MANILA, a city of contrasts
Manila: at one side Sam, at the other God
« It is important to defend life;
but what’s more important is to defend the joys and beauties of life
under common decency and dignity today »
Manila is a city of contrasts; A capital wounded by an enormous gap between its citizens. « Maynilad », the land conquered by Legaspi during the Spanish colonial occupation, holds since 1565 a terrifying inequality. Throughout 333 years the « encomiendas » system has distinguished the « españoles » from the « indios », becoming the latter slaves of Spanish wishes.
The differences, nowadays, do not only remain, but grow making the wound deeper.
Indeed, this reality is an unfair issue that one can find in almost every undeveloped country. However, the capital of the Philippines presents a flagrant peculiarity that raises the depth of its breach. The upper class is supported by the might hand of America and the poorest class increases their families and bear the injustice through their faith in God. On one side Sam, on the other God. Two of the most powerful influences in the world attitude. Therefore, how can this country get rid of its disproportionate welfare ? How can it reach the equality?
The decisions of the government are, thus, never taken without the consent of these two ‘examples of life’ according to the Philippines: the Church and the United States of America ;« we want to do as USA has done », said the driver of a jeepnay when I asked him about the « Americanisation » of the Philippine culture. Hence, Uncle Sam is the most common spectacle in the richest areas of Manila. Huge malls packed with ‘junk food restaurants’, cinemas, tremendous supermarkets (full of the « American way of eating »: pizzas, crackers, Doritos, marshmallows…) clothing shops and everything that can give a picture of consumerism; McDonalds, Wendy’s, Dunking Donuts, Subway…are everywhere and are visited by almost everyone . Can a Philippine say that he/she has never eaten American fast food? If so, it would be one of the 18 to 25 million Filipinos-according to several Philippine poverty surveys- who live below the poverty line. This people are not just handled by the greed of the upper class but also by their own blindness. Their faith makes them acquiescent in such a misery, in such an indignity…;they believe in the kingdom of heaven. Why then to get worried ? Sooner or later, they will reach the paradise in the other life. The present is now left to God’s will. At the meantime they keep on placing colourful virgins and Christ in the kitchen, in the car, at the top of the mountains, in the bathrooms… The religion is, thus, « the people’s opium ». Sam and God, the security of our strength, extreme power, written destiny; lack of personal wish.: not need to worry; Just relax and pray. The dollars of uncle Sam will keep on protecting us and God will ensure the happiness denied in earth.
Ermita bay: a sub-human spectacle
In Manila one can see the indecent poverty at different levels.
Even though it strikes at the same flagrant way, sometimes this misery is hidden in barangays (small neighbourhoods) and others around the squatters (those who build their houses over a land property) surrounded by the luxurious buildings and restaurants that fill the richest areas. In both examples housing is present. Nonetheless, this is not always the case. The inhabitants of Ermita Bay are the third degree of a merciless atrocity. They don’t know anything about houses. Neither about cleanliness. They just search nourishment within the sea. Here, at the bay, they find a way of leaving, denied by the earth. The China’s sea provides them with mussels and crabs that they will eat and sell. Children and parents, they all dive deeply through the darkness of the coast, inside the polluted water, within the dirtiness of the garbage. Just few of them have diving-glasses … Their extreme situation doesn’t let them to stop facing up the shattered sea. What matters is that the fishing will help them to survive. The pollution is there, but they are not allowed to feel it. Once they go out, a carafe of clean water waits for them. There is no soap, thus, just their hands will remove the rotten smell of the skin.
Still throughout the bay, indignity and dread. The spectacle continues. Tons of basura (in tagalog, litter) are spread at the place of what could be a space for a beach. The rubbish, collected all around the small boats, is a playground for the children. Bare feet, they seek into the debris for coins, wastes or anything that could help them to pursue their struggle.
As long as the government ignores them, the sea will be their only resource; The sole companion in a country where the politicians suffer from amnesia and where the growing inequality pulls out the governors from the moral balance. The result turns to be the violation of the Human Dignity…
Once again, the comfort causes the oblivion; the wealthy classes- within it the governors- don’t want to know about the reality that bites their country. Therefore, Ermita Bay will keep on being the breathtaking shelter of the underprivileged.
The misery of the garbage
I’ve seen the atrocity of the poverty at different levels. City misery, at Manila. Pollution, traffic jam and noisy streets make the spectacle heavier. Breathless. They are the “city” features. The underdeveloped-city do not present the same setback. Those who live in Makati, know the security and the calm of their wealthy houses. Their double glazing keep them off reality. They don’t need to hear. Makati, Malate…they are so different from Malibay, Ermita…They are two worlds, two Manilas…Two levels in the city; a shameful contrast, an unfair issue founded in almost every underdeveloped country, a terrifying gap that keep us away from equality and poverty. The government that allows the extremes, gets, soon or later, out of the moral balance. Consequently, the civic differences grow at a frenetic rhythm, increasing the gap of injustice, and poverty,. The result turns to be the violation of human dignity.. Meanwhile, those who already own a property, etc will want more and more, and those who have nothing will become conformist with what they believe is ‘God will’. In conclusion, things will not change, as long as the government will not become aware of the reality that merciless bites his country.
