LIBERATION

October 20, 2015

Today is rest day for me because of the Leyte Landing holiday.  It has been seven decades since Gen. Douglas McArthur landed on the Red Beach shores of Palo, Leyte during the Japanese Occupation and started the wave of battles that freed the country from the Imperialist clutches of Japan.  As usual, the veterans were honoured today and visitors from different countries graced the memorial event.

Two days ago, or last Sunday, was also Signal Day anniversary in Tolosa, Leyte, when then Boy-Scout disguised guerrillas Valeriano Abella, Antero Junia and Mr. (I forgot the name though I joined the yearly Parade honouring them some few years back) Tiston, waved the semaphore flag, stepped on the ship where the General was, and asked them to stop bombing Tolosa because if they had, I wouldn’t be here now since all my maternal ancestors will be dead.  I owe these three guys the survival of their genes which were passed on to me.

Some people argue that July 4 should be Independence Day since that was the day the United States declared our sovereignty, instead of June 12 when Spain sold us to the Americans and surrendered their clutches to our country.  But for me, real liberation is when the General brought hope to my ancestors by coming back for the hostaged country they lived in some 70+ years ago.

This is also the day after my grandmother’s and my step-father’s death anniversaries.  How fitting that they should be liberated from all the pain and hardships of this world on the same day every Waray feels eternally grateful and hopeful for being freed from the suffering of a then-misguided conqueror who thought that Asia should only be for Asians (though ‘only for the Japanese’ would be the correct phrase, wouldn’t it?).

For my part, there are different levels of bondage.  Physically, one may suffer detention or sickness.  Mentally, one may succumb to low self-esteem, ignorance and prejudice.  Emotionally one may wallow in depression and fear.  Spiritually, one may be in the troughs of hopelessness and clutches of sinful and riotous, chaotic living. 

But I guess the greatest form of bondage is hopelessness.  If one thinks that he/she is all alone, that this life is all there is, that everything is unfair and there is nothing one can do about it, then that would be the end.  But if a person is hopeful of a better tomorrow, of a GOD who cares and prepares a good future even if we cannot yet fathom it, there is reason to believe that all the pain, suffering, crises and oppression we are experiencing now will soon come to an end.  There will be real liberation if we all believe that all the injustices and unfairness life dishes out to us now will be paid back in full measure, and we will be compensated well for fighting the good fight until the very end.