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Anniversary musings on two 16th century events

Battle of Mactan reenactment

Covid-19 notwithstanding, natives of Las Islas Filipinas should not allow to pass unnoticed several momentous anniversaries that will mark this year 2021.

At least two events will be significant to revolutionaries and activists: the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune (1871), and the 50th anniversary of the Diliman Commune (1971). But for now, let me muse about how Filipinos should commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Ferdinand Magellan expedition’s arrival on Philippine soil (March 16, 1521) and Magellan’s death in the battle of Mactan (April 27, 1521).

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‘No classes until December’ shows black-and-white thinking

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Since the Covid-19 pandemic and a nearly nationwide extended lockdown hit the Philippines, I’ve been repeatedly noticing a deep malaise of black-and-white, dogmatically rigid thinking, not just among the country’s elite ruling class but also among its middle classes and working masses–including quite a few among the enlightened progressives. More about this black-and-white thinking later, but for now, let me just focus on the “no classes until December” proposal or variants thereof–as if keeping the youth away from schools would automatically reduce the risks of getting infected with the Covid-19 virus.

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