Jhayzon Paredes:  90's Rock and Roll
Levy Abad  
Ang Peryodiko Vol.XV No.3 February 1-15

I sent a message to Jhayzon Paredes asking about the bands that he got involved with and he told me to drop by his place and he has the record of rock bands back in 1993. Jhayzon had organized three bands and they were the following:  Palitaw (1994- 2004), FourSight (2004 to 2011) and the last one that exists up to now is Fhamathou (2012 to 2016). But before I write anything about the bands that Jhayzon organized in the 90s, I would first try to explain the context so we can somehow appreciate the process that shaped his band, band mates’ consciousness and the time.

What struck me with writing this article is the year 1993, which according to Jhayzon, was the time when he organized Palitaw band.  This was the time when I was still in the Philippines and active in the cultural movement and occassionally was given a chance to gig at the Mayric’s Bar (later Sazi’s Bar) when Burt Chavez and Sazi Cosino were still the alternate managers. During  that time, the fall of the Soviet Union’s  revisionist regime was still fresh  and  you can still hear the song of the band Scorpions, “Winds of Change”  (1990) being played, as well as the song, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House (1986) constantly played by the mainstream media  after the crumbling of the Berlin Wall. Philosophically, with the crumbling of the revisionist regimes (socialism in words and capitalism in deeds), post-modernism/ deconstructionism as a philosophy unfolded, and so it spread like wild fire in the field of culture that lead to new forms of art.  From the traditional forms of writing music based on a system/ structure, suddenly, groups like Nirvana (1987 to 1994) exploded with their new approach to writing songs, power chords, growling style of singing and lyrical incoherence, for short new forms of artistic rebellion with a strong sense of post modern tendency.

In the midst of the cultural tsunami that struck during the 90s, I asked Jhayzon where he was in all of this.  Was he in Manila?  He explained through FB message that he was already in Winnipeg. He was in high school during that time and already starting to toy with idea of forming a band. High school means Del Pilar Academy in Imus, Cavite and Daniel McIntyre at 720 Alverstone St. in Winnipeg. He added that in the Philippines, he was not involved with any bands. It was only here in Winnipeg that he started to do some gigs in 1994. Jhayzon told me that as early as the late 80s, he was already listening to Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi and Metallica. Persistenly, I asked how old he was when he started to play the guitar. He replied that he began to play at the age of 13. He learned to play guitar through an evangelical church community program of giving guitar lessons and with the song “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.” What an interesting evolution.

During this period of Jhayzon’s formation, folk, rock and country were the main themes at Mayric’s Bar and Restaurant (1320 Espana Street- in front of the University of Santo Tomas). By the 90s, new forms of music were  growing so fast most especially in the ranks of the youth, and businesses realized the potential and tried to capitalize on the trend and created new  icons of  music that reflect the psyche of the young rebels of the 90s.  With this, the likes of  Yano Folk/ Punk Rock Band (1993), EraserHeads Rock Band (1989-2002), Siakol Band , Alternative and Punk Rock (1994-Present ), Slapshock Heavy Metal Band  (1997), Parokya ni Edgar (1993),and many more, will make it big time and popularize new forms of music, the different forms of alternative music.

 In the 90s, I recall clearly that most of the alternative groups usually perform and sadly, nobody cares until suddenly they hit the waves.  At Mayric’s Bar, while alternative bands played, everybody watches television on the opposite direction.  Yano, one of the favourites of the time was composed of three cultural activists, Dong Abay of Patatag and Erik Gancio and Onie Badiang, a sessionist of Joey Ayala’s “Bagong Lumad,” another activist from Mindanao.  I had the opportunity of being with these three at a workshop organized by Musika Philipines in Los Banos where Rom Dongeto of Buklod, the one who composed Kanlungan (sung by Noel Cabangon } and Tatsulok (which was interpreted by Bamboo), Rey Asis, and Rossette Taganas were the facilitators.  Another hang out of alternative bands during the 90s was Club Dredd, and the favourite radio station was NU 107.

Reflecting on all these reminds me of  Jhayzon’s generation .Somehow, I have an idea of what really influenced them in terms of music and style. You have the North American influence of lyrical anarchism, as influenced by the deconstructionist trend in philosophy riding on heavy metal musical forms like Nirvana and Green day punk band (1986), which made it big in the first half of the 90’s. On the other hand, you have the Filipino Rock influence of alternative rock with socially reflective lyrics of Yano, Eraserheads etc.  Truly, these are some of the tendencies that run through the minds of artists of the 90s that has a lasting influence in the way they make their music and write their lyrics.  With this in mind, I guess it is time to focus on the bands of the 90s here in Winnipeg where my friend Jhayzon Paredes led a significant role in the music scene in the growing Filipino community which will be featured in part two of this article.

