Most heartbreaking [and but] inspiring stories happen on the streets

Most heartbreaking [and/but]  inspiring stories happen on the streets. I was on a jeepney, texting my blockmate about my bluebook requests when the vehicle passed by PGH. A guy, about fifteen years old, who could hardly walk got inside the jeepney. He could barely open his eyes and he continuously held his handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth. After him, three men of his company got in, each of them carrying a big bag. The fiteen-year old boy was seated, still looking weak.

I had no idea what he was suffering (suffered) from. He probably took an operation or other medical treatments. I got off the jeepney when it reached my destination, Pedro Gil. I felt sad with what I saw. I wondered why a guy so weak who could barely move, with three men (probably one, his father and the other two his older brothers) carrying heavy bags had to take the public transportation?

I first asked this question several months ago. I believe it was a –ber month. It was already 7:30pm. It was raining hard. I reached Recto Station of LRT-2 and saw a young couple with a newly born baby who were having their bags checked before they can get entrance to the train station. The father was carrying the bag which most likely contained clothes from their stay in the hospital. The mother was holding the baby, trying to cover his entire body with tiny clothings and towels. “These are the people who deserved a car, or even a cab, for that matter,” I said to myself.

Well, these anecdotes happened before my eyes and left questions. I felt guilty of not having done anything. I did not know then how I could have helped (or if I should have helped). At the back of my mind were piecemeal solutions – they deserved to take the cab.

Blackening Silver Screens

According to Internet Movie Database of 2003, 63.1% households in the Philippines have televisions. After sharing a bountiful dinner, a Filipino family would stay in the living room to watch prime time TV shows and spend the weekends in a movie house. The underground economy continues to grow because of the sale of pirated DVDs which is prevalent on the busy streets of the metro. Generally, Filipinos have easy access to broadcast media, like films and television shows. The media affects how people perceive things and may be able to shape a person's thoughts even without proper discernment. Because of the realization that media can affect how a person thinks about the world, several laws are passed to ensure that the media is regulated and public welfare is protected.

            In an attempt to protect the image of congressmen, Representative Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. proposed the passage of a bill to prohibit the typecasting of congressmen as villains and crooks in movies and television shows. House Resolution 2140, also known as Anti-Typecasting Bill has been criticized by professionals in the media industry because it is a curtailment of freedom of expression, which is a fundamental right granted by the constitution.  The Bill of Rights aims to protect the citizens from the state’s excessive use and abuse of its powers. One of the fundamental rights of an individual is freedom of expression. This is the constitutional mandate providing people the right to freely express their views and engage in mass media.

            On the other hand, in spite of the constitutional provision, the Congress also has a plenary legislative power. The Congress can create legislation that it thinks is appropriate to uphold public welfare. Police power of the state allows it to limit some rights of the citizens if such curtailment will be good for public welfare and public policy. Police power is an inherent power of the state which is present because of the state’s sovereignty.

            The proponent defends the bill by arguing that the portrayal of congressmen as crooks in movies damages the image of the profession. People who would see congressmen portrayed in movies as jueteng lords and goons who would beat another person until he bleeds to death, would likely think that these really happen in real life. If taken without proper discernment, the negative representations of congressmen may remain in the minds of the people which can make them subconsciously distrust the law makers.

            It can be inferred from the bill that it only covers congressmen and eliminates other public officers who are also vested with public trust. The exclusive coverage of the Anti-Typecasting Bill makes it a self-serving proposal. It is violative of the equal protection clause because it specifically protects the congressmen who legislate and leaves unprotected other public officers. On the other hand, if the coverage will become more inclusive, it will mean a stricter curtailment of the freedom of expression. A more inclusive coverage of the Anti-Typecasting Bill would surely be rebutted by producers, directors and actors who are forced to remain silent.

            In its current exclusive set-up, it has been criticized by directors and the head of MTRCB. The show business industry argued that negative portrayals of congressmen in movies also happen to other professions, like lawyers, doctors, teachers and engineers. The passing of the bill into law might create a precedent for other professions to demand the same. If this happens, the film and television industry would be limited to showing the positive, which is not really reflective of the imperfect society.

            Another way to look at it is that the Anti-Typecasting Bill only covers prohibition on works of fiction. It is not forbidden for broadcasters and journalists to report indecent and scandalous acts of legislators, even if these acts are direct threats to public welfare and against policy. The reporting of derogatory facts is a greater threat to the public perception of public officials than fictional accounts. The Anti-Typecasting Bill is an overly defensive and an escapist way of facing the issue. There should be a reasonable presumption that the households and individuals who have access to the media are capable of discernment in judging which shows are fictional and which are not. There is no need to blacken the silver screen.

The Other Face of the Lucrative

My dream to go beyond the self started as a childhood fascination with titles placed before names. My goal was to be called an “Atty.” I wanted to go to court, wear corporate clothes with a robe and firmly hold the gavel as if it was the world I absolutely owned.  I found it awesome to drive a car with “lawyer” on its plate. I knew that a judge held power and I thought that the possession of power was extremely important in a person’s existence. It was not until I was an active member of an organization in college that I realized there was more to becoming a lawyer than its lucrative representations.

In college, I was part of an organization-publication which was different from typical campus journalism because it catered to the marginal sectors of the society. I attended events to immerse myself with the experiences of vendors and daily wage workers. Some jeepney drivers worked for 14 hours but still went home with nothing after spending for gas and boundary. Boundary is the certain amount paid by drivers to the owners of the jeepneys they rent. I have walked with the Sumilao farmers with the firm belief that their efforts were leading somewhere just. These people owed the lawyers who helped them draft letters and negotiate with the legal issues of their aim. I wanted to become a lawyer and help the people victimized by laws twisted in a legal manner.

I plan to become a labor lawyer. I would be able to make a living while experiencing self-fulfilment with what I do. I could be an agent working on ripples of changes in the mismanaged legal system. Small positive changes are essential because the “Ms. Universe concept of world peace” is not created by a superhero and does not happen overnight. It is important to have a proactive and continuous movement towards a certain goal.

My quest to becoming a lawyer requires courage to face the daily struggles, especially when I had to give up things to dedicate more time to studying. Law school is not a walk in the park but it is a walk worth a stroll. Law school made me experience firsthand the tales of sleepless nights, state of nervousness during recitations, entire days spent reading books. I used to question the necessity of deprivation of the joys in life just because I wanted to do something noble. In spite of the inevitable challenges attached to pursuing a legal education, there is still the urge within me to continue taking up the subjects until I pass the bar.

As a young adult who has grown from too much idealism, I realized that nobility does not necessarily come with education. Academic degrees do not equate to more capability of alleviating the world’s condition. On the contrary, educational attainment has been used by some powerful people to corrupt more power and benefit themselves. In spite of the realization that I have been disillusioned by the profession I have always looked up to, I still find lawyering as my best way of going beyond to be of service to others.

by Frances Lipnica Pabilane