society, we see that people tried to survive in the society just like the flying cockroaches

do. Those cockroaches are good in survival as the poem say, “a trait in which poor people also

possess”. But the thing is even the cockroaches defend themselves to their prey. It is true that

they defend their lives and tried to fight to survive. This is the one thing that people do against

the government. He describe the roaches as a hopeless poor Filipino who don’t have the same

right as the rich peoples. They don’t have the chance to speak against the government and the

right to fight the filthy government during that time. Some of them tried to fight and yet they all

died poor with no justice. They don’t give a chance to fight for their life while the political

leaders acting like a deaf as they hear all the voices of the peoples.

Survival is assured even the jobless roach because they have the power and ability to

convince others to do the same. Because of the fear, they sit still inside their house and feel the

hunger. I understand how they feel the situation and I feel the same thing as the time comes to

my mind. They have the point that they rather stay at home than fight against the government. As

a roach always do, all they have to do is to survive. I also hear some humors that during that time

some people choose to die than live in a hopeless society. But still the majority of Filipino

choose to live poor and die poor than serving the government’s wills. The suffering of the poor

peoples continues and become worst. As the government set the punishment to death when then

disobedient the law. Whether you like it or not you will be going to the death row. So they tried

to hide because of the fear that they feel. While the situation become worst, some tried to fight in

their own way. They sneak into gate of the power of the government. Writings appears at that

time where the meanings are deep that only a victim of the filthy government will understand it.
 As the roaches live in the society they reproduce quickly and they become more and

more as the time comes up. Even if they died they can replace many times as they can. That

means even the poor people died, there will be another poor people will born in the society. The

cycle doesn’t change and still they feel the same way of the previous people in their society, all

they have to do is to survive. As the population increase the poor will increase and the victims

will also increase. They survive the same way of what other do. During that time the unlucky are

the poor. And yet they are the strong one. I know that it is so hard to live in situation like this

without anything in the society. They don’t have the needs, they don’t have the voice, and they

couldn’t even fight for life. They can’t change the way how they live because of the fear.

I always wonder how would it feel to be all alone with nothing to do but find ways to

feed my hungry stomach. I imagined a how the roaches feel the same way as the poor people like

how they bear the situation. Even if one of them died they need to circulate and do the same way.

I think its because the poor people are nothing for the others and they don’t have anything else. It

is hard for poor people to assume the same thing like what others want. They are mostly lack of

confidence and they just accept what they only have or they are. Just like “when the simple poor

have starved to simple death, roaches still circulate”, it’s because they are just roaches and that’s

all they only have to do in the society as I compare to the situations of the poor Filipinos during

the administration, they just accept that they don’t have the right to fight for their freedom. So

the others choose to live the same way. And the only reason why they are afraid are the fear that

comes to their minds. The one thing that I don’t understand is why they just pertaining only to
the poor peoples and not the millionaire yet sluggard peoples who just making fun with their

money? They see the poor people as a cockroach in a bad way that they are the hopeless people

who were the slaves in the same thing. They are just a cockroach who died instantly and to be

killed for no reason or chance to live.

In the reality they are the victims in society. They see them as cockroaches who don’t

have the role in the society and useless living thing but because they judge them on what they see

they don’t give importance. The same as what others see the poor peoples in the society. But the

truth is they are just the victim. They are the innocents among the people who have the power in

the society. As we go back to the history of the Philippines, most of the victims are the poor

once. The one who don’t have the money and who don’t have the right to fight against the

government. They are just the cockroach who live in the garbage, they are just the people who

don’t have anything else. That’s how hard the life of a poor people during that time. Someday

you will just see them lying down and dead. No one will hesitate to help them when they are

starving and the worst they will just look at a you as a dirty hopeless people. That how the people

judge them until now it is happening in the society.

I know that the poor peoples are the one that they called the cockroaches but as what I

understand in the poem they are the survivors of the society. I understand how strong they are

and how they react to the situation during the time of Marcos administration. Even that they can

died in just a minute they still live in the same way. I am so amazed for the poor people who

survive the deadly hands of the government and how they cure the decease of the society. As I
remember the history of the Marcos administration, I remember the EDSA people power where

all the Filipinos fight for their rights and end the Marcos administration at that time. They did not

fear and they fight for the freedom of the peoples. And the Filipino writers who wake the minds

of the Filipino people that it’s time to end the suffering of the Filipinos during that time. This

poem reflects the situation of the poor peoples during the Marcos administration. It wakes up the

mind of the people to change the way what they see before.