(Levy Abad is a freelance writer and also a singer songwriter/recording artist and a member of Migrante Canada-Mb chapter and also a founding member/ program coordinator of Winnipeg Multicultural Human Rights Forum, Levy has released three albums , Canadian Experience Vol. 1 (iTunes ), Never Give Up and Rhythms of Compassion CanEx 3. Levy is soon to release a his fourth album by fall titled "I Love Canada". You can reach Levy Abad through , lev67.abad@yahoo.ca or on Facebook.).

Jhayzon Paredez: 90’s Rock and Roll (Part 2)
Levy Abad
Ang Peryodiko Volume XV NO.5
March 1-15,2017
Winnipeg ,Manitoba

In the first half of this article, I tried to dig into the influences of Jhayzon Paredes as a musician and founder of three bands: Palitaw, FourSight and Fhamathou. At this point, I will be discussing a bit on the bands, just to make sure that they will be documented.

Forming a band is not a joke and managing it is tougher.  You have to establish relationship and trust among the members for a band to survive.  Jhayzon, through the years, was able to maintain friendship with musicians who he came into contact with and this in itself is already a great feat and a contribution to the cultural tapestry of the community. 

Palitaw Band

As mentioned above, Palitaw (1994-2004) was one of the earliest bands that Jhayzon was a part of in the Peg in the 90s. Jhayzon explained to me that Palitaw, as the name suggests, means palutang or a float for a bait of a fishing gear. The pioneer members were Jhayzon Paredes on bass guitar, Fortune Caranay (lead guitar), Danny Lizardo (drums).  These three guys started playing alternative Tagalog songs and decided to concentrate on such.  As to influences, they claim they were avid students of Nirvana and Green day.  Back in March 1997 when the musicians organization FAMOUS (Filipino Association of Musicians and Other Unknown Artist)  was founded, Palitaw was one of the original convenors of FAMOUS.

When FAMOUS organized its first concert, Palitaw performed and got projected in the community that led to invitations to perform at birthday parties and wedding socials. Palitaw also became a front act of the 1997 visit of Mike Hanopol in Winnipeg. Eventually, the organization FAMOUS started to mellow down and together with it, the band Palitaw also faded in the background.

FOURSIGHT Band

In 2004, Jhayson Paredes known for tirelessly organizing events formed a band called FourSight..
 
  According to the FourSight’s web page, the group was formed back in Winter 2004 when it was terribly cold (-55) and boring.  It says that out of boredom, the members of the band came together and decided to call themselves FourSight. The one who coined the name of the band was Trexier (nickname of Lord Arwin Bautista), the vocalist of the group. The members of FourSight band (2004 to 2012) were the following:  Lord Arwin Bautista (vocals), Jhayson Paredes (bass guitar), Ricky Lontoc (lead guitar) and Dennis Francisco (drums).  By 2005, Brian De Nieva was the lead guitarist and James De Nieva played drums. Come 2006, the original lead guitarist Ricky Lontoc came back, but there was a new drummer in the person of Rod Dizon. The latest changes in band members happened in 2007 with Jeff Reyes playing lead guitar, Jan Castillo (2 2nd lead) and Chester Pangan (Drums).

In the website of FourSight , it says that that the group performed as front acts for bands that

performed here in Winnipeg like Siakol, Mike Hanopol, Parokya Ni Edgar, Slapshock and many more.  The band considers itself as a metal alternative band, a fusion of North American Metal, Grunge influences and Filipino Alternative music.

Fhamathou

The third band that Jhayson Paredes helped organize was the Fhamathou back in early 2006.

Fhamathou simply means Pamato /Pambato in Tagalog or star/ace, like in a star player or band. In the 90’s, it means a vanguard band. The original members of this band were the following:  Jhayzon Paredes –guitar and vocals, Rod Dizon- bass and vocals, Danny Lizardo on drums.  As to influences, they adhere to the 90s Philippine Alternative Rock tradition like the E-heads, Yano, Teeth, Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar, just to name a few. These were the bands that played at Mayric’s Bar in the 90s where I used to hang out as a folk singer during the time of Burt Chaves and Sazi Cosino as managers of Mayrics. The band also covered classic rock (Eric Clapton and Credence Clearwater Revival).

