A few days ago, an anonymous reader left a comment expressing disappointment over graffitis spray-painted across the city during the election campaign period by members of Kabataan Partylist. These are the graffitis that read “Edukasyon Karapatan!” and “Tutulan ang Tuition Increase!” among others. The comment also asked me to condemn such forms of expression and dissuade our members from executing them.
Like any other form of protest, from rallies to boycotts and walk-outs, graffitis are meant to defy prevailing conditions. They create disturbance precisely because they draw attention to social issues and call people to actively get involved in such protest campaigns, without having to go through mainstream and “legal” limitations.
Graffitis may be unsightly, but they were not meant to be beautiful in the first place. Its very aesthetic, which some have descibed to be “unsightly”, connotes stealth and speed precisely because it is illicit. Protest graffitis are not murals or paintings that take many hours to complete and costly paints and colors to beautify. Youth activists, or any activist for that matter, do not have such luxuries.
The illegality of graffiti is all but expected in a society where the people who rule implement various regulations that seeks (desperately) to maintain the status quo. In a country where such status quo means an impoverished majority, a majority unable to afford tertiary education, graffitis that affirm the people’s right to social services and human development are nothing more but forms of legitimate resistance to the ruling order. Illegal, of course, but definitely legitimate.
Worried about the cost of the paints the government will have to use to cover the graffitis? Why paint over them then? It will simply affirm the guilt and the responsibility on their part. What’s so repulsive with a bridge post or a wall that screams for the people’s right to education?
I will not discourage our members from freely expressing our calls and our slogans through graffitis. And even more, I encourage people to explore similar creative forms of protest. No apologies from us.
law student, national democracy activist, film school graduate, photography hobbyist
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29 comments to “On Kabataan Partylist’s “unsightly” graffitis”
likes this!
I like the phrase: “illegal, of course, but definitely legitimate”. Ang ganda ng post…
Frankly, I also see the graffiti scattered all over the Metro as unsightly. Those scribbles should not exist. But then again, that is in an ideal society.
Graffiti that contains protest is the result of suppression. Many issues are being ignored by the institutions. The oppressed are left as voiceless by the media. Because of this, the only outlet is by scribbling the issues on public spaces.
The only solution in removing the unsightly graffiti is to solve the problems being voiced by the graffiti.
If there is no more people being oppressed, then no one will write graffiti on walls all around the Metro.
This is a slippery slope, freedom of speech is our right, we can express our voice in the proper venues. However graffittis on walls might not be the best place to do this? What stops me from placing graffitti on your house? Anyway I hope I got my point across?
Do you have photos of the graffitis done by Kabataan Partylist members? I am linking this article to my site.
ask ko lang po//may memo po ba na mag mataas ng entrance fee para sa universities///kasi dati 700+ lang po pero ngaun 1000 na,,,dtio po ito sa leyte//pls responce naman//thanks
tama lang yan.. ipinagwawalang bahala na kasi ang mga kabataan ng mga matatandang nakaupo sa Kongreso at Senado…
wala na silang pakielam kung magtaasan man ang tuition fees at miscellaneous fees ng mga schools, colleges and universities… kasi ang mga anak nila di naman nararanasan hindi makabayad ng mga bayarin na ito… kasi mapepera sila…
sige lang isulat sa lansangan ang dapat ipaglaban ng KABATAAN…
at para sayo din PETER na nagsabi na hindi dapat sa walls ang grafittis? saan mo ilalagay sa isang kwarto na iisa lang ang makakakita at makakaalam ng tunay na problema ng bayan… mag isip ka… naranasan mo na ba hindi makabayad ng tuition fee dahil sa hirap ng buhay? kami kasi oo… ngayon sabihin mo ang edukasyon ba ay KARAPATAN o isang prebilehiyo lamang?
i understand the sentiment of your post but…
“The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” Right? graffiti doesn’t seem to be a proper expression of one’s right to free speech given that it damages public property.
and painting over stuff costs money, money which could have been spent elsewhere. a can of paint could have been used to buy medicine for a sick child.
regarding your question: It’s repulsive because taxpayers didn’t want that bridge to be that way.