This poem shows the suffering and rebirth of freedom in the society. He proved to the

Marcos administration that his pen is mightier than the sword. And nothing can stop to the

Filipino peoples even the guns need to reload that means it’s their turn to end the suffering of the

Filipino peoples on the hands of the filthy administration. The life of those roaches are hard,

there are fear and suffering. The roaches still survive no matter what happened to them. They are

the strong, the wise, and the dead. But their life leave a mark to our hearts, that there are no

cockroach live alone, there still be a hope for the bloody era of the Filipinos. And the freedom

came again and hopefully that freedom will remain until now. And those poor are blessed

because they are the witness of how cruel the world is.
 Rebucas, Abigail, G. TVL-ICT – Generous

Babae Po Ako

The song “Babae Po Ako” by Tuesday Vargas is pertaining for the gender awareness.

Based on the lyrics that we hear in the song, the story behind this is there is a woman where the

others are saying that she is gay because of her appearance. And as we hear the music she is

trying to tell them that she is a girl and not a gay. As I read the lyrics, it is about the gender

awareness. If we will going to think deeply, the song is about the differences in roles and relation

between women and men where the life experiences and expectations of men and women are

different. The song “Babae Po Ako” is all about the women where the others think that she is

different. Based on my analysis, this song is about awareness of gender equality. From the lyrics,

“Nililinlang ka lang ng’yong mga paningin”, it is about the gender roles that we see as a men and

women. For example, from the past events, they see that the women can only do the households

or task in house and they can’t work like all the men do. And then, as the time goes by, the role

for the men and women change. There are chance that some of the task for men are able to do for

women. And every time they see those women or even men doing the task that is different from

their role, they judge them and they say “are you gay?” or ”are you a bisexual?”. After all, there

is only one reason why them say that, it is because it is different from what they see as a men and

women.
 Women are emotional and kind peoples in our society. They are quiet and usually a shy

type of person in our society. That’s how people describe a real woman before and even now.

They say that women are sensitive so their habits are lighter than the habits of a man. But from

those gender roles, the inequality became worst like the women are not allowed to study or even

to work and they must stay at home and do some household tasks. This inequality is not

acceptable for the women because they feel the unfairness between men and women like there

are just a housewife forever and there are low opportunities for women before. So there are

groups of women who raised the rights for the women and to give them more opportunities in the

society. Those groups are protecting the rights of the women and to raise the abilities of a

woman. Aside from that there are laws for the safety of the women made by the political leaders

in the society. And they fight the discrimination of the women and the ability and opportunities

to do a tasks equal from what the man can do.

Gender roles are the basis before they call you a real men and a women. But sometimes

those roles are changing even now. And the 20th century, there are groups such as the LGBT

group where the society accept those LGBT activist to join the society and accept them in this

society. That means that even your sexual orientation and mental orientation can change if you

think that you didn’t deserve to born as men or a women. That’s why there is a gender

awareness. You must know your roles and your sexual orientation and mental orientation before

you consider yourself as a men or a women. Act like a women if you are a women, act like a

men if you are men, act like a women if you think you should be a women and act like a men if

you think you should a men.

 As I analyze the lyrics of the song, there are two messages that are trying to show to us.

The shallow one and the deep one. The shallow one or the shallow message, in literary means of

the song is about the gender identity or how the people around you judge you by your physical

appearance or what they see. They judge the girl as a guy who became women or transgender.

They describe the girl that there is different from her appearance that is similar from the men’s

appearance. As a result, they keep saying that she is a gay or a transgender because the different

things that they see from her. From the deep one or the deep message of the song, is all about the

gender roles in the society. As I mentioned earlier, there are gender roles for men and women.

These roles are the basis before they call you men or a women. As we see to the lyrics, people

can tell your gender by your appearance and also by your habits. Simply because you’re doing a

task for men but you’re a women. This song is about the inequality between men and women.

And through this inequality, this caused discrimination or the chance for him/her to discriminate.