According an article written by Alfie Vera  Mella of Filipino Journal,  Fhamathou not only covers songs but also writes their own songs like “Chatroom,” “Sinayang Mo,” “Bakit pa?” to mention a few. Most of these songs were written by Jhayzon Paredes.  Jhayzon also owns a recording studio equipped with the latest instruments according to Alfie’s article, “Fhamathou: A pride of Pinoy Musikero of Winnipeg.” I had the privilege to visit Jhayzon’s place and he made me listen to some of his compositions that he also arranged. I must admit that I cannot do the things that he did.  In my case, I write the lyrics, put the melody and go to a friend sound engineer to lay in my songs.

As a Winnipeg band, Fhamathou has experienced big gigs as front act for famous Philippine bands

that visited Winnipeg like The Youth concert, Yano and The Teeth. Alfie wrote that Jhayzon Paredes produced concerts for both local and Philippine based bands and artists. Among the acts that he already brought to Winnipeg include Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar, True Fath, Pupil, The Youth, Dong Abay and Glenn Jacinto. If you want further reading on the background of Fhamathou, I suggest Alfie Mella’s article in Filipino Journal.

 

To date, Fhamathou performed as front act for Lolita Carbon’s Pagbabalik concert in the Peg.  Jhayzon played a huge role as the band leader of Fhamathou and as an organizer, he was instrumental for the success of the concert that was held at the Pampanga Restaurant on October 14, 2016 and at the Canton Buffet Restaurant on October 16th where hundreds from the Filipino community attended.

Summing up from 1994 up to the October 2016, Jhayzon  Paredes played  a crucial link in the band scene of the Filipino community.  Twenty two years of involvement is proof enough of his commitment to the cause of rock and roll culture in the Manitoba’s Filipino diaspora.   Together with the earlier artists who I mentioned in my previous articles, Jhayzon and his Metal Alternative rock and roll buddies must not be forgotten as they contributed and are part of the narrative. 

(Levy Abad is a freelance writer and also a singer songwriter/recording artist and a member of Migrante Canada-Mb chapter and also a founding member/ program coordinator of Winnipeg Multicultural Human Rights Forum, Levy has released three albums , Canadian Experience Vol. 1 (iTunes ), Never Give Up and Rhythms of Compassion CanEx 3. Levy is soon to release a his fourth album by fall titled "I Love Canada". You can reach Levy Abad through , lev67.abad@yahoo.ca or on Facebook.).

Nothing Personal

Levy Abad 

Migrant Perspective, THE DIVERSITY TIMES

January 2017,Vol.6 No.1

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Paskong Pinoy, A trailblazing event. December 17, 2016, what a day at the RBC Convention Centre where the Paskong Pinoy sa Canada event was held! It was spearheaded by the Asian Community magazine led by Bong Roscuata, Producer, and Lourdes Federis, Project Manager, together with 204 Filipino Marketplace, which celebrated its 1^st year anniversary and Christmas Party by giving away prizes to its growing members. Thank you for the warm welcome and, last but not the least, thank you too to Bobit Nepomuceno and Jun Isla of Vocal Arts Centre for inviting me to perform three songs (Dito sa Winnipeg, Paskong Wala ng Digmaan and my Toronto community hit song Na-shock Ako). Special thanks to the leadership of 204 Filipino Marketplace for inviting me to lead the opening prayer.

Bobit Nepomuceno, Artist Par Excellence.  Bobit is the classically trained CEO of Vocal Arts Centre. He organizes concerts and provides great mixing as an audio engineer.  One thing I really appreciate with Bobit is that he makes sure that the artists receive a little appreciation for the gasoline spent and for the time they devote in preparing for their performances. I heard that Bobit is planning to organize an MYMP (Make My Mama Proud) concert here in the Peg next year. Something to watch out for!

Understanding the Philippine Left.  As a member of Migrante Manitoba, activist and a singer songwriter, I used to go around and listen to the opinion of folks regarding Philippine politics.  The frequent commentary I hear is, “Why do activists keep holding rallies even when Rodrigo Duterte is already in power?”  As far as my research can go, activists are trained not to be loyal to personalities but to issues, ideas or ideologies.  Activists focus on programs like the people’s agenda on Nationalist Industrialization and Agrarian Reform. If a president’s leadership indicates a determination to implement these important changes, activists will support such initiative, but if a leader implements policies contrary to the people’s agenda (e.g. release of political prisoners), then you can expect that the activists will be there to criticize and remind the leaders of the people’s priorities .

On Political Prisoners.  I hope that President Rodrigo Duterte will be true to his promise of releasing political prisoners. One of them is a comrade in the social movement in the Philippines, Alexander Arias. I know him personally as a tireless advocate of landless peasants’ (farmers) rights. Alex is an intelligent and compassionate person who, instead of working to get rich, devotes his whole life on peasant liberation from feudal bondage. Release All Political Prisoners Now!

