RogeHoR. Sica.: Chroukler orSotilllIssues

Rogelio Sicat (1940.1997) sometimesreferred to as "Rogelio Sikat", was 11prolific Filipino novelisr, play\\'right andshort story writer, Sikat IS best knownfor his classic masterpieces particularly

buk;d)."(lumbern, 2000). It presents aglimpse 00 social stratification, polilicsand view on education in the Phihppines.\ViO,(he aid of Marxism, il is therefore theaim of this paper to illustrate the "politicalscene", social strauftcauon and viewon education of the Philippines throughanalysis of the novel's characters. themes.setting and motifs.

To say thai Iiterurure is a reflecrion orlife is already 3 cliche yet it is a soundingreality. h is needless to poinl out, too. thatlitemture mirrors whnt a particular societyis particularly its idiosyncrasies, itsculture. its traditions and its way of lire.

Dugo sa Bukang Lh\'I.lJ"·O.Yby Rogelio R. Skat. was set in the1950·s. when the culture of Philippineliterature "represented two separate butnot necessarily antagonistic politicalentities-the educated elite who exercisedpolitical power, (thus. the taga-ba)·(ln).and the masses who did not have wealth,and therefore, had no or onl): had a littleeducation thai would qualify them forthe exercise of power (hence, the toga-

Keywords: J\'farxiSPtI,literary research. novel re1ien~Dugo sa Bukang­Liwayway. social stratificatio". POlili,s. education

The paper is a literary research on Rogelio R. Sicat's novel DugoSa BukUlrg-Lb"QJ"l"Q.V. Using some tenets of Marxism andSocio-Cultural Studies. buttressed by the idea thai literature is :1

reflection of lire, the paper explores hew the novel mirrors Philippine socialstratification, politics and view on education, Selin the 1950's, the novel rrulycaptured the popular theme of literature then, the literature of the togo-boyanand the tago-bakid. The novel is also :1 semi-historical novel, an agrariannovel. :1 realist novel. but more importantly, a novel thaI tried to encapsulatein its pages the mythology and folklore of the Philippines.

Abstract

Michael NaidasAdventist unlversrty of the Philippines

ACloser Look on Philippine Social Stratification, Polltlcs and Viewon Education in Rogelio R. Skat's Dugo sa Buknng-Liwayway

~lar:\lsm: SlrulI,glt Btt"f'tn tbt8our:-geoblt Ind the P'rolttlrial

~13rxlsnl is II method of soeio­economIC analYSIs and woddviewbased on a matenalist interpretation ofhistOricaldevelopment, IIdialectical viewor social transformaucn. and analysisof cla»-r-clahons WId conflic; withinsocIety. Marxist methodology informsan economic and sociopolitical inquiry:applying an;dysis and critique or theoe'\'clopnlcnt of capitalism and the roleof class struggles in systematic economicchange (Coombs, 1997).

The intellectual tenets of Marxismwere inspired by German philosopherKurl Marx. Marxist analyses andlU\!thotlologit:s have influenced multiplepolitic~" ideologies and social movementsthroughout history, Marxism encompassesan economic theory, a sociologicaltheory•• philosophical method, and areVOlutionary view of social language.

Mo..rxismholds the view that class(-'(Inflict within capitalism anses dueto intensifying contradictions betweenthe highly prOducLivemechanized andsoci.lized production performed by theprolelariat. and pri\1'J1Cownership andpn\'3tc appropriation of the private ownersC:lllcdthe bourgeoisie.As tbe contradiction

2011). In 1%9. Sikat's socio-critical playAffA«(_·s. /1/0.\'('.$ wen the Carlos PalaneaAward, further solidifyin!l, Sikat 's positionW110ng the titans of Pltifippine literature.Slk:u wrote several other short storiesdunn@his lifetime including rata 5,./0. 3fichonal narrotl\ e based on the real-lifeland reform ISSUes and recurring politicalcruelties In the Philippines. Sinl alsowo!t<d In the ""w$POperand magazineIndUJ:uy. 5C~'ingas a feature "Tiler for thelong..nmoing unUl"U)' magazine.

In 1997. the distmguislled writer and<docatorSlbt died of caocer, H. received""' .... 1 postbumous ..... rds includinglhe .\fun,/a Crmcs Ctrcte .'·UfionalBootA"I"tl fortr.anslationIIyear after his death(Chan. 2(11).

