WHICH IS MORE ESSENTIAL, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP OR BEING RIGHT? ( A short reaction paper on Machiavelli )

           The state of a certain place or nation is eminently affected by how its leader governs the people. The Machiavellian theory is one of the philosophies that deeply influence how leaders among the world administer their territories.

In Davao City, as people say, Machiavellian theory has been applied by the Dutertes in holding the reins of the people in the city. It is also undeniable that through the years, as they ruled and dominated in Davao, the city has progressed in a lot of different aspects -- that is, if people are to be asked. The number of crimes has deteriorated, and the people of Davao have been more disciplined in doing what the law states. Due to this effective leadership, it is assumed that their political thought is infused by Machiavellian theory.

But, up to what extent is this being effective, right? Yes, the Dutertes are indeed, effective. But we cannot say that they will always be right in all aspects. In deciding what’s good for the city, what’s right for the people, and what’s righteous among for their officials. One of the examples given during the discussion is the declining to sign permits on rallies. The people, being given the chance to hold protests is not worth to be thankful for, simply because protesting is indeed a right of every Filipino. This is legally allowed according to the Philippine constitution because it is a part of our freedom of expression. The point is that, they allow protests which are not against them but if it is, they don’t.

This is not a matter of the name of the leaders or politicians anymore. Dutertes are just used as an example, but this is addressed to all the leaders of this nation. So, when does being effective end? Isn’t it giving the people what is truly right? And not just because they think that it is?

In a situation, for a Machiavellian, a leader or prince has the right to kill a very powerful criminal if he will be caught. For an opposite of Machiavellian leader, he will put him behind the bars. Hence, there is a big difference. For Machiavelli, he thinks that killing the criminal would be beneficial for all. For the opposite kind of a leader, he will let the jurisdiction of the body prevail through a due process. There is a law because it is what the law makers have decided and have thought about the constitution for the people of that certain territory or nation. But if a Machiavellian way of system will exist, then law makers and worst, the laws will be of no use anymore. 

WHAT KIND OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATION SHOULD THE PEOPLE HAVE? by Aynaderka Odessa Vynn Padilla-Sison

Aristotle is one of the most eminent people in the field of Philosophy. I have no second thoughts about that. This is the main reason why, I give a hundred percent of my attention to every spoken thought that he has. It makes me analyze it word for word that leads me into more complicated ideas, and I don’t know if it’s a good sign for enlightenment or a sign of getting things harder to understand.

Let thy words be few. Because no way, that I am going to re-state again what Aristotle have said and what did he became a thousand years ago, written in a ten-page readings. But all I am certain of is that, there is no such perfect kind of system for each one of us. What I, others, and what do you want will always be in conflict even if we are only aiming for one goal, HAPPINESS. I may want a socialist kind government because it aims for equal distribution of properties for every person in the state. But it could also be that you want democracy as the form of government, or Aristotle wants Monarchy. We have different opinions and different beliefs.

A certain kind of system will only be perfect if every person would want the same kind of system or form of government. But since this is impossible to achieve, we are in the state of respecting each other’s opinion, explaining why we want this or that kind of system, asking or discovering why they want such, or worse becoming stagnant to what we believe in.

We are all political animals by nature according to Aristotle. To answer “WHAT KIND OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATION SHOULD WE HAVE?,” it is for us to discover what the answer is sooner or later.

A reaction paper on CITY OF GOD

City of Gods: TOO MUCH POWER WILL KILL YOU

by: Aynaderka Odessa Vynn Padilla-Sison

Let my words be few. All I know is that the movie entitled “The City of God,” epitomizes how impunity could live even longer than our life span. It is very heart aching to watch a movie like this because I felt like everyone watches people die but they just don’t care, and acts as if nothing happened. It made me ask myself, “Is there still hope and future to this kind of place?” I am referring to the city where everything took place - the place where everything was rampant such as robbery, killings, injustices, violence, drug dealings, shoot-to-kills, and possibly any source of danger that you might think of.

Everything looks so normal. The little boys even bring with them guns confidently as if those were toys that they were playing with. They were too confident carrying it as if they were proud of their new toy. As the movie went by, I found my self enjoying the movie. The “stupidity” or “ignorance” of Lil Ze, one of the Gods who claim the place as his territory, made me laugh the most. He wanted his picture to be taken by Rocket (the boy his age, whose brother was killed by him) for the sake of fame and for him to be recognized as the real God of the city. Maybe this is the result of being more exposed in the streets doing different vices rather than going to school. It’s even more saddening to know that the government haven’t done something for the youth of the city, for its people and for the development of their place. All along, where have they been? The government is shameful for being like a paralyzed and good-for-nothing institution.

          

I really am ashamed of myself as well because all this time watching the movie, I even had the nerve of making laugh at them, when in fact; this movie was based from a true story. So, all those terrible things that happened in the movie were once true. This is a wake up call to each one of us. The government should do its responsibility. Those who died in the movie are nothing but a victim of the system. We cannot blame the people for being like that – a drug dealer, pusher, user, hold-upper, carnapper, and burglar. If only they were provided by the government the real services for the people, if they were not deprived by their rights, if they were given the opportunity to live in a place where they can feel “human” they could have been the next leader, mayor, even the best President in time. They could have had the power.

