By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
Last Sunday was the the first time I attended a rally. Though I was sick and my throat was hurting, I attended regardless. And in true Filipino fashion I, of course, arrived late to the event but was just in time to experience the early flames and eagerness within the rally. I could not shout along without my throat hurting so I just had to utter the words, the catchy phrases and the slogans of the people.
Before I arrived at Malcolm Square, the designated venue for the gathering, I had to walk first through Session Road and all its attractions on a Sunday. It was a lot more people than I thought, frolicking around Session rather than attending the rally. At some point during my walk, I had even wondered if the rally was cancelled, because the atmosphere was not of bitterness and anger, it was the same it had always been on a Sunday morning in Session.
At some point, I arrived at Lower Session and finally my worries were for naught. The shouts became louder and louder the more I neared downhill. The chants kept on drawing me in. And the atmosphere that I was expecting was there, like a veil made out of frustration, bitterness, and anger it covered the square and affected all who walked near it.
Finally getting within the crowd, I had seen the glaring contrast of attitudes. As i was nearing the square, I had heard someone say, “Enka met maki rally” (Go join the rally) in a tone devoid of any seriousness or consideration only with the usual light hearted tone and joking manner we all use when joking with someone.
Perhaps this divided levels of enthusiasm should have been expected. Throughout my time here in the Cordillera, I have not met too many locals who see rallies, protests and other related activities seen in a positive light. As always peace and order have been the priority and discipline be the value to be proud of.
Back at the event, youth speakers came up and said their pieces to an obviously restless and angst crowd. To my surprise, during my stay in the morning at least, there had been many from the older generations who went up the stage. And there I was expecting the speakers to be of the younger side.
As I looked around, truly seeing the amount of people who attended, the number of people at the sides, just watching on, was noticeable as well. In our area at least, it’s still clear not everyone is in the same boat. Not everyone is acting the way you expect someone would after witnessing a blatant foul.
Sadly, the potential for the amount of people who can join the cause remains huge, but remains a potential for now. If one wants to rally the people of the Cordillera, then I do believe, one has to first understand the culture. Lost billions of pesos should be more than enough of a reason to go out but if many still remain inside their homes despite knowing then figuring out what makes them tick could help start the clock of doomsday for the thieves and corrupt. Even if the number of people who attended the rally last Sunday was many for some, there can always be more, there should be more. **