IInpe"g Negro, a shan story based on 3half-black, half-Filipino boy and .11(1"(','.-'Iloses. a play in one act that depictsthe social injustices and the abuse orthe country's oppressive politicians. Heused "Sikat' ItS 1'1 pen name to rcl1«l hi"Filipino identity as the Filipino ,Iph.betoriginally did not have the Jetter "c' 3$ hisreal surname is -SiQ''', Because or this.most articles .00 some books stili refer tohim as -Sit",",

Aport from being on. of thePhilipptnes' fin~ll~ hlUlt)'tiguro..Sib, "' as also. disttnguished eduCatorHe was • fonner uni,..mt)' professor andfurmer 0011..,. dean of the Uni\('nttyof the Pbilipjiioes' College of Ans onaletlers.

Sib, "'lIS born on Juno 26. 19-10in s.m Isidro. SUe\'O\Ecij3. He \\~ tMSLtlhof eight childm1 of Estanisl.o Sibtand Clisan.. Rodnguez. For hIS collegeeducation. Sik'l1 \\'ent to ~t3n113to studyin the University of 501110 Tom:tS. one ofthe premier universities m the PtH!tpplnes.Dunng his time 3t UST, Sikot SOlvedas a writer for tbe ul1hetsl!y"~ onie!!llnews:,P3peT.The Vonitarian. Sikafs lovefor literature funher heightened nnd his\\.TilingskJlls ilourishetl With hi~ Stint wuhThe Varsitarinn.

Aftet tiJllshhl~ his Bachelo( of Atl~in Journalism. Si.cat continued his lovefor writing. Despite the country's love rorwestern culture, Sileot look the path lesstmveled and wrote and succeeded with thcFilipino language.

In 1962, Sikar's 1"'IHltiK JV"J.;m wontheprized Cartos PalaneaAward,The shonstory Impcng Negro catapuhed Sikot intothe upper echelons of PhiHppine litcmiurc.Impcng IV"I:."1n touches critical SOCi31issues including racism and bullying..

In1p¬ ''ng IVCK''(J became S,kll"s InOSInotable work. Due 10 its U1011lllnCnHIIsuccess, it was adapted Inlb tI sbon nlfnentitled, lmpcn. ,hr JVrgm. The short30-mi.nute fib" "on titst pnu In Ihe SI'Qt'/Feature Fttm Caf,.,.O,,'In the I Jill CU"(lliCCP for alternative fih" dod \ idto (eMn,

took care or Simon.~1elang's death made Tanowithdrawn

from the society. He chose 10 live alone. tobe away troll) his neighbors who thoughthe was getting insane.One day, he decidedto take "Simon with him to his kubo in thefarm. Despite Tindeng's pleadings ihathe would leave llu~five-month old Sintonbehind, Tano insisted saying it was hisright 10do as such.

Father and son then lived in the farm.To make Simon Jive. Tano had to milk hiscarabao who had just given birth. Whenthe carabao ran out of milk, Tano boughta goat in a nearby village and in thesucceeding months. the g03t·S milk fedSimon. When the goat's milk \\1a5 gone,100. Tano fed his son with II"', boiledground rice.

Simongrew up to be thin yet healthy.At all. eight, his faiher enrolled him in thepubhc school, Here, the futher and son metlindens with her son named Duardo whowas of the same age as Simon, Ador. theintelligent son of a farmer, Elena Recente.the beautiful daughter of Tano's lan(Jlord,and Alejandro Bor]a,

Simon became one or the beststudents in school vet he did not reallyshine because he was poor, Tano continuedto send Simon to school since he knew hisson was intelli_gentand apart from that, hewanted a brighter future for him. BeforeSimon could graduate from hidl school.Tano suffered from tuberculosis. lsauroRegente then decided 10 take his fannsince he said Tallo could no longer till theland. But this was also because Regenieknew that Simon had been courting Elena.Saddened by the news. Tano died soonafter.

Simon strug~led 10 finish highschool even afterh" father's death. Aftergraduating from high school. Sinton triedhis luck inManila. He worked in a sawmillcoming home only once on an All Soul'sDay to visit his parents' tombs, only to bedismayed since he could no longer localethem. Pate1110Bo~a bought the part of thecemetery where bJSparents 'tombs were.

becomes apparent to the proletariat. socialunrest between the two antagonisticclasses intensifies, culminating in socialrevolution (Lim.1993).

The social relations of productioninvolve different classes, The basicdeterminant of one's class is one'srelationship to the means of production. Inlate capitalist society. the twobasic classesreaming are the owners of the means ofproduction, or the capitalists, and thosewho 0\\'0 only their 131>or,the workers, orproletariats.

InequaJity in wealth and power\Y3S of fundamental moral concern toM3I'Xism.The ultimate goa] Marxists aimis a classless society. a society in whichall enjoy more or less equal wealth andpower (Delahoyde, 2013).

Marx affirmed lbn, au existingsocieties' history is the history of classstruggles. Marxists stress that socialanalysis should focus on class structureand relations.