@Peter: There is a great distinction between vandalizing the wall of a private person and writing a protest graffiti on public property. Magka-iba ang “establishment” (literally and figuratively) na pinatatamaan, may connection and establishment sa nakasulat na graffiti, may target audience, at may kontekstong pinanggagalingan ang nakasulat. Writing nonsense on your neighbor’s wall is much much different, that is plain vandalizing, not a form of protest.
@Pseudonym: I beg to disagree, a protest graffiti does not make a bridge any structurally weaker. The need to cover it up with fresh paint only arises when the guilt and the responsibility is real. It is an act of the guilty, it’s repulsive to the guilty.
You have good answers. Really. I see your point.
BUT PONDER THIS…
I have two issues…
Graffitis, are usually put or sprayed on walls, chairs, trees or whatsoever. Whatever you’re fighting for, whether its really ‘legitimate’, doesn’t give you the right to destroy other people’s properties. Put yourself on the owners’ shoes. If you have a wall, a chair or whatever, do you like people to spray on them? No.
Now, on the 2nd issue, doing such act will trickle down to a spill off effect.
Some negative elements will be encouraged to do the same. I’m not pertaining to youth activists or the Kabataan Partylist but to the street children and gangsters. Since they are seeing such things as legitimate and are seen everywhere, they would think that their ideals also apply. In short, NO GRAFFITIS, NO PEOPLE WILL DO THE SAME.
Next to that, with all the issues and problems, there will be many things to say. Just think about how all walls in the urban area will be vandalized. Its ugly. The government or other NGOs invested in painting these walls. Again, put yourself on their shoes. You painted the walls. The next morning, “No to TFIs” is written there. Happy? Also, what about the tourists who will be turned off by these? Tourism helps a lot on our country’s economy. Graffitis will only discourage them to come back here.
I just love what the activists are fighting for. Really. But the end does not justify the mean. If your method is wrong, everything is wrong.
i disagree to some part of this post especially ung paggamit ng graffiti just to voice out kung anuman ang di natin gusto.. let’s face it, we dont like the Arroyo administration. but – for me – using graffiti to show ung pagka disgusto is another wrong move. in June, we will start a new government, and we all hope to support the new administration for all of us to succeed. what will happen to our country kung bawat desisyon ay my kokontra? okay lang to protest, but when we do that be ready sa alternative solution. i also believe sa mga bagong halal na politician, those na hindi trapo. we want change. and we need to change the people in the government. iyon lang, cant help na hindi mag comment
@Prince: Your opinion is full of assumptions that are not based on fact.
(1) Political graffitis are not just placed on “any owner’s walls”, it is strategically sprayed on establishments pertaining to the institution/establishment that holds responsibility over the issues for which the political graffiti was executed for (ex. graffiti asserting right to social services is sprayed on government property). Kaya hindi nangyayari ang sinasabi mong may mga household na bigla na lang magigising na may “No to TFI” graffiti sa pader nila. Also, graffitis may disturb the aesthetics of a structure, but it does not “destroy” any property. It does not make any building or bridge structurally weaker.
(2) There is no such thing as a trickle down effect. Gangsters will paint graffiti regardless if activists do the same or not. If you really want to blame someone for your supposed “trickle down” effect, you have nowhere else to look but those who promote the hip-hop and gangster culture in the US.
(3) Tourists being “turned off” by graffiti is purely an assumption, and is never a reason to silence dissent. I might as well assume that tourists get turned off by ugly persons too, should we kill them? Graffitis can actually be good, because it shows tourists the real culture and situation in the place they visit. As a tourist, I’d definitely want to see graffitis when I go to other places.
Also, if I may ask. If “everything is wrong” what is “right”?