On Democracy. Too often, I encounter people who are into personality cults, meaning, looking at leaders as responsible for the progress of a country as contraposed to leaders who focus on social movements and capacity building. This tendency is so antithetical to the concept of democracy, which etymologically means demos or people and kratien or power, in short, People Power or people’s empowerment. Even the constitution of the Republic of the Philippines states that the “Philippines is a democratic and republican state, sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.” This is one of the provisions I memorized well from Law school and Political Science. I remember the great nationalist historian, Renato Constantino, who emphasized that the essence of democracy is freedom and its forms are varied, one of which is the Philippine democracy that we know. In the Philippine context, you have national democracy, liberal democracy, popular democracy and social democracy. These are ideological tendencies that interact and shape Philippine history. Most people embrace these according to their social situation.

 MPNP blues. The Conservative Party in power in the province of Manitoba is planning to implement an additional $500 fee to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, which supposedly will be “re-invested into the improved service standards and supports for immigrants and refugees.” This idea is being questioned by multicultural leaders like Helal Mohiuddin as comparable to head tax in the olden days. With this contentious issue in our midst, who do you think among the various communities of Winnipeg will be effective in waging opposition to this policy?

Perspectives on Jose Rizal. Last November 19, 2016, the Knights of Rizal-Winnipeg Chapter organized a Night of Poems, Songs and Essays Celebrating “Rizal the Artist.” In the event, different perspectives on Rizal’s ideas were expressed by youth participants like Johsa Manzanilla, Alfie Vera Mella, Cristine Mazur and Jon Malek. Some of the guests expressed the pacifist tendency of Jose Rizal while others expressed that Rizal espoused revolutionary tendencies.  We all know that the result of Rizal’s writings like Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo led to his martyrdom and eventually, his death sparked the revolution of 1896, which ended Spanish colonialism.  Is this a case of “you reap what you sow?”

The Story of the Goat and the Sheep. One summer in a farm, a goat and a sheep had a talk. The Goat known for his ego as big as the farm asked the humble Sheep, “How come you guys don’t follow me?” The sheep replied, “Well, you know, we love you and please don’t get us wrong, but you must always remember that you are a Goat.”

The Harry Paine I know

Levy Abad- January 1, 2017

courtesy of Cooking the Revolution

On the afternoon of December 31^st, I received an email from David Camfield of Solidarity Winnipeg that Harry Paine passed away. This is precisely what Harry told me early November when I picked him up and brought him home from a seniors’ event. Harry casually told me that he will be leaving by December. Although I know that this will happen soon, I was momentarily speechless upon hearing the sad news.

I vividly recall when I phoned Harry on November 10th to touch base and that was when he told me about his health condition. I volunteered to pick him up from a seniors’ event he was attending somewhere in Provencher Boulevard and bring him home.  I saw Harry with his shoulder bag going to and fro consulting with leaders of the seniors’ community.  Aware of his condition, Harry nevertheless went about his usual business.  He told me that he felt a bit dizzy, but as always, he added that the revolution has to advance all the time. Hearing those words reminded me that anyone who considers himself as a revolutionary should never slumber nor sleep.  A revolutionary has to advance and defend the gains of the struggle all the time.  

with Harry at the Grace hospice

From the seniors’ event, I brought Harry to his new place somewhere along Portage Avenue near Grace Hospital. There we had a nice chat.  I teased him about his room in the hospice that in the developing world, a room like that is only reserved for the comprador bourgeoisie, a layer of the bourgeoisie that is servile to foreign monopoly capital.  In contrast, revolutionaries die in poverty, unattended when they are sick. Meanwhile, Harry pulled out a list of books and told me that I could choose and he will gather and reserve them for me. I chose at least four books about the revolution in China. I asked him about the book that he was writing and he said that it is still an ongoing project and so I have to be content with his articles and his video titled “Cooking the Revolution,” a film by Dodie Graham McKay.

I commented to Harry that I am fortunate to live in a first world country and see for myself the dynamics of activism here which gave me a deeper understanding of comparative revolutionary theory. He showed me some of his stuff and when a Filipina health aide entered his room, I asked the lady to take a picture of me and “uncle” Harry, as I usually address him.  A few days later, I called him up to ask when I can pick up the books. Unfortunately, a snow storm hit the city on December 6^th, which prevented me from driving to his place.

