By Marjorie Gorospe
“UNHAPPY the land that is in need of heroes.”
This is a notable quotation from German playwright Bertolt Brecht. It is now the core message of Mae Paner’s (a.k.a. Juana Change) latest video posted on YouTube.
Taking the role of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), Paner portrays a domestic helper who talks about how OFWs are often considered as “bagong bayani” or new heroes of the country due to sacrifices they make.
These new heroes work abroad, leaving their families behind to find jobs elsewhere.
“We do not need praises, we need money,” Juana Change says, as she tells a stranger on a plane about her feelings working abroad.
While more and more Filipinos work abroad as professionals, some end up doing jobs that are menial.
In the video, her character mocks government officials who go abroad to hide their ill-gotten wealth.
The video eventually ends with a familiar face: national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.
It was as if Paner was showing the two faces of heroes. Rizal sacrificed his life for the country; while OFWs continue to sacrifice comfort and dignity to support their family and eventually our economy.
But as Bretch’s saying goes, this country still needs more heroes who have the genuine interest to serve the country minus personal interest, desire for power and corruption.
Watch her video:
5 Feedbacks on "Juana Change ups another diatribe on YouTube"
Hazel Alvarez
Great summary…spellcheck Brecht pls
Randell Aranza
JuanaChange’s videos on YouTube rock.
It makes us think of our status as Filipinos and why we seem to be doomed in that particular state. It’s a wake up call for all of us to do something big for this nation.
We need more of these videos to slap apathetic Filipinos and corrupt government officials.
JuanaChange, nakikiisa ang sambayanang Pilipino sa inyong pakikibaka laban sa mga tiwaling tagapamahala ng ating bayan, sa paghahanap ng katarungan at sa pagbibigay ng karampatang pagpapahalaga sa ating pagka-Pilipino.
lolong358
Perfect…it should be watch by the young filipinos especially students belong to “masa”. Kawawa talaga ang mga filipino dahil kelangan pa natin mag ambisyon pumunta ng ibang bansa while ang mga elite na nagtapos sa marangyang school ay sandali lang maging multi-milllionaire sa panloloko sa mga kababayan natin na mahihirap.Sana palakasin pa natin ang advocacy for goog government and society. Im also avid texter and regular caller for AM Radio programs to name a few, DZMM, RMN-DZXL, DZBB, DZRH, VERITAS 846, DWIC and somtimes RJam.
LOLONG REJANO of Marinduque
pbo ng bayan
SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4, S.2009 IS UNCONSTITUNAL
WE APPEAL TO MY CO-EMPLOYEES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TO JOIN HANDS TO QUESTION BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT THE VALIDITY OF SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4, PARTICULARLY ITS PROVISION THAT JANUARY 1, 2010 (NOT JULY 1, 2009 AS THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL) SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVITY DATE ¬ OF THE MODIFIED COMPENSATION AND POSITION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES. LET US FIND FOR US A GOOD LAWYER/S WHO COULD HELP BRING IMMEDIATELY THE ISSUE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.
THIS JOINT RESOLUTION NO 4, S. 2009 VIOLATED SECTION IX-B OF THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION, WHICH STATES THAT CONGRESS SHALL PROVIDE STANDARDIZATION OF COMPENSATION OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, BY PROVIDING FOR TWO (2) EFFECTIVITY DATES, JULY 1, 2009 FOR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND JANUARY 1, 2010 FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT EMPLOYEES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION, EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 811, DATED JUNE 17, 2009, WAS ISSUED ADOPTING THE FIRST TRANCHE OF THE MODIFIED SALARY SCHEDULE WHICH SHALL TAKE EFFECT JULY 1, 2009 FOR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES BUT JANUARY 1, 2010 FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL PER SECTION THEREOF.
THIS JOINT RESOLUTION NO 4, S. 2009 ALSO VIOLATED SECTION 1 OF ARTICLE III - BILL OF RIGHTS OF THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION WHICH STATES THAT NO PERSON SHALL BE DENIED EQUAL PROTECTION OF LAW. EQUAL PROTECTION OF LAW SIGNIFIES THAT ALL PERSONS SUBJECT TO LEGISLATION SHOULD BE TREATED ALIKE UNDER LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS BOTH IN THE PRIVILEGES CONFERRED AND LIABILITIES IMPOSED. ANG NATIONAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES LANG BA ANG APEKTADO NG HIGH COST OF LIVING, INFLATION, GLOBAL RECESSION, CLIMATE CHANGE, ETC.? TAYO BANG NASA LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AY HINDI NAGDARANAS NG MGA GANITONG KAHIRAPAN? THIS JOINT RESOLUTION IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF CLASS LEGISLATION. MALINAW NA NILABAG NIYA ATING KARAPATAN SA ILALIM NG SALIGANG BATAS TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF LAW.
THIS JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4, S. 2009 VIOLATED THE GOVERNING PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND REPUBLIC ACT 6758 WHICH THE SAID RESOLUTION PER ITS 2ND WHEREAS CONTINUED TO ADHERE TO. HOWEVER, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANDATE OF THE CONSTITUTION, THE COMPENSATION SYSTEM UNDER RA 6758 HAD ONLY ONE (1) EFFECTIVITY DATE FOR NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PERSONNEL, WHICH WAS JULY 1, 1989. THE JOINT RESOLUTION CONTRADICTED ITS OWN INTENTION UNDER THE 3RD WHEREAS TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF CIVILIAN PERSONNEL BY ADDRESSING ONLY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL LEAVING THE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PESONNEL TO JANUARY 1, 2010.
WHY THIS JOINT RESOLUTION HAS STILL TO DELAY THE EFFECTIVITY DATE FOR LGU PERSONNEL TO JANUARY 1, 2010, SIX (6) MONTHS LATE THAN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL, WHEN IT HAS PLACED ALREADY SO MANY SAFEGUARDS TO CONTROL AND LIMIT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODIFIED COMPENSATION BY THE LGUS SUCH, THAT SALARIES AND WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS OF OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE LGUS SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE SANGGUNIANS SUBJECT TO THE PERSONAL SERVICES LIMITATION BUT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE INCOME CLASS AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY OF THE LGUS. THE RESOLUTION VIOLATED THE PRINCIPLE OF LOCAL AUTONOMY UNDER RA 7160. WE READ THE TRANSCRIPTS OF DISCUSSION AT THE PLENARY, THE EFFECTIVITY DATE OF JANUARY 1, 2010 WAS INSERTED SIMPLY AS AN AMENDMENT BUT WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION OR JUSTIFICATION.
WE HOPE THE ISSUES RAISED HERE WILL BE BROUGHT IMMEDIATELY TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPREME COURT FOR IMMEDIATED DECISION.
CO-EMPLOYEES IN THE LGUS, LET US PROTECT OUR RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. GOOD LAWYERS, WE APPEAL FOR YOUR HELP.
cuteegiftsphilippines
OFWs sacrifice comfort and dignity to support their family and eventually our economy. They really should be called BAGONG BAYANI of the Phillipines.. Given the fact that they need that work and money for their own families or for themselves, still they do sacrifice right?
But the point is, why do they have to go? What drives them to do so? And mostly what is there to be found when you have your own country?
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