           

But they were blinded by the system. They thought that power lies behind their guns and the number of lives that they could put in their hands and end. They thought that this is respect. But they are wrong. It was not respect that they had gained after all, it was FEAR.

            

ANG MGA KIDNAPER NI RONNIE LAZARO

A Reaction paper on the movie

"ANG MGA KIDNAPER NI RONNIE LAZARO"

photo from www.fdcp.com

At the first glance when I looked and criticized the picture of the indie movie entitled, "Mga Kidnaper ni Ronnie Lazaro" made by Sigfried Barros-Sanchez, i hardly and badly needed to contemplate for I was a bit puzzled and nunplused to enter the cinema with that movie because of the turbid concept running in my mind. I was thinking pensively while staring blankly at the poster of the movie. Sort of hesitating whether to go inside the cinema or not. But I have no choice but to go because of the lack of time for I still have a curfew to hound and I am craving for a reaction paper to make.

Still thinking, will this movie be worth watching for and worth spending my precious time?  Doubting because this might be just one of those puny Pinoy movies that I have seen for the 16 years of my existence. The movie might be boring, unententaining, not cool, or worst... another non sense movie. But of course, compared to the other movies produced with a huge amount of budget, sometimes, the indie films are a lot better, more sensible and have greater effects in the society and that's a REALITY, right? 

But of course, I am anticipating for a wonderful and socially relevant movie; A movie which will show the reality in our country today, a movie which will shaken and reverberate the awareness of the masses.

When the movie started, all I did was to laugh and laugh and laugh. There was a chortle in the cinema. I was not alone laughing.  a grotesque reaction because I, myself did the same as well.

The movie was way too far from it's title. Yes, it all happened because of the kidnapping of those aspiring film makers who wish that Ronnie Lazaro will be the actor in their sort of non sense, typical Filipino film, but the way the story happened, it is such a stupendous movie! It really made a great surprise.

This the story all about. BEBOT, a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) has been down and out of luck after the Middle East crisis, that left him jobless and his family leaving him in the process. He hatches a plan with his loser friends from Quiapo --- PIPOY, a call center agent; BOY GEORGE, a camera repairman; ABDUL, a Muslim pirated DVD seller; HESUS, a prophet of doom; and HECTOR, a former stuntman who has grown fat because of the demise of action films --- to make an independent film of their own starring what to them is the most famous Filipino indie film actor nowadays especially with the sudden boom of indie films --- RONNIE LAZARO. However, things became complicated when RONNIE LAZARO decides to beg off from acting on their supposed indie film. They suddenly found themselves accidentally kidnapping RONNIE and holing him up at BEBOT’s old dilapidated place in Quiapo. What will happen now that they have the most famous indie actor in the Philippines? Will they be able to finish their film on time? Or will the kidnapping test their bond of friendship? (http://www.fdcp.ph)

The movie did not only concentrated on the kidnapping of Ronie Lazaro. It also recapitulated what the typical movies are before and in the present as well; the reactions of the common Filipino whenever he sees a celebrity, showing that whenever a celebrity is around, he is a fan without knowing what are the movies the celebrity was in and what made the celebrity legendary, just knowing the fact that there is a celebrity. This happens often, right? I can never deny, I know the feeling. It's sort of a shame on me. For it is the reality. When there is a celebrity, national bands, actors and actresses, you easily become a fan when they are around. But when you will be asked, what are the songs they've made? What are the movies that they were the highlight and the star? What made them famous? With a saddening truth, I am an instant fan. Fan? oh, well, it is a falsehood lie. I never became one since the day that they were around.

This is just one of the things and realities that the movie had shown. But what is it like if Ronnie Lazaro is gone? Indie film will be gone dead. There will always be a disparity. Admit it or not.

There's a lot more in the movie, it also showed the difficulties that a poor film maker is facing, the impediments along their way, their act of far-seeing yet they don't know what they can do because of the lack of budget, and all they have now is the wonderful idea and marvelous movie inside their heads yet they can never make it for they have none. They have no support from anybody. It showed that film making is so hard in the first place. You may have a brilliant concept in your mind but with nothing in your pocket, you can do nothing as well but to keep that idea in your coconut shell waiting for a producer to come and support your movie.

The movie is nothing but a wonderful reality among Filipinos. After watching it, I myself wanted to make a movie. Aspiring to be like them. Despite of the difficulties, they had made a movie worth a thousand smiles and happiness. At the end, they had made a movie for the masses. The truth behind indie films. The hardships that they are facing yet after all, a great movie has been done. Two thumbs up plus a standing ovation to the movie "Mga Kidnaper ni Ronnie Lazaro." After watching this movie, all I can say is that, "PAANO NGA BA GUMAWA NG ISANG PELIKULANG PILIPINO?".