Wimsatt and Brooks ( 1990)said thaiMarxism, as a literary theory, focuseson the relationship between the test andreality; tensions and contradictions withina Jitemry work; see literature as intilnatelylinked to social power, and thus theiranalysis of Jiternture is linked to largersocial questions: and uncoverinc of theinner workings of the society. ....

Dugo so Blikang-Lil"'OJ'woJ': "Bleed" asartAgent ofChuuge

Oligo sa Bukong LI"'(I)"'O),--chronicles the story ofTano. a poor farmerof San Roque. Nueva Ecija and his son.Simon. Tano has been under the spellof the kaSII"UI system [landlord-landlessfarmer relationship) ever since he startedtilling the field lsauro Regcntc, a Spanishlandlord. gav. him. His wife died becauseof childbirrh since Paterno Borja (theowner of the only automobile in town)did not lend Tano his car 10bring Melangto the hospital, The village midwife,linde-ns. who happened to have givenbirth a month before Melang's death. then

changes 10 come in San Roque,

Soclill Slrallnc.Uon In the PIlIUpph.esas R....Ht."CledII) lilt ~o\'el

Sieet's Oligo su 8ukang LiUYl.l''''O)~being. socilli neve! Itself. describes the!M)C131jttrallficallon in the Philippines andhew mill social !rI.lr.Jldic:ahon shapes 1MFIlipino mind. The Philippines. bei,ng aIhlrd\l,'ortdc:ou:nlryhasonfy-(\\'oprommenlsoc,.1 <!.uses. ••••. the ricb and the poor.Thl~ SOCial W'ahficahon ISbesl descnbC'dby us,ns • triangle. wherein the largerport (the bose ond the body). representsIh. poor "h,le the Iittle lip represents thencb: If...."""to appro..amate the numberof rich people 1ft the Ptlllippines. it only:tC'COW1bto .boul ten percent of the loti!popu13l1OD: the other 90'. comprises thepoor.

In Dugo su Bdung Lilt"lJ)·"u)". this~'1Ol1 )lntdic;1.uon I~ ~ \-INOO b)\bIng the pclnSlnOOlIg-mU)'--iupo-J:usoma(l.ndlord.l.ndlns) system. T3I1O. like .11lhe other 1"'01'1. in their locality has beenunder Ihisspell for so many years already,Thcy' are the farmers, of course. with landsto till, Y.tt these lands are oot their 0\1,'11but the landlord's. 11)Tano's case, (sauroR,'Senlc. Bauling .11 forces of nature. theramler. tOgether with his ever dependable~I fncndcarub.to. \'Iorks in the field, fromdawn to dusk. cultivating. propagating.nnd nurtunng the rice seedlings until theybecome ripc and ready for harvest. Thefhrmer shoulders aU the expenses, fromseedlings to fertilizer to insecticides orpesticides and other expenses thai fanningentails. but when the time comes to dividethe yield. the landlord, whose only claimis thut he owns the land. rakes almost halfor more of the crop. leaving the fannerpoorer limn ever and the landlord richerby a meter;

..\nolhcr sad reality Lhal the novelprcscntJ is lhat the landlord can a1"'3)'5lake back the farm the kasama tills anytiJnehe "'anlS. like ",'hal lsauro Recenie didto Tano. causing the tatter's death in thestory.

He then wem back 10 Manila prernuing torome back one day 10 seek revenge.

Meanwhile, the '\'OJ carne. People.rich nnd poor and alike I'1In10 Ih.mountains. ~13ny decided 10 becomeguerillas. Simon. however, remained 4tlarge even after the war \\'IIS over.

Tweb.. years passed. N.,.~ aboula m:m who bought one of the old.. thouses in 10\\'D cirrulolro. h \\'11$ :alsothis same man \\110 \\'35 believed 10 h3\Cfouoded • school for the fanners optillngthe foIlOl,;ng sebool yo", ond \\ hOestablished • sawmill beside the 8ot].·s••wmill cousin. the I.n.,.·s bonkNplcy.This man was ~irnon, the poor orphOnidboy who became rich. He came bock.just "hat he said, to seek ""enSO aso,nst311 the il)j",!icos his fomily reeewed&om the HoIjas and lhe Regenl.,., \\ hoconsequendv.- ,,'ere eeesidered thepowerful in~n Roque.

Ador. 00\\' II reacher, met Simon Mdin the conversation that followed. Simonlearned th.t Elena and Alejandro gOImarried: tholAdor himself I'1Ines mayer rnthe 13S1elections but lost sieee the BorjaJused their gold. guns and goon.