We can say that this song is about the girl who judge by the other people. As I analyze

the lyrics and messages from the song, I can say that the main idea of the song is about the

inequality between men and women and all about the women in the society today. We see, those

gender roles and gender identity are important before. Now, those roles and identity can change

even if you like it or not. Those people are usually the women doing the habits that are only for

men. Those habits doesn’t matter for everyone today because there are a lot of things that we can

do just like what the others do. Before, heavy tasks are prepared only for men and only the

household tasks are prepared only for girls. That’s what we learned from our ancestors before.
Now if you do those habits that are different from your gender, you must prepare to answer their

questions. Nowadays, the society accept the reality that there are tasks that even a women can

do. But sadly, there are few people still can’t accept those facts about the ability of the woman.

And until now it is considered to your gender identity. But there is low cases of discrimination

today because there are laws made for the rights and safety of the women.

And this is what the song wants to tell us, that today the inequality between the men and

women will end. We need to accept the reality and stop judging the people from their appearance

and gender roles. Give those opportunities to people who can do and the people who want to do.

Stop the discrimination about the gender. Respect the women’s rights and accept their ability to

do in the society. We must not consider them as a men or women based on their appearance and

abilities. We must accept that women can do the same thing as a men can do.

Through this song, I understand the importance of gender awareness in the society. Not

just for the women but also for the men. I know that your gender roles are important to us but

there are chances that the women are stronger than men. There’s still peoples who can’t keep

judging them but hopefully there are opportunities prepared for the women in our society. The

song shows the self – confidence in front of the other people surrounding you. We must prove to

them that as a women we can do the same as a man can do. We must know about the gender

awareness before you judge who she/he is. We must know the reasons why those people decide

to be a men or a women. Don’t look for their physical appearance and their habits, but look for

ability and benefits that they can give to our society.

 This will definitely benefit most for the women who experiences the inequality between

men and women. We must remember that we are living in the same society and same roles as a

citizens where we should always respect each other and accept what they have. We have

different abilities and those abilities should be accepted as we know each other. We should throw

away the inequalities that we see before. We must respect of what they want in this society

especially those people in LGBT groups. Hopefully discrimination will be remove to our minds

and don’t judge them quickly even if we don’t know who really they are. At this time, women

have given more opportunities like the men so that they can help to develop the society. Not just

women but also those LGBT groups will be given a lot of opportunities in this society. This

opportunities are given to build a unique and beautiful society and always remember that each

gender men or women have their different important roles in this world, we are the stewards of

the earth that God made to us.

 Rebucas, Abigail, G. TVL-ICT – Generous

To The Young Women of Malolos

Jose Rizal’s legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, “To the

young women of Malolos”, where he addresses all kinds of women. Jose Rizal was greatly

impressed by the fighting spirit of the young women of Malolos shown. His literature was for

women where they need to be offered the same opportunities as those received by men in terms

of education. Remember the time where only the men are allowed to study and have an

education and the women will only allowed to stay at home and do the household habits.

Obviously, Rizal is desire to the inequality that is happening between men and women during

that time. Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to have the education,

which must be granted to both boys and girls. Rizal enumerates the qualities and advice that

Filipino mothers and unmarried men and women.

I started to the qualities of Filipino mothers that they have to possess. Since mother is the

symbol as the light of the home. Their role as a mother is hard. They understand their child’s

feelings and emotion and they are the only one who gave love to their child and husbands. As I

read the literature, I read the part where Rizal said “no longer will the mother contribute to

keeping her daughter in darkness and bring her up in contempt and moral annihilation.” For my

understanding, he is stating the fact that the mothers are the first who thought the moral lessons
and manners that their children should inherit. They are the one who give love and importance to

their child. And they are the teachers at home and the first who gave the knowledge to their

children. The first quality is be a noble wife. As I mentioned earlier, the mother are the first one

who gave knowledge to us, we inherit their good manners as they show how to be a good boy or

girl when we grow. That means if the mother’s characteristics are seen by their children, they

mostly admire her even their father should be a noble too. The next one is to rear her children in

the service of state. This means the mother should take care of her child. She must give all the

needs of her child to grow good and healthy. The last one is a mother must set of behavior for

men around her. This means, she must show how good she is as a wife to have a good

relationship to her husband and to gain his trust for her.

