THIS Christmas season, I’m far from the maddening traffic and the winter wonderland theme of Davao. I am here instead in Tangub City, otherwise known as the Christmas capital of the country, where this once rustic place is now a feast of Christmas parol, fantasy themed houses and lights that delight families visiting the city.
Such merriment seems like a respite for this time where news of tragedies give us a somber Christmas.
A tsunami struck unexpectedly in an island in Indonesia, leaving more than 200 dead and scores missing. While here, a mayor was shot while giving gifts to the elderly. A congressman and a lawyer was shot as well. An Ateneo student got bullied and kicked in the gut by his classmate.
These reflect the state of hate and impunity that has to do with the president who fills our air with words of hate and division. He does that even on Christmas season, in a gift-giving event with troops in Compostela Valley, as he called on his troops to attack, arrest and destroy suspected communist fronts and sympathizers.
Nothing can be more chilling than that. As the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) put it: “This clearly speak of Duterte’s stubborn and simplistic mindset – all those who are against him are just reds who must be destroyed.”
CAP sees the contrast of the symbolic color of red for the holidays. While red is a color of hope, passion and love, the president sets red in his tone of fear, hate and bloodbath.
They also point out that his Martial Law which promises peace has instead “resulted in incidents of forced evacuation, military encampment in Lumad schools and communities, forced or fake surrenders, and other grave human rights violations.”
This is a Christmas of separation. While soldiers want to spend the holidays with family, there is no ceasefire. Meanwhile, a hundred Lumad bakwits are longing for home in their ancestral lands. Children orphaned in the war on drugs spend a sad Christmas.
This is a Christmas of reflection. During the birth of Christ, the Roman emperor ordered the massacre of the innocents, the first born babies in Israel, fearful of the prophecy that a newborn will overthrow the empire.
In our Philippine history, a massacre happened on the day before Christmas. In 1762, the Spanish authorities ordered the execution of Chinese residents in Guagua, Pampanga, on their suspicion that they are conspiring to attack them during the British occupation of Manila. This has been called “Red Christmas.”
History seems to be repeating itself. As CAP puts it, characters have changed, the script remains the same, one ruler rules by law and branding others as the “enemy.”
Our reflection this Christmas is that we must not let ourselves be ruled by fear and hate. Love, hope and action should sign bright like the stars of Bethlehem. We find our silver linings by treasuring not just happiness, but protecting our freedom away from fear.