Simon said Ador could slill serve histownmates by helping him in his schoolAdor agreed. Election lime "'0$ ncaringagain. and 3 farmer's £TOUp was pushingAdor's candidacy, Ador declined. sayrnghe opled 10 fO'llet politics bu. due IQSimon's insistence, Ador accepted thechallenge. Daysbefore Iheelection, Elena'vent 10 Simon's house one night. pleadinghim to SLOp his revenge, Tfic foIl0\\'ln8day. Simon was nowhere to be found,

Simon, however, came back since hebelieved their town needed change andthaL it had 10 be free fronl the clawmghands of the kasamc SYSLCI11,

While delivering hi. speech 10 ameeting de avancc of Ador which wasjoined by many farmers cemiug fmlndifferent viiloges of San R'!9ue. Simonwasshol byAlej.ndro Borja, Hisdeathwosmourned bv the 10\\11 ~t in their hearts.they knew ibm Simon's death downed the

most stories with this like tum out, therewere many forces that separate the '\\'0.foremost of them, their social classes.\Vhen lsauro Regente knew this. he askedTano to tell his son not to get close to hisdoughier. When this still did nol work, hetook back the farm that Tano was tilling.This love story did not have 3 heppyending since Elena Regente (in order 10save fiis father from death) "'35 forced tomany Alejandro BO~:LAlthough it didnot end in a "happy-ever-after", "t1lestoryis a proof that even the statement "loveconquers all" is questionable.

Social stratification influences notonly soc-io-economic conditions, politicsand love. It also plays a big role in almostevery aspect of the human life cycle. evendeath. Death is assumed as an event whereeverybody becomes equal. yel the novelpresents the opposite. Melang's deathshowed that even in death, the lnftuenceof social slr.tlilication is slil1 apparent.Melanu's coffin was made from roughplanksof wood nailed together by Tano'sneighbors. The coffin's mirror, takcl1from a picture of San Isidro labrador.was donated by a neighbor. But whatseemed to be a real picture of how socialstratification influences death was theplace where Melang was buried outsidethe fences or the cemetery, a finillgsymbolism of how the rich (repre~<;enleaby the niche. inside the cemetery) regardIhe poor (represented by Melang's lonelytomb. outside the fence).

This event was even ampliftcd whenSimon, comins horne on all All Soul'sDay to visit his parents' graves, foundout that he could no longer locate themsince Paterno Borja already bought the 101outside the cemetery and turned it into asawmill.

On one hand. however, Philippinesocial sl(Btification also makes the people,especially the poor, more united. This isshown in the novel when Tindeng decided10 take care of Simon after Melang 's death.The neighbors' help durinll Melang 's wakeand burial, the neighbors concern toward

And these "sacrifices" of ihe farmerdoes not end here. Once he.agrees to bea kaSII/JUI. it is: expected that his wholerauliJy will also be considered as such.They are also 10 serve the landlord, themaster in whatever capacities they can.This is shown when Saling, Tindeng'steenage daughter was forced to work as :.1hOUSChOldhelper in the houscof KabesangBastian, their landlord. She W:lS forced 10work there as a chitn«y since her familyis :.1 kasama of the kebeso. However, thispractice, more often than not. brings badresults instead of good ones. Saling wasraped by her 0"'0. the landlord. To makematters worse. she became insane. As :.1result. Duardo, her older brother, wantingto avenge the family's tainted reputationand dignily. killed the landlord andafterwards Joined the Huk, while Tindeng.because of shame. got sick and weak andeventually died.

Social srraufication plays a big rolein politics: the rich are always those whoare in power, In the novel, the politicians3Dd those who were in power werealways associated with those who werethe nch like lsauro Regente and PaternoBo'J·a. Since they had the means. Iheyhel the reins of the town for many yearsforgetting the real reason why they werethere, equally forgeuing the welfare of themasses that had put them in the position.So much \\'85 the relationship of socialstmtification to polilics that even Simon,aft-er acquiring wealth. wanted also tobe pari of politics. bUI Ihis lime. withthe intent desire to serve- his townmates,through his school and through Ador whoran as mayor.

Love, more than anything else, is alsoaffected by social srrarlficauon. Movies,retcnovetas, fiction and even reality giveus proofs of a love of a poor farmer'sson 10 a rich landlord's daughter, Thenovel presents this never-ending sagaof love through Simon, Tano's son andElena Regente's'l'et this did nol hinderthese young peop e 10 fall in love. Thislove however \\'05 short-Jived since as

tried to extract and enumerate the realitiesof Phrhppine politics 1b3' C()J1 be viewedfrom the novel as follows.

