"For the perfect flâneur, it is an immense joy to set up house in the heart of the multitude, amid the ebb and flow. To be away from home, yet to feel oneself everywhere at home; to see the world, to be at the centre of the world, yet to remain hidden from the world-such are a few of the slightest pleasures of those independent, passionate, impartial natures which the tongue can but clumsily define."
電影中的九份很單純、很乾淨，蜿蜒在山頭的黃泥土路盡頭是海、是灣、是島，一切影像都籠罩在白白的霧以及老片所沈積的雜質當中，是很適合靜靜地聽故事的氣氛。對於故事中的歷史事件，我不再陌生，那是我一直所熱衷探求的，也是我希望分享給菲律賓人民們的。何以歷史上有許多共同點、地理上最相近的兩個國家，對於彼此的了解會如此的稀少和單薄？台灣歷史所流下的眼淚和鮮血，都可以在菲律賓找到痕跡，只不過我們的傷口如今看似結痂、漸漸癒合，但他們的血淚仍在流倘。在街頭上埋鍋造飯的一家人、媒體上被綁架失蹤的社運人士、報告中仍和大地主爭取生存權的無地農民、談話中腐敗無能的艾若憂政府……只要睜開眼睛，悲情無所不在。而在兩次FOI(Freedom of Information)遊行、於菲律賓眾議院旁聽FOI法案、3/8婦女節的大遊行、蘇比克灣對抗暴虐韓國造船廠Hanjin的工運代表、即將發生的菲律賓大選……等畫面中，我也看到了一張張為社會不公不義挺身而出的堅毅臉龐。
Dear all, Let's do something to help Nanay Uday. (Mama Uday) Thanks a lot!
(Forwarded from Reggie Aquino)
From: Reggie Aquino Date: Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 3:19 PM Subject: Nanay Uday
KAISAHAN, 24 February 2010
Earlier today, our office received two visitors. A couple. The man, is Melchor Pollas, dearly referred to by everyone in the CARP Extension campaign as Tatay Kurokoy. The woman is Zenaida Pollas or Nanay Uday to friends. They both hailed from Brgy. Talibayog in Calatagan, Batangas.
Two years ago, Nanay Uday was one of the valiant farmers who walked from Calatagan, Batangas to Manila to advocate for the passage of the CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER), a bill that is now RA 9700. She was also active in their land case regarding the incursion of a mining company in their agricultural land. She braved the scorching sun, the truncheon wielding police and 2 months of camping outside the gates government agencies to peacefully petition government to hear their grievance.
Fast forward to today, Nanay Uday bravely fights another battle. She is struggling with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.I'm not very familiar with medical terminologies but when I read through her documents and clinical abstracts and repeatedly came across the words malignant mass and diffuse large-B Cell Lymphoma, I knew then that she was suffering from cancer.
This cancer has taken its toll on her. The mass which started from her nose, has now engulfed almost her entire face. The gentle features of this earth's steward was now lost in that huge lump of something unrecognizable and lamentable. As she was crying, only the flutter of her eyelashes revealed to me that was where her left eye used to be. Her right eye and nose were not visible anymore. On top of that, she has lost a lot of weight as eating is difficult. But when I talked to her, I sensed the same peace and quiet, the same resilience she demonstrated in fighting for social justice.
For the past 5 months, they have been coming back to two public hospitals here in Manila and they have only gotten as far as having the tests done. Meanwhile, the cancer is spreading, literally eating her up. She needs to undergo 9 chemotherapy sessions and if possible operation but the family is financially incapacitated to shoulder medical expenses. And the couple, both in their mid 60s are now unable to work and provide for expensive medical care. Their children shells out what little money they can spare, but they are also hard up.
The sight of Nanay Uday's condition wiped off the smile i was wearing all morning. The usual jovial KAISAHAN atmosphere turned grief stricken. My heart breaks to see Nanay Uday hide behind a towel, embarrassed by her condition. I wanted to tell her she has no reason to feel that way. That if there's anyone who should be ashamed it would have to be this government who steals from the country's coffers, fattening their pockets at the expense of quality health care for people like her.
It is bad enough that she is stricken by a disease that deprives her of living a life she deserves but it is however, criminal that she is robbed of her fighting chance because she is poor and the government that is supposed to provide quality health care continues to be unperturbed about the plight of millions upon millions of Nanay Udays in this country.
I would like to appeal to the people, if we could somehow help give her back that CHANCE, THAT CHANCE TO FIGHT CANCER WITH DIGNITY. Maybe you know of a doctor, a hospital, a politician, a philanthropist, a foundation who might be able to help her. Or maybe you can shell out whatever you can. Or maybe you have better ideas...like my friend Tomas (Step Juan) who's now on a Walking Expedition of the Country to raise awareness on Cancer.
I appeal to those whose lives have been particularly touched by these farmers...to our friends at OSCI, SLB, COSCA, Adamson boys, brothers, sisters, fathers, bishops, legislators, AR friends. To my mountaineer and patintero friends; high school, college and MA classmates; to friends from other countries, other political persuasions and religious beliefs...I'm knocking at your hearts...
Whatever help you can extend her will be greatly appreciated. Just send us at KAISAHAN a message and I will reply.
Earlier today, our office received two visitors. A couple. The man, is Melchor Pollas, dearly referred to by everyone in the CARP Extension campaign as Tatay Kurokoy. The woman is Zenaida Pollas or Nanay Uday to friends. They both hailed from Brgy. Talibayog in Calatagan, Batangas.
