LESSONS IN HISTORY: THE GREAT LEAN RUN

        

  

“The next best thing to being free is the struggle to be free”. A memorable quote from Lean Alejandro, one of the icons of UP Activism.

 

I was born two years before President Ferdinand E. Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law on September 21, 1972, . The declaration issued under Proclamation 1081 suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the country. It became unpopular as excesses and human rights abuses by the military emerged. Torture was used in extracting information from their enemies. Martial law was lifted by President Marcos on January 17, 1981. In the following years there was the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the Snap Elections of 1986 and the People Power Revolution or EDSA Revolution in 1986 which led to Marcos, with the advice from the U.S. government, left the country and Cory Aquino becoming president.

A notable intellectual and activist who openly criticized the Marcos administration,  Lean was killed Sept. 19, 1987. After the failed coup attempt led by Col. Gregorio Honasan, Lean  announced plans for a major demonstration against the return to fascism. Returning by car to the headquarters of BAYAN, he was fired upon by a gunman, instantly killing Lean.

Lean  died during my freshman year in UP Diliman. Sad to say, I never realized his importance that time perhaps due to my personal struggle  or preoccupation to adjust myself with the UP culture. Apolitical perhaps was the right word that time. Years later, i became part of SAMASA, a political alliance which in a way became my justification for using "sandals" or tsinelas during my UP days. 

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics.  Basically, I became attached to  my organizations  Philippine Collegian or KULE, and SAMASA Alliance .My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person.

 The Great LEAN Run is an experiential run using a historical approach to teach the new generation lessons on martial law. The Run is scheduled on  November 12, 2016  (Saturday) at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden and Academic Oval. 

 “The 3.7-kilometer run is a special distance experiential run that includes a especially-designed obstacle course, race, and chase production. It is an innovative approach to teach lessons to the new generation who has never experienced martial law. Each participant will experience life under martial law and step into Lean's slippers,” Atty. Susan Villanueva, Sandigan para sa Mag-aaral at Sambayanan (Samasa) Alumni Association chairperson, said.

“It is a celebration of the life of Leandro L. Alejandro, one-time UP student council chairman, and the most popular youth leader during the turbulent martial law years,” Villanueva said.

The 3.7-kilometer run starts at the UP Sunken Garden and covers the entire UP Diliman Academic Oval and a portion of the University Avenue. Opening ceremonies will begin at 4:30 pm at the Sunken Garden . The first wave of runners will begin at 5 pm.

   

 The event hashtag is “BeLean,” making the “Great Lean Run” also a call to healthy living

Lean  was instrumental in setting up the UP Samasa student political party, which was active and a key political force in UP campus politics during the martial law years and beyond.  UP Samasa aims to “re-introduce” Alejandro, his ideals, and his works to the current generation of student activists through the fun run.  It is  hoped that  Lean will become an inspiration to the younger generation

Here are some of the famous quotes of Lean: 

 - “The line of fire is a place of honor”

- "It is in the struggle that we fully realize what it means to be alive, and the more we struggle, the more we see the beauty and profundity of life."

-  “I am sure you will agree with me when I say that the greatest adventure on earth today is our struggle for freedom. The pain and the sacrifice are staggering. The battles are historical. And the victory shall be truly glorious indeed.”

Fellow Kule Boying Pimentel said in his article "Lean’s was a short, eventful life, full of meaning and passion. He was the young firebrand who led to us on those many marches on Mendiola toward Malacanang, who led us in defying the brutal dictator. He was the young idealist who risked his life in the quest for meaningful social change and freedom from oppression. He didn’t die.Lean Alejandro lives on.

Participants will “experience running in Lean’s shoes during the 3.7-kilometer trail, from the UP Sunken Garden to the UP Academic Oval and back,” Villanueva said.  “Lean continues to be a prime example of how the youth can effect change through critical thought and social involvement."

 Each runner will have to wear a belt with three ribbons: life, liberty, and property. During the run, elements of an authoritarian regime will try to grab the ribbons from the participants, as was the practice during Martial Law. Participants are being challenged to complete the run with at least one ribbon, an indication that he or she survived the martial law years. 

 With a registration fee of P350 for students and P800 for non-students, The Great Lean Run is jointly organized by the Samasa Alumni Association and the UP Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (UP OVCSA).

 For details, please visit the Great LEAN Run Facebook page.

