Students participating in the forum. Photo courtesy of Chiver Megalbio
The 2016 Mindanao School of Peace held a forum entitled ‘Continuing Bonifacio’s Revolutionary Fervor among the Youth: Tasks of the 2nd Propaganda Movement’ at the Brokenshire Resort and Recreation Center, last July 22
The session’s resource speaker was former Kabataan Partylist representative Raymond Palatino. He discussed the relevance and the need for the youth to understand the concept of the second propaganda movement.
The entire session was based on the speech delivered by Prof. Jose Ma. Sison in 1966. The need for a second propaganda movement was first expressed by Senator Claro Mayo Recto, whose ideals Sison used in the entirety of his text.
Sison’s speech heavily criticized the colloquial influences in the country’s educational system and gave emphasis on the need for more programs dedicated to cultural revolution.
Palatino deconstructed each subtopic of Sison’s speech and explained why there is still a need for the youth be part of the second propaganda movement at the present, 50 years after Sison’s speech was published.
“The problems identified in the speech are still our problems today. The tasks enumerated by Jose Ma. are still applicable to the youth,” Palatino said.
Palatino also stated that the current system of education neglects more pressing issues in society.
“Right now, schools glorify competitions and fame, when in fact our schools should teach people to learn to serve the masses,” he added.
Students in attendance also expressed how the youth should be aware of the country’s suffering,
“Not only are the issues relevant, but so is the revolution. The younger generation should study society. Only that way can they discover the flaws, and learn how to fix them,” University of Mindanao student Jobert Pormento said.
He also added that students use technology to spread the word on the ongoing second propaganda movement.
The 2016 Mindanao School of Peace lasted from July 21-22.