Two years ago, Nanay Uday was one of the valiant farmers who walked from Calatagan, Batangas to Manila to advocate for the passage of the CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER), a bill that is now RA 9700. She was also active in their land case regarding the incursion of a mining company in their agricultural land. She braved the scorching sun, the truncheon wielding police and 2 months of camping outside the gates government agencies to peacefully petition government to hear their grievance.
Fast forward to today, Nanay Uday bravely fights another battle. She is struggling with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.I'm not very familiar with medical terminologies but when I read through her documents and clinical abstracts and repeatedly came across the words malignant mass and diffuse large-B Cell Lymphoma, I knew then that she was suffering from cancer.
This cancer has taken its toll on her. The mass which started from her nose, has now engulfed almost her entire face. The gentle features of this earth's steward was now lost in that huge lump of something unrecognizable and lamentable. As she was crying, only the flutter of her eyelashes revealed to me that was where her left eye used to be. Her right eye and nose were not visible anymore. On top of that, she has lost a lot of weight as eating is difficult. But when I talked to her, I sensed the same peace and quiet, the same resilience she demonstrated in fighting for social justice.
For the past 5 months, they have been coming back to two public hospitals here in Manila and they have only gotten as far as having the tests done. Meanwhile, the cancer is spreading, literally eating her up. She needs to undergo 9 chemotherapy sessions and if possible operation but the family is financially incapacitated to shoulder medical expenses. And the couple, both in their mid 60s are now unable to work and provide for expensive medical care. Their children shells out what little money they can spare, but they are also hard up.
The sight of Nanay Uday's condition wiped off the smile i was wearing all morning. The usual jovial KAISAHAN atmosphere turned grief stricken. My heart breaks to see Nanay Uday hide behind a towel, embarrassed by her condition. I wanted to tell her she has no reason to feel that way. That if there's anyone who should be ashamed it would have to be this government who steals from the country's coffers, fattening their pockets at the expense of quality health care for people like her.
It is bad enough that she is stricken by a disease that deprives her of living a life she deserves but it is however, criminal that she is robbed of her fighting chance because she is poor and the government that is supposed to provide quality health care continues to be unperturbed about the plight of millions upon millions of Nanay Udays in this country.
I would like to appeal to the people, if we could somehow help give her back that CHANCE, THAT CHANCE TO FIGHT CANCER WITH DIGNITY. Maybe you know of a doctor, a hospital, a politician, a philanthropist, a foundation who might be able to help her. Or maybe you can shell out whatever you can. Or maybe you have better ideas...like my friend Tomas (Step Juan) who's now on a Walking Expedition of the Country to raise awareness on Cancer.
I appeal to those whose lives have been particularly touched by these farmers...to our friends at OSCI, SLB, COSCA, Adamson boys, brothers, sisters, fathers, bishops, legislators, AR friends. To my mountaineer and patintero friends; high school, college and MA classmates; to friends from other countries, other political persuasions and religious beliefs...I'm knocking at your hearts...
Whatever help you can extend her will be greatly appreciated. Just send us at KAISAHAN a message and I will reply.
(The article is from the Formosa Betrayed website mailing list, to sign up, please go to Formosa Betrayed. )
Dear Fellow Taiwanese and Friends,
First, thank you for signing up for our mailing list! We hope to use this to connect with our fans around the world.
This coming weekend, February 26-28, a new movie about Taiwan will be coming to theaters. Formosa Betrayed is the first American film to ever deal with US-Taiwan relations and explore the issues of democracy, identity, and justice during the White Terror period in Taiwan. The movie was largely funded by Taiwanese all over the United States and Canada, who invested over $6 million into the film. This makes Formosa Betrayedone of the largest pro-Taiwan projects ever funded by the overseas Taiwanese community. Most of these investors are not wealthy -- they are people like yourselves -- hard working individuals who came to America to provide a better life for their children.
I am one of those children.
My parents are from Kaohsiung, Taiwan. While growing up, they taught me to call myself "Taiwanese," not "Chinese". This caused them much hardship, which included being put on a blacklist. Some of their friends had worse things happen to them. In some cases, people were killed.
The Taiwanese people have suffered at the hands of many over the last century, but these stories have rarely been told or heard. As a second generation Taiwanese American, I feel it is my duty to educate my generation, as well as the world, about the struggles and suffering of the Taiwanese. We cannot allow our country's history and our people's hardships to be forgotten. Once that happens, it only becomes a matter of time before it is repeated. This is precisely why I spent the last five years of my life working on Formosa Betrayed.
As the turbulent reaction to President Obama's recent arms sale to Taiwan shows, US-China-Taiwan relations are still a hot button topic that is greeted by fleeting interest, faint support, or --worst of all-- indifference by the American media. I am hoping the release of Formosa Betrayed will help spur greater awareness and wider discussion about these important matters in the United States and abroad. The Taiwanese people deserve to have an equal voice in affairs related to our country's future. We cannot sit quietly and allow others to decide our fate. This is why I am urging you to see Formosa Betrayed with your children, family and friends. Not only will this movie educate our youth about our country's embattled legacy, it will instill in them a sense of pride in their heritage and identity as Taiwanese. Additionally, your support of this film will tell the world that the Taiwanese people have a voice and we are demanding to be heard. No one else is going to do this for us. We must do this ourselves and we must do this now.
A Mandarin version of this letter is attached below along with a new flier with up-to-date theater locations.
Thank you for your time and interest. GO TAIWAN!!!!!