Harry was a cadre of the revolution as he usually says. He never made excuses about his personal state nor heard him talk about his dire straits. The Harry that I know possesses a classic revolutionary attitude of not wasting his time on his blues. Everytime we meet, Harry and I would discuss about the issues and situation whether locally, provincially or federally. We also conversed on books, ideologies and the isms of the day. Theories that work and theories that don’t.  Even if we did not agree on some things, we agreed to disagree. We talked about the good old days when activists still know what to do and are still into immersing in the community.  I guess, Harry discerned my ideological preference, but has already matured to engage in ideological “ecumenism.” Harry’s love for the people and their welfare is beyond question.

Harry is a legend in the community.  Sometime in late 2015, I used to hang out at the kitchen of Mitch Podolak, the founder of the Winnipeg Folk Festival with another friend Pablo Herrera where we had coffee, cookies and sung Viva La Quinta Brigada, Bella Ciao and other internationalist anthems.  In our conversation, I learned that Mitch was also influenced by Harry into social activism back in his younger days in Toronto. In the hospice where Harry spent his last days, I saw a Certificate of Appreciation that recognized his 30 year contribution as a volunteer of the Winnipeg Folk Festival and a news article titled “Fixing the Food of the Folk Fest for 40 years, Mixing Social Activism and Cooking” by Carolyn Shimmin- Bazak. As a lone Filipino folk singer recording artist and social activist here in the Peg, I like the quote from Harry that “Music has always been a political statement.” Harry likes music when it is not created for profit.

From the time I worked for the government as a community outreach staff back in 2010 to 2016, I used to meet and consult Harry together with another friend, Boyd Poncelet, about the nature of the organizing process here in Canada and Manitoba. I learned a lot by listening in the discussion. Although I differ with Harry in areas concerning the developing world as I do not only have theoretical knowledge of the process, but also the practical experience, I am fortunate to have befriended  Harry Paine.  Hence,wherever you are  Harry, I thank you for all the times we had a chat about life and struggles and the revolution in the broad sense. You have devoted your life in fighting for and defending the gains of the Canadian social movement, and now it is time to rest. I know if you have a choice, you will go on serving, as dramatic antics of giving importance to yourself is not your cup of tea. In life, you gave light and endured burning. In your passing, rest assured that the movement will advance and your revolutionary dream will never die although it may take a different turn, as it has always been the case.  Long live Harry Paine! Hasta la Victoria Siempre! or in Tagalog ,"Sulong, Hanggang Tagumpay!"  In the midst of the differences and convergences, I will turn my grief into courage to struggle for the betterment of the community.

The Meaning of Christmas

Levy Abad Jr.

Nov. 28, 2011 (The Diversity Times, Dec 2016, Vol.5 No.12 )

courtesy of parol

Everytime Christmas approaches, it immediately reminds me of the birth of Jesus (Yeshua), the Messiah. Of course, we grew up with the idea that he was born on the 25^th of December. But let us look at what David H. Stern's Jewish New Testament Commentary says regarding the matter. “The Bible does not say when Yeshua was born, perhaps as a prophylactic against our worshipping the day instead of the One who is worthy. But it is interesting that the early believers in the Messiah apparently saw a link between Chanukkah and the birth day of the Messiah: the one is concerned with an earthly building, the other with the living Temple of God who came down from Heaven----for Yeshua himself made the comparison when he said,``Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again”(John 2:19). So, since the end of the third century, December 25, the Roman calendar date corresponding to Kislev 25, has been the generally accepted date for Christmas in the Western churches (the Greek Orthodox observe January 6, the Armenians January 19). Kislev is the third month of the civil and the 9^th of the religious year, usually coinciding with parts of November and December (Oxforddictionary.com). Anyway, the date of the birth of the Messiah, whether found in the scripture or not, is not my main concern. My focus is on the nature of the Messiah. In the New Testament (Brit Chadashah), Jesus always addresses YHVH (I Am That I Am ) as Abba or Father countless times. All of us believers grew up with the basic catechism that YHVH is indeed the Father of Jesus and that Mary (Miriam) conceived him through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:28,30-35, 37-38). This spiritual and historical event is uplifting for the fundamental reason that the Father of Jesus is the God who liberated and redeemed the ancient Israelites from their Egyptian captivity through the Exodus, and up to the struggle led by Joshua to reach Canaan or Promised Land. The Father of Jesus is the creator of the world, a Liberator and a Redeemer. Liberator, because God made his manifestations in history and led the Israelites out of bondage or slavery, and Redeemer, because God made the event sacred to be remembered forever as a sign of his Grace and Faithfulness. This act of God the father in history is a paradigm of deliverance through the Israelites and to the nations alike as promised to Abraham.