@David Edward: I think your comment is based on a few wrong assumptions and over-generalizations, too. (1) Bawat desisyon ay kinokontra (2) Walang alternative na hinahain ang mga nagpoprotesta. The opposite is true. Ang pagkontra ay palaging may malalim na batayan, hindi lang dahil desisyon sya ng administrasyon ay kokontrahin na. Kung totoo yon, araw-araw nasa Mendiola ang mga tao, pero hindi. Isa pa, palaging may alternatibong hinahain ang mga nagpo-protesta. Walang dahilan ang isang protesta kung walang alternatibo kang pinapakita sa mamamayan.
Hello.
Sige nga, kung ayaw ninyo sa vandalismo, anong iniisip ninyong alternatibo?
Sinasabi ninyong may kalayaan tayong magpahayag, pero kailangan nasa tamang lugar lang? Saan, sa pagkimi dahil anti-gobyerno ang mga sentimento natin (na may malalim na dahilan)? O sa pagsusulat lamang ng mga artikulo at ipopost sa di-gaanong binibisitang websayt sa Internet o di-popular na pahayagan na iilan lamang ang makababasa?
Sa pagrarally ba kung saan ang iba sa amin ay “vinavandalize” sa pamamagitan ng pagwawater gun o ng mga batuta’t baril? Ano’ng pinagkaiba ng mga pulis sa mga aktibistang nagpapahayag ng sariling saloobin sa pamamagitan ng graffiti?
Ang ipinapahayag na hangarin ng mga aktibista ay mapayapang pagbabagong panlipunan. Ang sa mga militar, pulis, at gobyerno ay pasismo–dahas. Kapag nagrally ka, “patatahimikin” ka. Bakit mas gusto ninyo ang kultura ng “kapayapaang” ipinalalaganap ng gobyerno? Mas marahas na ba ang pagpapahayag ng saloobin (sa pamamagitan ng pagrarally o graffiti) kaysa sa pambabatuta ng mga pulis?
Oo, may kalayaan nga tayong magpahayag, pero wala namang karapatan ang ibang tao na ipagkait sa atin ito. Nasasaad ito sa Konstitusyon natin.
Pasensiya na, ha, kung napapa-vandalize kami ng mga pader. Hindi kasi kami pinakikinggan ng gobyerno kapag nagpoprotesta kami laban sa tuiton fee increase (bagkus ay dinadaan pa kami sa dahas) kaya mas marahas ang pagtugon namin sa kanila sa pamamagatin ng pagsusulat ng graffiti.
Pasensiya na kung mas marahas pa kami sa gobyernong sumusupil sa basal na karapatang pantao kasi nagsusulat kami ng mga graffiti–mga lehitimo at makabuluhang sigaw ng bayan.
At pasensiya na kung pinoproblema ninyo ang ipapampintura ng gobyerno at mga negosyante sa mga pader at tulay, kasi ang alam ko, ang laki laki ng tubo nila sa mga negosyo nila e. Siguro naman ang limandaan para sa isang lata ng pintura ay maning-mani na lamang sa kanila.
At pasensiya na kung mas pinahihintulutan ninyo ang pambababoy ng gobyerno sa amin. Mas mainam na sigurong maospital din kami kung sakali, o kaya maihatid sa libingan kaysa naririyang maaari pa kaming makapagsulat ng simpleng hinaing gaya ng “EDUKASYON, IPAGLABAN!”
Bikoy ano ang latest sa Kabataan Partylist regarding its seat sa congress?
Buti dito sa OAV walang ganyan kasi bawal.
I voted for Kabataan Party List.
May chance bang mapalayas si Gloria sa kongreso (just kidding)
nung bata pa ako, against ako sa mga graffiti na ganyan. parang taliwas kasi sa itinuro na masama ang vandalism. pangit at madumi din tignan. napaisip tuloy ako kung bakit may mga tao ang hindi sumusunod sa mga rules. sa PNU ako dati, at sabihin na natin ang totoo, nakakainis makakita ng mga vandals around Manila City Hall. parang lagi-lagi nalang on my way to school. that time, laganap yung mga protesta about philippines being “tuta ng kano” and such. i thought, sayang ang paint pangcover ulit, sayang ang lahat. like one of here pointed out, minsan kakapaint palang ng wall tapos kinabukasan meron na namang vandal.