Phlllpplnt' politics "as, is and bas.h,a~s been ({luplt"<l~,1I11the lbrtf C's- gold. guns and goons. A politician inIhe Philippines is usually 3.J1DCd with.h. Ib"", G' .. I.e., gold. guns and goons.h is a nannal scece for the common /0010 see :I pohtician wbom he voted in theI... elecucns promised him """''-'05":md "change" :umed w ilb gold. gunsODdgoons. The gold here represenlS ibepollllclOn'$ enormous ,,"e,,11b. the guns'0 proIect him. hIS IlIIlIK'fllIIS bodyllli:uds"llo po\' !he .... y flM" hrm and 00 wilbhim to hISbuslll<SSCS. either professionalpenon.tl 1M"monk.) busUl<SS in nature, Inthe no, el, It IS slaled tholt durinc the war,I'o.emo 1lor.Ja. being the w""bhles! inSaoRoque, ":as appointed mayor of the townb)' lb. I._ on 3C<ounI of his w",,11b.fii.'I.mC andPO" er .,.Si Bmju uy muyoman.(11 ""JU'l biola. makapu.ngyorihon(S.cot. p. 87). [Bolj. is rich. f.mous andpowerful[.

This chum on Philippine politics isfurther mirrored when Ado, decided torun as m3yor of San Roque against theBolj",' be•• Lacking these three G's. he ofcourse, lost in the elections. The Borjas'had '0do evcrythmg possible jus t to makesure their candidate would win. They usedtheir money, power and fame to outdoAdor,

PhIUPI)lut' IJolHlcs Is II carnival.Philippine politics is a St3gC show. ac.:tlrnlvol.lt IShere whereonccan see 1110vieactors lind actresses running for a politicalscal and ut the same time entertaining thevonng populace. 11 is here where friendsand rcltlllv<."salike become enemies. It ishero \Ihere friends and allies today couldbe enemies tomorrow, 1t is here where,nuney lindgoods overflow during electiontimes. It 15 here where trust is pUI to 3 I'CSLh 1$ here where convicted plunderers canreturn to office. This suuanon lS seenwhen the townspeople pushed Adors=d.docy. Ill.ny of them Ado,'s students

Phlllpplne PoliliC'.JIIJ'1~~fd froiD Ih~r"io\el

The!' confluence of htenllu~ andpolitics is nothing new in the Phihrp,neliterary scene. The novels of RIl:a andSalvador P. Lopel's ess:ty Lf/~ruIU'\"0"'/Society further jlluslrnl~ and validatesIbis claim [Lim, 1993)

Social strotdic.uion. like 'WhatKarlMilI'X pointed OUl. affects polnics. In~1atX's term (Coolubs, 1997)•• he fillalstace of class consciousness, bUI moreof class solidarity. when the workers nettogether 10 achieve political and ecenomicaim.

In the-Philippines.the word ",)Olitics"has been and is a usual pari of the everydaylife of people coming from .11 walks oflife, young or old, rich or poor. 111l1le orfemale, any or lesbian, liternte or illhomte.So bill isth. role.played b)' potirics amongP;tlO)' s life that it has become imcrrwrnedwith his culture and practices (VcngoYllm& Moldl, 200~).

DlIgo sa Bukollg-LiIlY/YU'"'' gives aglimpse of Philippine polities. It presen•••illfOUgh its charnet.rs and even ts.t he goodand bad images of politics in the eoumry,To better undersland these pictures orPhilippine politics. tnewriter oflbi. paper

Tano and Simon, the farmers' singing I)

procession 10 ask for min, all these account10 (he unihcation of the tower ejeeses orthe people. hence class consciousness,The nlost significant picture of unn)' tswhen the village folks. most of tbemfarmers, backed Ado,'s candidacy, eachof them eager to heJpAdor win and claimthe IO"'D'S 3dministnuion. In Karl ~tMX'$'em>. class sotidarity

These sad and h3ppy ""Ii"es ofthe Philippine social SIr.IU could be !hereason why Bamboo, !he Pino)' rock 'COII.empMsized in his ...".11)' famous songTaJSJJ.lol...TOlay mmifcu io, hall.r:tur;"ang fDISU/oJ.:. 01 no"g ,f-a'" If01 on.t:mailagay sa Illi/ok (Tri3nglt. ~1I1kc"move, bo)" reverse lhe (ri3ngle SOlOU ",11be placed on Ibe.op).

Power Revolution of 1986. The Arroyostooare pan ofthis.gnme. Gloria MacapagalArroyo herself tried anvthing possiblejustso her presidency couJa remain intact andwhen her term as president ended, shedid not completely withdraw herself frompolitics. Barring all issues of morality andc1elimde=a, she ran as congresswomanand, of course. \\'00.

In the novel. hew intoxicatingPhilippine politics is, is shown by theefforts of the Borjas to remain in power,They engaged themselves in vote-buyingand did eVerything possible just so ihc)'could be sure they still have the town sreins.This waseven arnplifled whenAdordecided 10 run again. When it was alreadyevident thatAdor \\'35 on the winning side,Alejandro Borja. out of anger. hatred andjealousy, shot Simon, Ador's closest aUyand supporter.