Dead Poet's Society and Carpe Diem

Dateline: June 2, 1989. the film  "Dead Poets Society" starring Robin Williams, premieres. Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in Vermont in 1959, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry

  

The film popularized the aphorism Carpe diem, a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace, translated as "seize the day".The phrase is part of the longer Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero – "Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future". The ode says that the future is unforeseen, and that instead one should scale back one's hopes to a brief future, and drink one's wine.

 





    One of my favorite scene is when  John Keating (Williams) is about to exit, one of his students  calls out "O Captain! My Captain!" and stands on his desk. The principal ordered him to sit down or face expulsion. Much of the class climb onto their desks and look to Keating, ignoring the principal' s orders until he gives up. Keating leaves visibly touched.

 

 "Carpe Diem ."And if not now, Then when?" It encourages youth to enjoy life before it is too late.

It is significant to note that Carpe Diem, in essence, somewhat became the slogan for youth activism. U.P. Collegian editor Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., pricked the conscience of many youngsters  as he asked on the front page  of the college paper: Sino ang kikibo kung hindi tayo kikibo? Sino ang kikilos kung hindi tayo kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? . A dissenting opinion in one Supreme Court decision cited this phrase adding  that "Countless others forfeited their lives and stand as witnesses to the tyranny and repression of the past regime. Driven by their dreams to free our motherland from poverty, oppression, iniquity and injustice, many of our youthful leaders were to make the supreme sacrifice."

In December 1975, Sarmiento, Jr. and Fides Lim, the managing editor of the Collegian were picked up for questioning by the military, in connection with an editorial entitled "Purge II" which Sarmiento, Jr. had written. They were released shortly, but not before they were brought before then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who personally expressed displeasure over the editorial . He was later  locked up in the military camp and released only when he was near death from a severe attack of asthma, to which he succumbed. Among the arresting officers was  Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Other significant events this day: in 1980, the  movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," was  released in Germany. In  1896 , Guglielmo Marconi applied for a patent for his newest invention: the radio.                    

Tatak KULE

Beyond prestige and honor, the Collegian’s legacy is a tradition of fearless and critical journalism that writes, and rewrites, history. Words that were printed in the invitation letter i received for the Alumni homecoming of Philippine Collegian last night at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman in celebration of its 89th year anniversary.The theme was "TATAK KULÊ: 89 na taon ng tapang, talas at talab ng pamamahayag ng Phililppine Collegian "

The Philippine Collegian is the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Diliman. It is more commonly known to UP students as Kulê (pronounced coo-leh). It is known for its radical, often anti-administration views. It often gives critical views on the policies of the UP administration and the Philippine government.

Mosquito Press is a term in journalism coined during Martial Law. It is a term used for publications such as the Philippine Collegian, which continued to criticize the martial law government despite the dangers this entailed. These publications were likened to mosquitoes, which are small but have a stinging bite.

 

Copies of the weekly Kule are usually available either on Tuesday or Thursday. Passing by the lobby of UPs colleges, students would hurriedly grab a copy on their way to class to read burning issues of the day in UP and beyond.

From 1987 to 1991, i became one of the so-called "Iskolar ng Bayan" as  part of the UP Diliman studentry when i took BS. Economics. I became attached to  organizations like   KULE, and SAMASA Alliance My relatives and friends usually asked me "bakit ka ba naging aktibista". Perhaps my answer will be because UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be politically, socially, etc. Yes, I myself became part of UP Activisim movement. And i am proud that it made me a better person. Perhaps, members of the various generation of activism has their own way of reminiscing such so era."Iba nung panahon namin"...My passion for photography likewise developed as photo editor of KULE..

 Apart from invoking nostalgia, the organizers of last night's affair noted that  the event also aims to raise funds to maintain the current state of operations of the publication. The student publication fee in UP Diliman has been fixed at P40 per student every semester since 1989. Due to increasing production costs, the Collegian now incurs an average deficit of P200,000 per year. coincidentally, 1989 was the year i entered Kule under the term of then editor in chief Ruben Carranza, then Francis Perez then Alecks Pabico.