syempre, that was many many years ago, elementary pa yata ako nun. nung naghigh school ako, namulat ako sa katotohanan ng buhay at duon ko naintindihan. tama nga yung sinasabi ng mga matatanda, minsan may mga bagay na only mature people would understand. kapag kasi may idea ka na kung ano ang pinag-ugatan, kapag alam mo na kung ano ang pinaglalaban, maiintindihan mo (especially duon sa PUP thing. kawawa naman yung mga students dun. akala ko pagpublic walang bayad) tska wala naman kasing magpro-protesta kung tama ang ginagawa ng namumuno diba?
naiintindihan ko man, sana nandun parin yung mga limitations. let’s face it, mas pinapakinggan ng mga tao ang mga maaayos magprotesta -yung alam ang tamang lugar kung saan ivo-voice out ang opinions at nirerespeto parin ang mga rules. minsan kasi, napapangibawan ng inis ang simpatya. at kadalasan din, natatawag pa kayong mga immatures dahil lang sa hindi pagsunod sa tama. naalala ko tuloy nung high school ako, sa jeep, may sinabi yung isang mamang lalake sa kasama nya. sabi nya “gusto nila itama ang mali pero sila mismo gumagawa ng mali. anong pinagkaiba nila sa inirereklamo nila kung ganun”
Sadyang mahirap makipag-usap sa mga kritikong hindi masyadong pinag-iisipan ang kanilang mga kritisismo o puna.
Sa matagal nang panunupil na nararanasan ng mamamayan at kabataan, hindi lang sapat ang “graffiti” upang ipahayag ang pagtutol ng mga aktibista at iba pang progresibo.
“I might as well assume that tourists get turned off by ugly persons too, should we kill them?”
Like!
@Bikoy
Nice rebuttals.
(1) You have defended your side well. I admit. But do you honestly believe that every activist know this? I’ve seen graffitis NOT ONLY on the establishments but on ordinary walls on our barangay and city. Guess what, it says the same thing. Oust Gloria and the like. Now you may say that he/she might not be really affiliated to you guys but he/she did that because you somehow encouraged him/her. Destroy or not, graffiti means repainting. Repainting means money.
(2) Yes, conceded that hip hop gangsters are influenced by US. But let me paint you a picture. The government treats graffiti as crime. If less and less people do it, many will instill in their mind the gravity of the offense. But since your ‘freedom of speech’ is seen everywhere, gangsters will think that its not really a crime at all. Again, if no one will do it, then no one will REDO it.
(3) I see you point but that example you gave was stupid. Ugly people are different from vandalized walls. They were born that way and they have no one to blame. But walls, my dear, were fully painted. And graffitis, made them ugly. Do you honestly want to visit a country whose every wall in the urban has graffiti on it?
If you said something right, then that’s when the tourists are getting to know the situation. I agree on that. But you, yourself, are giving assumptions also. Not all tourist actually give a damn on the political drama in the country. From the word itself…they just want to have a TOUR and enjoy the beautiful nature and majestic structures. And graffitis WILL turn them off.
On the last part of your reply, I was somehow disappointed. You are a great writer but I think you missed out the meaning on it.
“If your method is wrong, everything is wrong.”
What is right, you asked? Nothing. It’s because you started out wrong.
If you really want something right. You have to do the process in a legalized and accepted way. Media, file cases or consultation. Anything but graffiti.