PbUlppl.ut politics bils beenvlewed as au agent or change. Changehas always been the battle cry of everypoliucian rullllin~for public office duringelection time. II 1S change that politiciansare campaigning about It is change thatthey surely want to initiate once theyare in power, II is pagbabago that theywant to stage once the reins are upontheir hands. Television advertisements.posters and even political speeches inthe Philippines are viewed as irrelevantif change/reforms are not encapsulated inthem. the expressions "Kumtlos para sapagbabagQ "(Act for change}, "P(IIUlhOI1no JIgpagbabago".(ICs lime for change)"(Politician's name) para so pagbalmgo",(Politician's name for change) and otherover 3 hundred expressions of pagbabago(change) are already a common thing inthe Philippines; hence Philippine politicshas always been viewed as an agent ofchange. or reforms. of progress, so tospeak.

Yel looking back and examiningour society if had there been some. onlyminimal "pagbabago" has ever happenedin our country because ofpolitics. We arethe same old brand new 'us", yesterday.

in his free night classes. Al first. it seemedthat the)' were backing Ador. but whenthe Borjas used their power, Ador 'vas leftbehind. lost in the elections with only 50voles under his name. Nang dumattngang halalan, SiIJUJI1, nuuapos ollg mgapangako, ay ipinagpalit ni/o ."0 lima 0sa"'puug ptso ni Borja tmg kanilangknmpoum. (Sicat, 1998, p. Ill) [Whenelection time camel Simon, after thepromises. they exchanged their rights fornve or ten pesos.]

PhlHpplIlC politics is only ror theeducated. One of the few positive sidesof Philippine politics is that it is assumedthat it IS only for the educated. Forsomebody to bea politician. he has to have:Idegree to boost of. he must be 3. lawyer,doctor. engineer. or teacher. Although thePhilippine Constitution states that anyonewho is able to read and write could runfor public ollice (Zaide, 1997), it is ageneral knowledge that the educated havemore chances than his opponent who hasno degree to boast of. lsauro Regente andAlejandro Borja who have held the reinsof the town since the Japanese occupationare both educated. they have degreesattached to their names. Even Ador. whoseems to be the only "hope" of the massesto initialize changes. thereby pushing himto run for the second time. is armed with adegree in education. He is one of the vel}'few fanners' sons who had such a feat

Phlllpplne pelitlcs is 44intoxi~'tlJng".With the many opportunities andprivileaes that come with it., politicsIn ihe" Philippines. needless (0 say. isintoxicating.Those who are in power tendto stay there as lana as they can, buildingpolitical dynastie-s"'50 as 10 protect theirown interests. The Philippines has a lot ofpoliticians who have overstayed in power,among them the Marcoses, who have beendesperate to stay' in power. FerdinandMarcos, the president who overstayed thelongest, declared Martial law for him toretain his power, It is interesting 10 notethat the Marcoses are still in ~\ver evenafter the now infamous EDSA People

Philippine politics is pt'r'('('-h'ed to1)"'llro·poor,' ellu the process becomesullIl.l)Oor. Pliilippine politics. more than.nY~lIn8 else. is always perceived 10 hepro-poor. 10 be after the welfare or themasses, the needy. the lower strata, but inthe proce ss becomes anti-poor. This is thereason '\hy politicians during electiontime. 31"ays try to "'00 the poor sayingtheir pintforms are intended for them.Many pctiticiens also claim 1b.1 Ib':)'\\'ere once poor. and since theY""'ere .lhey ,cry ".11 know how the poor reels.hence. "mnm!! lb. sympalby or!he poorIn the end. This IS further 5110'\11]in theeaml?'"sn sl0jI3IIS or pa51 and presenlpollllC.ans. Ramon Ma~ ... y wascalled lb. "manofthemasses .D.osdadoM,eapag;tl opted 10he called -!he poor00) from Luboo". while Josepb "Erap"Esirnd3 's beule c~:tis the ramous "£rapI""" sa muhu'up (Erap ror Ibe poor). 111$3lso inlerestmg to note thai even ourcurrenl president P. .\(0)' Aquino alsoused -I\U/I..'-= 'Mulung corrupt, 'M-ulang""'/llrup".(1 f there is no corrupt, thereis no poor) as his campargn slogan inlhe 2010 N.,ion.1 Polls. But, as historytclls us, the poor hove never been out orJX?vcrty.Ye-arIn and year out. the numberof irKhgenl families around the countrymultiplies. a true measure ofbow politicsbecomes anti-poor;