 The story of Mary shows her reverence to God. Most Christians do realize that when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary to announce, “Hail, Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you” and also “Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus,” she was overwhelmed and was initially confused, but wholeheartedly accepted her role with the deepest obedience. It was at this instance that Mary joyfully recited the Magnificat as her song of praise: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever” (Luke1:46-55 ESV). Surely, this prayer is engrained in the heart of Mary and the liberating and redeeming ideas contained in this prayer were told by Mary to his son Jesus, the Messiah, who will eventually be crucified out of his obedience to the Father.  

In discussing the life of Jesus, we cannot fail to mention Joseph. Joseph, son of David, the husband of Mary, became the father of Jesus in his temporal existence. Jesus grew up knowing Joseph, his father, as an ordinary carpenter by trade. One of the greatest characters of Joseph is his obedience to what the angel of the Lord told him to do, as written in Matthew 1:20-25, “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (Yeshua). Because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 but he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus” (NIV).

Finally, we come to the nature of the Messiah, and compare it with some of the great scriptural themes that characterize his roots (Mary and Joseph) and his spiritual origin, God. In Luke 4: 18-19, Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue of Capernaum: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour (ESV). This quotation from Isaiah, if read with the Exodus in mind, the activities of Jesus during his ministry from healings to his prophetic pronouncements, with the history of the struggle for freedom of peoples at heart, sets the tone for its correct definition. Any deliverance from God, as far as the Scripture is concerned, occurs in the world as his divine milieu. Deliverance is always liberative and redemptive. The radical obedience up to the Crucifixion of Jesus is the culmination of his obedience and subversive activity. Subversive in the sense that in due time, the Roman Empire will crumble when the seeds that Jesus sowed grew and bore fruit.  Posing the idea that He is the way, the truth and life or the Scripture incarnate, constitutes the ultimate act of obedience by initiating the will of God “on earth as it is in Heaven” thus turning asunder the rule of darkness .

Hence, reflecting on the faithfulness of God, the obedience of Mary  and Joseph to the plan of God to tabernacle in history and also to the millennial process of sowing the seeds of  love, hope, justice , mercy and compassion towards building the “new earth and new heaven” with its concomitant demands of forgetting oneself through radical obedience as Jesus did, I humble and criticize myself for all the times that I placed my interest first instead of wholeheartedly waging struggles for justice against the spiritual and social structures of evil in this world. This for me is the meaning of Christmas. To my family, relatives and friends, Merry Christmas!

Theology in the Darkness of Empire

November 14, 2012
The Diversity Times ,Nov. 2016 Vol.5 No.11

By: Levy Abad

courtesy of  jonathanturley

One of my favorite passages in the New Testament is Luke 4:18-19 which states, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord.” The Lord Jesus read this when he came to Nazareth in a synagogue on the Sabbath. This passage is read by Jesus from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Reflecting on this biblical passage made me realize its seditious nature. To premise the prophetic activity of Jesus on this passage during the Reign of the Roman Empire is to subvert it.

Related to this point, we must not neglect the historical context of slavery to be able to grasp the comprehensive meaning of a given passage. The dominant mode of production during this period is based the owning of slaves, while later modes would be based on feudal ownership or eventually the ownership of Capital. Missing the context will lead one to spiritualize the biblical event. The subversive nature of the midrash (allegory, homily, exegesis) of Jesus no wonder attracted a lot of the Zealots to his side. With these as premise, the next thing to do is to look into the radical passages in the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew like, “The Scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up the heavy burdens and lay them on men`s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.” For how could the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes do the right thing when they are already compromised? So Jesus one time asked one of them to show him a Denarius to which a Pharisee right away did. That’s it! What duplicity! How could they be parushim/ set apart in holiness, if the dirty denarius is in their pocket?

As for me, I can only say Kyrie Eleison, Kyrie Eleison, Kyrie Eleison.

It is also interesting to note the Eight Woes from Matthew 23:13-39, of which I’m going to quote some verses: 14. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Moving to verse 23.“Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self- indulgence. 29. Woe to you.... for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30. And say, “if we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets”. There are still many verses of the same justice tenor that I would not include just to save space, such as the Eight woes that constitute a radical critique of the theocratic leadership during the second temple period, leadership who served as puppets of the Roman Empire. When Jesus addressed the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Scribes, he was not trying to be cute or nice, but was exposing the corrupt theocrats of his time when there was no separation of powers yet. These eight woes are proof that Jesus is not a passive actor in the stage of History. The Messiahs pronouncements are denunciations of the existing social relations engendered by the Empire. No wonder with his firm stand, he was acutely aware of the logical outcome of persecution/ Crucifixion. These Eight woes owe its relevance to the historical context of oppression without which such pronouncements has no meaning.