There are advice I read for the unmarried men and women. He stated that they should not

be easily taken by appearance and looks because these can be very deceiving. As I analyze those

phrases about the unmarried woman, these are the things that a young woman must look for a

man she intends to be her husband. The first one is the men should have a noble and honored

name. It means the men should have an attractive name in literal meaning. But as I think it

deeply this means the men should have a good characteristic and manners to have a good

relationship. The next one is a manly heart. A woman should always look for man who has a

manly heart. Manly heart means he is a loving and trusting man to have a good relationship.

Lastly, a high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slave. He must be satisfied for

what a woman have and the honesty and respect to his partner.
 Aside from those advice and qualities, Rizal add some qualities and habits for a women.

Back from being a mother, one of the main role as a mother is to teach them some manners and

give knowledge to their child. As he mentioned the mother must teach her child about the love of

God, country and fellowmen. This will be a good knowledge that your child can keep, the love of

God will help him/her to grow with a strong faith and hope as he/she grows and face the

challenges in their life. The country, he/she must know the place he born and be proud of their

country. And the fellowmen, he/she must know a person other than their selves or a fellow

human being. Filipino mothers should be glad and honored. A mother should be happy and

proud as their child grows up and there will be times that they reflected the good manners and

knowledge they get to their mother which can make her more glad and honor and a mother.

Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor. Women should be

defensive and know their rights in the society. The world is big and there are filthy people who

judge, discriminate, and traitor which can lead you to disrespect and lose your dignity. Filipino

should educate themselves. Aside from retaining their good racial values, women should educate

more than what they already know. They should know their rights, their roles and the things that

they need to know as a women. And lastly, about the faith and Christian ways. Faith is not

merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures, it is living the real Christian way with

good moral and manners. Not just to pray but to talk to God for our sins and the blessings we get.

And the word of God should make an inspiration to live with full of faith and hope in life.

As we can see, those qualities and habits that a woman should have are gradually lost in

the way they live in recent times. Even now there are women especially the mothers who forget

the roles as a mother to their child. As a result those children are lack of the love of a mother and
didn’t get the needs from their mother. The inequalities between men and women are very

common in the recent days and the roles for men and women before. The women were not

allowed to sent to school because of the gender roles that is given by the leaders before. This is

one of the unacceptable thing that the women can’t do. As we look from the past days, the

women’s role is to a housewife, a wife and a mother. They stay at home and do their roles in

house. And the rights are mostly favor for the men. The women can’t vote, this means only the

men can decide for the leaders and only the men can able to participate for the political election

in the society before. This means that men are more powerful than the women.

In this literature that Rizal made, it showed the inequalities that the women experiences

before. Even there rights are just nothing than the rights of the men before. They prepared most

for the men during that time. And they more opportunities for men than the women have.

Women are slaves before and just assistant at home. This literature shows how they trait the

women before and how should a women act in the situation before. Showing the roles of women

in the society and their personality before. The same as how the women act before, they describe

as a quiet, shy and modest during the past times. They still get respect but not like the men’s

respect.

This literature shows the situation of the women during the colonial time. The difference

between the roles of the men are the role of the women are change as the time goes by. And now

we are in the new in the generation, there are changes happened between those roles. The

inequality has remove and replace it for the equality in the gender roles. And there are more
opportunities that are opened for the women. And discrimination is now unacceptable today. The

expectations for the new society have been developed and the gender equality are now

acceptable in the society. We should accept the fact that the women can do the same as what the

men can do. There are a lot of things that can change. And all we have to do is to accept it. It is

the part of the development of our society.

This literature reflected to the situation of the young women before. Jose Rizal was

greatly impressed by the fighting spirit of the young woman before. In his literature, he expresses

great joy and satisfaction over the battle they had fought. In this portion of Rizal’s letter, it is

obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as the men

have. Rizal also stipulates a number of important points in the letter to the young women of

Malolos. The analysis I’ve made for this is that whatever a mother shows to her children is what

the children will became also. In fact, the children admire their mother the most. But there are

oftentimes moments where mothers forget their roles in rearing their child. Although there is

nothing negative about working hard for the welfare of the family, there must always be balance

in the way people go through life. Failure in the home cannot be compensated for by any amount

of wealth or fame.