P.S. I admire your writing. True to God. I’m a fan. And I am enjoying our conversation. Its really nice meeting intellectual people like you. I’m not hater. I’m just saying.
mabuhay bitoy! matalas ang pagkakalahad. Of course, not all are capable of understanding the point. Because, after all, this is a matter of class standpoint, viewpoint, and method.
sana lang, bawat pagprotesta ay gumagawa ng paraan tungo sa pagbabago. hindi para lang dumagdag sa kung anumang problema meron tayo. sana, umunlad pa ang bansang pilipinas.. it has a lot to offer sa mga pilipino. kailangan lang natin ng administrasyon na magpapabago at magdidisiplina sa bawat tao. isang gobyernong tapat at malinis na ang tanging hangarin lamang ay maglingkod sa taong nagluklok sa kanila sa pwesto. at tayo, bilang mamamayan ay sumuporta para sa ikauunlad ng ating bayan.. ^_^
@Prince: Thank you. I take no offense in this kinds of discussions. In sum, my point is there is no use discussing the appropriateness of graffitis, because its being un-aesthetic is a given, its being illicit is a given, especially taking into consideration the establishment implementing social regulations. Rebellions and even these forms of protests were never legal. But they are not wrong. Noli and El Fili were illegal, the Himagsikan was illegal, 1986 People Power was illegal, graffitis are illegal. Illegal, of course, but again, definitely legitimate.
@David: Syempre, ginagawa naman ng mga aktibista yan. Ang kaisipan na dagdag-problema lang ang pagrereklamo sa mga mali sa lipunan ay kaisipang inilalako ng mga namumuno para i-maintain ang status quo. Kailangan basagin yung ganoong pananaw, dahil walang pag-unlad na magaganap kung walang pumupuna sa mga pumipigil sa pagbabago.
We can only agree to disagree. Hear hear?
I love it when you say illegal but legitimate. Ironic. But definitely true! B)
But you know what? If I were to be asked kung ok lang ba yung graffiti sa establishment na may pagkukulang sa society. I would have to cite your blog for my answer. It says everything.
Keep on writing! B)
Isa ako sa mga Iskolar ng Bayan na nakinabang sa napakaliit na tution fee sa PUP. Nung una iniisip ko na mali ang pagtataas ng tuition fee mula 12.50 pesos (isipin nyo simula ng nakapagtapos ako nung 1999 hanggang ngayon e ganun pa rin ang tution) patass ng 100++ pesos. Pero nung maipaliwanag ni Mareng Winnie Munsod na napagiwanan na ng panahon ang tuiton ng PUP… kaya pala… sa mga aktibistang Isko at Iska naman tama lang naman na ipaglaban nyo ang karapan sa edukasyon ang mali nga lang e ang manira ng gamit lalo na kung yung mga gamit na yun e mga gamit din sa ating pagaaral.. OO naranasan ko magsulat ng walang desk pero kahit paano e may nauupuan ako… ilang upuan ang nasira sa pag rarally na yun… ngayon ilan estudyante kaya ang uupo sa lapag dahil sa mga upuang nasira na kahit paano e napapakinabangan…
It is ok to voice your beliefs but at times it can go overboard. People’s rights end where other People’s rights begin.
Apparently some people still do not get the symbolism attached in graffiti and in any other case, “vandalism.” The anomalies carried by repressive state apparatuses are what pushed activists to perform demonstrations, graffiti or any spectacle in the first place. Tsk.
Good job with this one, Kuya Bik!
I do know the symbolism behind the graffiti, pero sa parang pagyurak natin sa gamit na pinaghirapan itayo, pinturahan, sa ilalim ng arawan, ng alikabok and all, isipin rin natin sana yung impact nuon sa mga manggagawa na binabayaran ng mga ngo, ng reaksyonaryong gobyerno. kung ako yun maiisip ko parang nabali wala lang yung hard work ko. although tama ang pinaglalaban, mali talaga ang pamamaraan. bilang taong naranasan nang madamage ang property namin dahil sa mga linintikan na vandal ng mga gangsta-shit (anu lang, nagcarve sila ng kung anung shit sa hood ng kotse ni papa gamit ang bato, ganun lang) not that i am equating gangsters with activists, magkalayung magkalayu na yun. pero napakarami pa kasing pamamaraan kung saan maivovoice out natin ang ating mga hinaing. hindi natin kasalanan kung hindi tayo pakinggan, ang mahalaga hindi tayo sumusuko, sa pagoorganisa, sa pagkilos, at sa pag-undergo sa maganda at karesperespeto na pagpapatupad ng mga praktika kung saan hindi na madadagdagan ang putik na ibinabato ng mga kritiko nating mga aktibista.