Even the name of the Lord Jesus/Yeshuah (My God Saves) illuminates and glows with brightness in the darkness of Imperial oppression. The best proof of this is the persecution of the Messianic movement (that eventually became Christianity) in the early centuries of its growth. Sadly, nowadays in most instances it is no longer a movement but a petrified institution possessed by Greed. Truly, even from the days of old, the Gospel is good news for the poor/oppressed and bad news for the oppressor, though it intends to save them too.

In my studies, I noticed that Theology of Liberation given its weaknesses in practice, is rooted in the exodus and essentially faithful to the social context of the century that encompasses the activity of Jesus, while other theologies with its literal tendency, ignore the context leading them to supra historical and spiritualized/ escapist and reactionary conclusions. In my interaction with some literalists’ grassroot theologians, I have always sensed the disinterestedness in engaging in socially transformative movements. They have this tendency to focus on individualistic prayers, but are quick to spiritualize social movements that triumph, as part of an answered prayer glossing over the struggles that conditioned such social changes. Even with the ideology that they embrace, they close their eyes to the violence of it, but are in all praises when it benefits them. “Hypocrites all!” Jesus said. They are quick to accuse reformers and revolutionaries of Atheism etc., but when this changes lead to a better life, which is essentially theistic, they are the first ones to get fattened by it to their hearts glee. Lest I be accused of promoting anti- Semitism, my mention of the Pharisees here pertains only to the ruling clique of the Sanhedrin that manoeuvred to execute Jesus while in cahoots with Rome in promoting peace based on Injustice. There are also individuals in the scripture and groups of Pharisees who supported Jesus like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea (Ramatayim), while others did it in a clandestine way. There are biblical attestations and extra biblical sources that support this point. Noteworthy to mention, the concept of resurrection of the dead is just a borrowed concept from the Pharisees. Robert Eisenman’s books, like “James the brother of Jesus” and the “New Testament Code” are good references for this. John P. Meier’s, “A Marginal Jew” Volumes 1 to 3, books of Geza Vermes, Flavius Josephus and countless others.

Luke 4: 18-19, as read by Jesus in a Synagogue, is a laying down of his Social Agenda. It will put into practice the Kingdom of God as an Ideology and a Vision towards the World to Come or the “Olam haba” (the future age). Luke 4:18-19 breaks down into details the  commandment of “loving thy neighbour as thyself “ in the areas of attitude towards persons and the social system. Putting into practice the Kingdom of God subverts the rule of Rome. It counter poses the values of the Kingdom like faith ,hope, love, justice and liberation to that of the Roman Empire based on Slavery. I noticed even in present times, those who succumbed to fear of liberation dilute the sharp message of Jesus to justify the status quo or the Empire. I have seen this in the intensity of the struggle. I have seen those brought up in the womb of the empire vacillate and get confused when confronted with the issue of counting the cost of preferential option for the poor and clinging on to a gnostic, escapist / otherworldly theology. The parting of ways at times and the breaking of theological ties most of the time occur not because of right or wrong, but because of the intensity of social pressure, conditioned by the tension or dialectics between Empire and Liberation and unfortunately only a few are conscious of this. Luke 4: 18-19 compels one to undergo the garden of Gethsemane Experience of choosing Self or the Kingdom of God, a theological to be or not to be.

In the Month of October , we were led by our Pastor in studying the Exodus. The exodus is the story of Liberation/deliverance of the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity. This Liberation is a paradigm not just for the ancient Israelites but for all peoples. The Liberation experience of the Israelites is a Menorah that will light the world during the dark period of the Roman Empire and even up to now in the world to come/a world that came to be, if viewed from the perspective of the second temple period. The exodus paved the way for the arrival of Jesus the Messiah in the world stage where he takes unto himself the Menorah and becomes it. The exodus reminds one of Moses, when he rejected a future as part of an empire, but instead, opted to sacrifice everything and lead the oppressed out of Slavery. Moses, in a simple way, points to the tabernacling of the Messiah in History, by being born into the world of oppression to bring light into the Darkness of Empire. Hence, without the Exodus, Luke 4:18-19 will be empty.