In the novel. this concept aboutthe PhiliWin. politics is shown in 11jecicCIion that occurred in it. The Borjastried 10always win the poor's side even10 lhe extent of buying their votes whenthey {cit the poor were aheady one insUPpo"ling Ador's candidacy. Wooingthe people's trust meant thot they musthave promised 10 look after the poor'swelfare, Ihol if the poor 51iJIsupportsthem, il is presumed their lives would bebeuer, And YCIafter the elections. it isonly II.. ricfi p<.'Oplcs Ih'cs Ibal "",,"mebeltcr. the poor's condition \\'as still the$lUllC, Ir not ",'om, the reason "thy in thenexi election. they again pushed Ador torun.

today and maybe even tOlnOITO\\',10 the novel, this notion is

exemplified by the efforts of the vdlUb1:people 10 push Ador's candidacy, Joying11 is Ador who could bring fCronus totheir 10"'1\ since he comes from theirCWs. 'ret, as the election time neared,there \\'OS no pagbahago on the part ofthe farmers since when the Iloljas gavethem money. Ibe>,rorglll ""'" Ihey werefiobtin" for. "x"d for JLv.a ond leftAdoi'bebinJ' -,

For tbe next years mal Ilolja su>'«iin po\\'t"f. it C3D be conjedurtd thatminimal progress &\\noo. upon SanRoque. as shown by Ibese lines ... 1(",pagbabago 1M sa San Rnq'''' p.-q:Jilrounng 'abing.allin, Ita 10011 .'·D/:kiJn>OItnang sariling hbilrxan ung 1kI,tNt.a~ aspaltaJong kalsoda :" tllI""la 01lumalag no sa pamlttuuan,t: !UfUUltgiJnghllapal ng Rae'''''' ,Sieat 1998. p. 97)(There have been chang« in San Roq ueafter sixteen years. Sow there's 0 \,1I3gccemetery and the national rood is :lIreadyasphalted.] BUI if we try 10 «.m",,,these changes. they were JlL"t I\3lul"3lprocesses lfun a town, whose POPUl3tionrs increasing every year. undergoesNo significaru change or whatsoeverhappened in the lives of'the farmers sincethey remained kasama, serfs. IcnanLSofthe pa"gi"oo"&-nul.~'-/upa (lruulln,yl) orthe powerful landlords, To makc mauersworse, the farmer is now poorer than everbecause the much needed min to suswinhis crop did not come on rime.As 0 result.only a little yicld was produced despilethe farmers' efforts 10 singe II religiOUSprocession to ask for mill, OesJ)crtueabout his luck. 3 farmer went out 01\0night and I)UItire 10his flcld \\'hich didno1 yield anylhing bUIhay. However. II.,OlOSt significant reason \\ hy the wruerof this paper claims that was minimalchance In the locoJiry evCf sincc thl' laslelectlons is that in [he electioll 10 come.!he ,·ill.ge poople. now larger in numher,again puShed Ador', candiibcy. Ihi' lillieprtXnising to never desen hila

ang anak a."\.'pohatmwakin ng amra,papaglolalllQS;II 118 Iupo,ltallggang so.tuluyan nang mogtng (Iiipill niyon ,.(SiC-aL1998, p. 2). [But he won't do to his son,,,hat his father did to him, Hewill not treathis son the-'V3Y most villagers treat theirchildren. who, after their children learnedhow 10 read and write. are chained to theplow and 10 the soil. ultimately becomingslaves of the land],

More than this. the !\.~I reason whyTano wanted Simon to have an education'vas that he pictured Simon 3S thatsomebody who would change his f.miltsdestiny. He did not want Sinton 10 be likehis great grandparents. his grandaparems,31ldnis parents, who were all made slavesof the panginoong-may-lupa and thesoil. .. .Nagtsnon 1I(I'a ang kallyo"g IJlK"magulang na altptn IIg tupa. Ililad dill figibang II,agtJlun8 so "0.1'011; nartmasanno.IItl'O trag pagiging allpi" IIg tupa; angpogigillg attptn so may-art niyon. ot htndiniva nais no magkaganito si 5ill.0I1 (Sicat,1998.P25). [He grew up seeing his parents:IS slaves or the land, like most parentsin the village: he has experienced suchthing lao, and he will never allow Simon10 be under this spell}. Moreso, Tano'sefforts to send his son 1'0 school was toshow Paterno Borja that a farmer like himcould rise above from the clawing handsof poverty. fueled by the injustice, if notindifference he received from Borja thatnight when he needed to bring Metang10 the hospital. ... Aloy tntwang 01'01 so.kanva si Petoma BOlio noong gabil1g("0"no 1./l1distya pahimmin nito IIg sasakyan(Sicat, 1998. p. 25). [He learned. lessonthe night Paterno Borja did not lend himhis car].