sige, malamang may mga taong mga magsasabing makitid ang isip ko, or what, or hindi ko lubusang nasusuri ang lahat, pero anu ba malay natin? malay natin mali kayo? or mali ako? or mali tayong lahat? hindi parin mamamatay ang pinaglalaban natin kung pipigilan nating magspray-paint diba? at guys, face it. dagdag black prop at dagdag negative stigma rin saatin yan, lalu na sa mga taong mabababaw, mga konserbatibo, mga taong sanay sa malinis (taga marikina ako kea ayun, hehe pasensya) at hindi rin labis nasusuri ang graffiti na malalim ang kahulugan.
Hindi ko kinokondena nang buo ang pagsasagawa niyan. oo, freedom of speech yan. BUT GUYS, sana alam natin if things get out of hand, if things get overboard. May point rin yung “People’s right’s end when people’s rights begin”, yan ay kung inaabuso ang kalayaan natin. lahat tayo ay may responsibilidad rin. Bilang isang masugid na tagasuporta ng mga makamasang organisasyon, solid parin ang stand point ko. Sana ay may nareach-out rin na iba, or nagsheshare ng sintemiyento ko. Dahil aminin natin o hindi, marami sa mga negative na comment sa taas ng comment ko ay very valid, at hindi basta assumption dahil gumagawa rin naman ang gumawa ng blog ng assumptions. Subjective nga siguro ang lahat ng bagay.
Sinosuportahan ko parin ang kabataan, at lahat ng prinsipyo, lahat ng ideolohiya, iba2 lang tingin natin sa pagsasapraktika. Tama nga yung Illegal, but legitimate, pero sana wag rin natin makalimutan na may responsibilidad parin tayo sa pagpapaunlad ng bansa, at kahit igiit lagi nang lahat na bulok ang GRP, minsan tignan rin natin sana sarili natin paminsan-minsan, baka sumosobra rin tayo. Umayos rin tayo upang respetuhin. Hindi rin kasi lahat ng tao ay pareho ng pag-iisip saatin. Tandaan natin na ang mensahe ay lubos na naapektuhan ng instrumentong ginamit upang mai-channel ang mensahe. Journ student ako, at sa pagaaral ng comm at iba’t-ibang courses natutunan ko na iba-iba ang pagpercieve o pagtanggap ng tao sa isang mensahe kung iba’t-iba ang pagpapasalaganap o pagdedesiminate ng mensahe. Kung ang instrumento ay nakikita na negative ng marami, maging maganda man ang adhikain maaapektuhan at maaapektuhan ang mensahe lalu na sa mga taong hindi sanay makakita ng ganun. Marahil ay subjective talga ang lahat. Yun lang siguro.
well, yun lang ang sentimyento ko. respeto nalang siguro.
)
Anyways, more power to Kabataan! Ipagpatuloy ang makabayang pagbabago! Magsimula rin sana sa ating lahat ang pagbabago, magpakita pa tayo ng maraming positibo upang maibaliktad rin ang mga black props ng iba sa atin at tuluyan pa tayong lumawak to the highest level! CONGRATS AT NANALO TAYO NG ISANG SEAT SA CONGRESO!
Si sir mong palatino parin ba ang representante natin?
Ang dami na ngang pangit sa Pilipinas, dadagdagan niyo pa ng kapangitan.
Magtrabaho kayo sa kongreso. Makipagdeal sa mga kapwa trapo. Kaya naman pala ng mga tibak na magpakapokpok at trapo para lang makapwesto diba (Maza at Ocampo, helooo)? Use those pokpok skills para mawala ang bobo, at maging libre ang tuition sa state universities (o pabayaran niyo kay Villar).
Wag na kayo magvandalize. Iwanan mo ako ng puting pader please. Masarap magpaka-emo sa malinis na pader, kasi pagalis ng mata mo dun, back to reality.