Only in the Philippines...

When Filipinos become exasperated and fed up with a great number of things that happened in this country, we often begin or end our sentences with, "Only in the Philippines..." I think I even have a memory of a show from my childhood that had that title. I may be imagining it or have dreamt about it though.

Regardless of my flawed memory, the sentiment "Only in the Philippines" though possibly inaccurate, often sums up our feelings of disbelief and disatisfaction even when Filipinos have clearly been deeply desentisized through the years of endless turmoil, scandals, and corruption.

Our latest drama is the legitimacy question of this current Arroyo administration. Every political scandal currently being played out in the Philippine drama stage traces its roots from the alleged electoral fraud Arroyo during the last presidential election.

Going back to my "Only in the Philippines..." moment, journalists and civic organizations will stage a bar tour called "STOP THE KILLINGS" beginning tommorow until December. Yes, you read it right, there is actually a bar tour featuring our country's top bands and performers that was organized to jolt the detached and tired nation to stand up against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's brand of fascist democracy or fascism cloaked in democracy. Activists, leftists and journalists are being killed like flies every week, almost every day, and we read about it on the newspaper and see it on TV, but we are no longer shocked or disgusted. Our spirit and moral compass have been in coma, and there is no white knight to sweep us back to our feet-- only we can do that for ourselves.

The “Stop the Killings!” bar tour kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 21, at 70s Bistro, 46 Anonas St., Quezon City. Bands playing: The Dawn, The Jerks, Sandwich, Sugarfree, Brownman Revival and Radioactive Sago.

A concert tour as a call to end the rampant extra-judicial killings in a democratic country? Yes, only in the Philippines...