Ador also embodies this FilipinoViC\\T on education, He is also a fanner'sson but his father who also wanted a betterfuture for him did .11he could do just soAdo, could get. degree. AUthese paid offsince Ador was the first person (0 receive acollege degree, ule firsllo have such (I fe-atin the village. Ador's education becamea source or pride not only for his father

The Fll1pino's vrew 011 [duration:pussr.0rt.o Ch~lngeaud a Better Ufe

n the Philippines. it has always beenbelieved that education is 3 passport toprogress. This is the reason that many aretrying 10 secure for themselves a goodeducation. ~13ny are entering collegesand universities with the single hope ofgetting. diploma which spells a good life.The poor usually are the ones who arevery keen on this. It is a common notionthat through educarion, the poor couldrise from poverty and ultimately rise fromtheir social status, from be-ing poor to anoveau rich.

Dugo so Bukang-l.iwayway presentsthis notion. Tano, wanting to secure agood furure for Simon, senthim to school.His sending Simon to study is a not a sortof education but father a mission (0 fulfiUsince he himself wanted 10 be differentfrom the ,,'ay his parents raised hint andhow the other parents in their \rillag_eraised their children, who after theirchildren learned how to read and write,let them stop schooling and make themas helpers in the field. 111iswas presentedin the following lines. NgUllilang ginawang kanyang omo ay htndt niyo gagal"i"so sariling anak: Hindt niya gagoll'in ditaang ginagawa fig mogsasaka so. 110)"011.110. kapag natuto nang bumasa I sumutat

PhUipplIlC politics lsdlrry. Summingup the realities of Philippine politics th.t, vere enumerated in this paper. form thegold, guns and goons. lite carnival thattakes place because of it the "pro-poor"assumption towards it. Hew intoxicatineit is! It is now clear Ihat Philippine politicsis. \\'35 and will always be dirty unlessFilipinos lake Ador's words: "Kaitan postto nummmatat: Sinlon? tminukn ,no IIa,sita J' pt"IIipikfl po rin stla; pinalaya '''0no silo)' iginagapos pa l1i/01l8 nit"; arlgtanikala!" (Sicat, 1998, p.113). rWhen"ill they he enlightened, Simon? Vouhave pried their eyes open yet they stillclose them: you have set them free vetthey still are bound by chains.] ,

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Truly. Ibe novel. helng. soaol ..,,,1itsel( presents • ~Iimpse on P1tihl'Plnesocial SU'3ltfic:abOft., politics and \ It\\ oneducation osshown by Ibe .."e('seba_cr.Ihemes.moOrs and SClting. Set In lhe1950's.!he "",,,I truly caplU~IbePO!'"lor!hemeorli",,,,rure IhOn. lhe li,,,,,"u,,, of!he,ago-boyQR:md ,he IOga-l-..iid ILumbn:!2000). which in !he "",,,1 were "'J'!'e'eIl,edby !he farmers. !hey being ,he ,_.J>.,h/.and 1M pangiltOfM~r:·mcn....JIIJl(J Cl$ 1M I.dl.~.ba)-cm. ~Iore ~lficaH}. Ihl30 lheme "embodied by S,mon. the ,o"a-/","'. andElena Regen,. :md Alej:lndm 801')a, !helagu-ooyun-allthree are the ciul"3C1en ofa never-ending S3g3 of It love mtcrweven\\ith poliucs, soc1al Slrallfi~alioo andrevenge.

The novel is also ,,,,,Ie,e wllharchetypes, foremost of 'hem. the amvoland cfejxuture motif. Simon's arri\-':.1 (0thjs world is Mclang's departure; Tenc'speregrination from (he- villt'l~'Cto the field,father and son's return to the villnge whenTano was already old and ,uffering fromtuberculosis, lhe departure or Sinlon 10 thecity and his arrival/return to seck ,"enseancoand tbe departureof Simon fronlthis \voridis the "presumed" arrival of refonns in SanRoque which nil make concrete that thenovel is replete with this nlotif.

Dugo sa Bukal,g·/J\\V/i'U'(fJ is also IIsemi-historical novel. an agrarian novel. arealist novel, but more imponanlly. 0 novelthat tried to encapsulate in its p'a,SCJthem).hology .00 folklore of 'he P1tihppines,hence to borrow Ro£elio Sic.,', termas stated by Virgilio AlnuOO in hI'introduction to the nevel, -an '''ptC', '"uttl:epikong PflipJ'no·'{p. xxviii).

Nazario but for the community 0$ \\'CII.Simon and Ador, therefore, t"lnbody

the vel)' ideals and t'lspirlltions of fomerstowards their children. 11,ey mirrorIbe dreams the ftU111ers""ve...... goodeducation.?ood life.a 'rise" fromhISsoc.,1status, a -cnange" in his deSliny.

Conclus-Ion