     There were earlier reports that Kule  was  unable to publish regular issues since August 2006 because its funding has been withheld by the UP Diliman administration. Many see this as a curtailment of the freedom of the publication to operate without intervention from the UP administration. This has led to a long, protracted stand-off between the two groups. It has led, among many things, to rallies, walk-outs, the publication of what is known as the "Rebel Kulê." At present, to keep the student’s informed, the Philippine Collegian has made available its issues online (http://www.philippinecollegian.org/

Past Editors-in-Chief

• Francisco Capistrano, 1923-1924
• Emerito M. Ramos, 1930-1931
• Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, 1931-1932
• Ambrosio Padilla, 1932-1933
• Arturo M. Tolentino, 1933-1934
• Armando de J. Malay, 1934-1935
• Romeno S. Busuego, 1937-1938
• Renato Constantino, 1939-1940
• Angel G. Baking, 1940-1941
• Delfin R. Garcia, 1941-1942
• Juan M. Hagad, 1946-1947
• Mariano V. Ampil, Jr., 1947-1948
• Leonardo B. Perez, 1948-1949
• Augusto Caesar Espiritu, 1949-1950
• Elmer A. Ordonez, 1950-1951
• Francisco D. Villanueva, 1951-1952
• Ignacio Debuque, 1952-1953
• Crispulo J. Icban, Jr., 1953-1954
• Luis Q. U. Uranza, Jr., 1954-1955
• Sabino Padilla, Jr., 1955-1956
• Homobono Adaza, 1956-1957
• Jose H. Y. Masakayan, 1956-1957
• Pacifico Agabin (Acting); Caesar Agnir, 1958-1959
• Leonardo A. Quisumbing, 1961-1962; Luis V. Teodoro, Jr. (Editor)
• Angelito Imperio, 1962-1963
• Tristan Catindig, 1963-1964
• Salvador T. Carlota, 1964-1965
• Enrique Voltaire Garcia II, Ancheta K. Tan 1965-1966
• Agustin Que, 1966-1967
• Miriam Defensor, 1968-1969
• Victor Manarang, 1969-1970
• Ernesto M. Valencia, 1971
• Antonio S. Tagamolila, 1971
• Reynaldo B. Vea, 1971-1972
• Eduardo T. Gonzalez
• Teodoro D. Yabut, Jr.
• Oscar G. Yabes, 1972-1974
• Diwa Guinigundo, 1974-1975
• Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., 1975-1976
• Cosme Diaz Rosell, 1976-1977
• Alexander Poblador, 1977-1978
• Diwata A. Reyes, 1978-1979
• Ma. Lourdes Mangahas, 1979-1980
• Roberto Z. Coloma, 1980-1981
• Roan I. Libarios, 1981-1982
• Napoleon J. Poblador, 1982-1983
• Raphael P. Lotilla, 1983-1984
• Benjamin Pimentel Jr., 1984-1985
• Noel Pangilinan, 1985-1986
• Dean Karlo La Vina, 1986-1987
• Ma. Cristina Godinez, 1987-1988
• Patrocinio Jude H. Esguerra III, 1988-1989
• Ruben Carranza, Jr., 1989-1990
• Francis Ronald Perez, 1990-1991
• Alexander Pabico, 1991-1992
• Pablo John Garcia, Jr., 1992-1993
• Bernard Cobarrubias, 1993-1994
• Michael John C. Ac-ac, 1994-1995
• Ibarra M. Gutierrez, 1995-1996
• Voltaire Veneracion, 1996-1997
• Lourdes C. Gordolan, 1997-1998
• Jeanie Rose Bacong, 1998-1999
• Seymour Barros-Sanchez, 1999-2000
• Herbert V. Docena, 2000-2001
• Duke M. Bajenting, 2001-2002
• Ellaine Rose A. Beronio, 2002-2003
• Sherwin A. Mapanoo, 2003-2004
• Jayson DP Fajarda, 2004-2005
• Juan Paolo E. Colet, 2005-2006
• Karl Fredrick M. Castro, 2006-2007
• Jerrie M. Abella, 2007-2008
• Larissa Mae R. Suarez, 2008-2009
• Om Narayan A. Velasco, 2009-2010
• Pauline Gidget R. Estella, 2010-2011
• Marjohara S. Tucay 2011

One of Kule's editor in chief,  Alecks Pabico passed away due to liver cancer on Wednesday, 7 October 2009, 4:36 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Medical Center. He was 42 years old. Pabico was the editor-in-chief from 1991 to 1992. I had the opportunity to work with him as photo editor during the earlier two terms. Until his last hours as a full person ( before he became ashes after his cremation), Alecks Pabico still brings smile and awe to other persons.  Imagine a funeral procession october 2009  from UP Chapel to the crematorium in Antipolo with Bob Marley's music being played instead of the traditional sad funeral songs. As we tailed the funeral car ( mira and the kids inside my car), I guess the people asked "Seryoso ba ito na patay ang nasa loob ng funeral car?" And when mira and I heard the fave song of Alecks (Three Little Birds), i recalled some of his last words to Mira as lifted from the song "Dont worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right"