Sona 2007 notes

I have to hand it to the Southern Tagalog contingent.  They were at the rally site at five o’clock in the morning on the day of gloria’s Sona.  To think they started traveling to Manila the day before pa.

            When I arrived they were way past Ever Gotesco and already pushing towards Sandiganbayan.  They were near St. Peter’s Church before the police were able to stop them.

            When the PNP started pushing them back toward Ever Gotesco they fought for every step backward they were forced to take.  This led early-bird journos like GMA 7’s Oscar Oida to smile and shake their head in wonder at the farmers’ determination.

            

* * * *

There were only two Manila-based activists equal to the ST militants that day.  KMP’s Karl Ala and KMU’s Gary, himself coming from Cavite (I think), were with the farmers when they battled the police even when most Metro Manilans have had their breakfast yet.

            Activists living near the rally site were not seen until 9 am.

           Kung sino pa ang galing sa malapit…

* * * *

While waiting for the main bulk of rallyists to arrive Bayan-ST played militant songs, mostly with lively martial beat.  The songs of course talked about human rights violations, anti-imperialism, the struggle for liberation, and how gma is evil incarnate.

            To my amusement, I found PNP officers bobbing their helmeted heads and tapping their boot-clad feet to the beat of the songs.

            Pathetic talaga 'tong mga ito.

* * * *

Ugat-Lahi’s manananggal effigy is my favorite among the dozens it has produced for the Sona.  gma was sufficiently ugly in past effigies but this year’s beat them all.  Plus she could be raised from her lower extremities and swiveled from left to right—talagang nakakatakot!

            And I love how the effigy burned this year.  It was all over in just two minutes—I counted the time when I played back the video I took.

            When gma burns in hell though I would want it to last for eternity.  (Naku! Baka ma-anti-terror law ako nito a.)

* * * *

Nanay Mameng Dionida cracked everyone up when she said, “Wala nang mura ngayon.  Ang mura na lang ay ‘Putangina’!  Yun ang mura.”

            She was referring to gloria, of course.