Lolita Carbon: Gising na Kaibigan Ko

Levy Abad

Lolita Carbon at Canton Buffet 

Another awesome night of Lolita Carbon’s performance at the Canton Buffet restaurant (1111 Logan).  Indeed, she rocked the night by singing songs that touched the hearts of listeners by taking them “back in time and to places and embraces that they thought they left behind” – one of the lines from Kenny Loggins’ song, Your Heart Will Lead You Home. The place was packed with people wanting to be with an artist who shaped the musical taste of folks from 1978 up to the present. As for me, as I’ve mentioned in my previous article Lolita Carbon : Pagbabalik, I started learning to play the guitar with the song Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran.-( https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6911373698588055422#editor/target=post;postID=6987261598158523200;onPublishedMenu=overview;onClosedMenu=overview;postNum=1;src=postname )

Thanks a lot to Jhayzon Paredes, concert organizer, for taking time to personally invite me to come and watch. I was really happy to be there and saw a lot of friends enjoying folk rock songs of Lolita Carbon. I saw Raffy Ramiro and Bernie Carlos performing on stage and doing some covers like Hotel California of the Eagles. Raffy was really a great sessionist. He is a versatile musician. He plays the saxophone, lead guitar and sometimes he even plays the drums.

The highlight of the night was of course, Lolita Carbon. She started with the song Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran, which is an ASIN classic song. Although the group has many hit songs to their credit, the song that I really like is Gising na Kaibigan ko, which calls on people to wake up from slumber. The song starts with some philosophical questions like "Nakita mo na ba ang mga bagay na dapat mong makita? Nagawa mo na ba ang mga bagay na dapat mong ginawa?  Then the next line calls for action, "Kalagan na ang tali sa paa, imulat na ang iyong mga mata, kaysarap mabuhay lalo nat alam mo kung saan papunta." What an amazing song made even more meaningful by the songwriting skills of putting tomes of Philosophy in a verse.

People started singing along with "Gising na kaibigan ko! Ganda ng buhay ay nasa sa iyo. Ang oras daw ay ginto, kinakalawang lang pag ginamit mo.” This song really compels one to think and reflect on life and its purpose. I love it when Lolita Carbon said that she lived her life to the fullest, by sharing her talent and the positive message of her songs. In the diaspora, migrants often think of life, endure uncertainties, face the challenges of living so far away from the old country and overcoming obstacles. I’m sure some of the folks shed tears while listening to this song. I remember back in the days of the dictatorship in the 80s, Gising na Kaibigan ko took on a different meaning of urging people to move and fight for freedom.

Another song that struck a chord with the listeners was Pagbabalik, where the lyrics says "Sa gitna ng dilim ako ay nakatanaw, ng ilaw na kay panglaw halos do ko makita, tulungan mo ako ituro ang daan, sapagkat ako’y sabik sa aking pinag-mulan."  Then Lolita belts out with the crowd in unison" Bayan ko nahan ka? Ako ngayo’y nag-iisa, nais kong magbalik, sa iyo Bayan ko, patawarin mo ako, kung ako’y nagkamali, sa landas na aking tinahak."  The songs really gave me goose bumps since I haven’t been home for years now. Listening to this song seems to stop time and brings me back to my high school campus in Laguna. In the Philippines this songs has a different effect to its audience. It inspires you to move and serve the country, but here in the diaspora, it makes you miss family friends, home town and motherland even more.

I was trying to absorb the impact of the songs in silence in one corner of Canton Buffet when Kuya Felix Pao, the owner of the place greeted me and asked, “Are you performing?” I told him I was just there to reminisce and support Ate Nene or Lolita Carbon.  I am happy for Kuya Felix and Ate Evelyn for a successful event that saw a lot of people supporting the concert. One thing I cannot forget though was when Ate Nene announced before she performed "Levy, thanks for writing an article about the first event." I never saw that coming. Her sensitivity is intense. All along, I never thought that she would bother remembering it in the midst of her busy work. Well, Ate Nene, now I know the reason why you are capable of creating great songs.  It comes from your strong empathy. You are blessed indeed.

In the event gave me an opportunity to hang out with some of the pioneers in the community like Kuya Jerry Bueno, Arman Reyes- Musician, Maxie, my writing buddy Alfie Mella (Alfie just published a book titled, ”Can You Hear the Sound of a Falling Leaf?”),  Mar Mance, who  sang the song Balita with Lolita on stage, Jun Avila, siblings Florence and Evita Lammawin of the BIBAK community and many more.  After Lolita Carbon’s performance, I hang out a bit to listen to the “last act” by the Transfusion band comprised of the following Arwin Bautista-vocals, Pedong Santos- drums, Mark Sibomet-bass, Giboy Trillana-keyboard and Al Federis -guitar . I congratulated Kuya Bernie Carlos for a successful night, bid farewell to Raffy Ramiro, then headed home to write this article.

Well, Ate Nene, thanks a lot for making our brothers and sisters in the Manitoba diaspora remember who we are, for bringing back memories and making everybody happy. I wish you the best and God bless. Hanggang sa Muli!