Tirma BENITEZ FORNIES En Manila, durante mi Mision con la ONG francesa “Alouette Foundation” del 5 de julio al 15 de agosto de 2001
Y hoy ( Paris, 2009) me pregunto, acaso serà verdad que, como afirmó Nietzsche, “ quien ha encontrado un por qué para vivir puede soportar cualquier cómo? (??)
PALAWAN, el paraiso en la tierra
Correctional Institution for women, lugar en el que di clases de informàtica ( word, excel...)
MUSEO RODIN
29 de agosto de 1999 ( 1 año después…)
LA CATEDRAL
La Catedral emula un crucero ojival de los edificios góticos. Movimiento de rotación sobria y elegante. En piedra caliza. Las catedrales de Francia son para Rodin ” Manos que cruzan los dedos para proteger un tabernàculo”
“El hombre que anda” ( inspiró a Matisse) Gran torso del que surgen dos piernas que evocan movimiento. Rodin dice que la fotografia es mentira porque el tiempo nunca se detiene.
CENTRE POMPIDOU
DERAIN, MATISSE, KIRCHNER, KUPKA, NOLDE, CHAGALL…
LEGER “La lecture” Me encanta!!
"LA LECTURE" ( 1924) Fernand Leger
![LE DOUBLE SECRET]](http://viajaresfundamental.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/3891.jpg?w=282&h=242 "LE DOUBLE SECRET]")
“Me encantan los cuadros de Magritte porque en ellos no hay superficie sino alma. Todos tienen un sentido. Sus lienzos son pura filosofia de la vida y sobre todo del ser humano. Sueño y realidad se confunden. No basta mostrar lo que todo ojo humano ve. Magritte quiere ir mucho màs allà…En esta obra el espectador se adentra en el interior de un rostro de mujer. Las lineas y el color quedan a la izquierda. Recorta la carne para alcanzar el misterio…, el enigma de lo invisible. Espeluznante genialidad.Reflexion de un ser. Esto es Arte. Pues a nadie puede dejar indiferente…” ( apuntes de mi cuaderno, en Paris, Semana Santa de 1999)
MUSEO THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA
Marzo de 1999. Madrid.
Domenico Theotocopuli. EL GRECO
“Maria Magdalena la penitente” Tres series. La primera de ellas me ha gustado. En la que sus grandes ojos miran al cielo…
Creta/Italia/España==>3 etapas del Greco ( 1541-1614)
LAS VANGUARDIAS EXPERIMENTALES:
Picasso, Braque, Juan Gris, Mondrian, Leger…
SURREALISMO TARDIO:
Yves Tanguy, Réné Magritte, Paul Delvaux, Lioubou Popova
LA SINTESIS DE LA MODERNIDAD: en USA
Hofmann, Rothko, Chagall, Max Ernst, Kandinsky…
Sobre el AMOR
Diálogos. PLATON
EL BANQUETE
AMOR: escoge para residencia el alma del hombre
El Amor verdaderamente no es màs que el deseo mismo de la INMORTALIDAD
El amante de un alma bella permanece fiel toda la vida porque ama lo que es duradero
“Cada uno de nosotros no es màs que una mitad de hombre que ha sido separado de un todo…” ( andróginos)
“Es el AMOR quien da la paz a los hombres, la calma al mar, el silencio a los vientos, un lecho y el sueño al dolor”
FEDON O DE LA INMORTALIDAD DEL ALMA
Preexistencia del alma
Supervivencia del alma al cuerpo. La existencia de las ideas por si mismas.
Inmortalidad del alma.
Tristeza: Un clavo con el que fijan el alma al cuerpo y la hacen tan material que llega a pensar que no hay màs objetos reales que los que el cuerpo le dice
ESTUDIOS SOBRE EL AMOR. Ortega y Gasset
Belleza, vida óptima. El Amor implica una íntima adhesión a cierto tipo de vida humana que nos parece el mejor y que hallamos preformado en otro ser.
Es el AMOR por su misma esencia, elección
EL TIPO DE HUMANIDAD QUE EN EL OTRO SER PREFERIMOS DIBUJA EL PERFIL DE NUESTRO CORAZÓN
El Amor de enamoramiento:
==>sentirse “encantado” por otro ser que nos produce “ilusión” integra y el sentirse absorbido por él hasta la raiz de nuestra persona, como si nos hubiera arrancado de nuestro propio fondo vital y viviésemos trasplantados a él, con nuestras raices vitales en él.
