# data[].attributes.body
My generation is truly very lucky that we were born into a society and government where freedom exists.  We often take this for granted.  But in the past weeks in my Social Studies lessons, we learned a lot about freedom.  Freedom is the ability to express my views about anything, from religion to politics.  Learning about Martial Law and how this freedom was taken away, it is a scary thought to me.

Another aspect of freedom is physical freedom.  What I mean is the ability to move around and go to places that I want to go.  At this time of ECQ, we have a strict stay at home policy and we also have a curfew.  We learned from the highly wise Ms Sua that during the Martial Law era, there was also a curfew.  But back then if you violated the curfew, it was said that some people disappeared during the night and were never found again.

My selection for a symbol of freedom is the song ‘Bayan Ko’.  I would like to share with you some verses from the song.  “Ibon mang may layang lumipad, kulungin mo at umiiyak. .. aking adhika, makita kang sakdal laya”.  In essence, we, like birds, are meant and created to live freely, soaring high in the sky.  A bird in a cage will live miserably, it will become unhealthy as it will not be able to spread and use its wings.  In this situation the bird’s health will deteriorate and it will eventually die of sadness, loneliness as well.  It is in the heart of every Filipino, every human being, to be able to live freely and to express their God given gifts.

# data[].attributes.body
(Completed version)

The dictionary definition of freedom is the condition of being free from restraints. Moreover, I believe freedom is having the right to express oneself; the right to one's opinion, beliefs, and lifestyle. This takes into account that our actions do not harm anyone or anything.

Freedom is exercised everyday of our lives from being able to openly practice your religion, to speaking your opinion on any subject. Although we have the freedom to do things, it does not save one from the consequence of the actions they choose to perform. Freedom implies that each citizen’s economic, social, and cultural rights are individually protected by the law that they together control through democracy. Freedom is violated once these rights are taken away, abused, or disregarded. Examples of violations include: failure to ensure a minimum wage  to workers for a decent living (rights at work); denying access to sexual and reproductive health services (the right to health); segregation of children, eg. people of color, gender, and social status, from mainstream schools (the right to education); discrimination in recruitment pf employees, eg. based on 🤬, disability, race, political opinion, social origin, etc. (The right to work); Failure to provide a reasonable limitation of working hours (rights at work); Banning the use of minority or indigenous languages (the right to one’s culture); And failure to ensure a maternity leave for working mothers (protection of and assistance to the family).

These violations are more common than most think. Many believe these issues are a thing of the past, but they still seem to remain prevalent in the modern world. In fact, it is disheartening to see people be denied of their rights in our very own country. In 2018, approximately 12.3% of employees in the Philippines were paid with an hourly basic pay below two-thirds of the minimum hourly wage. Not only that, but among those workers, about 15.8% of women were underpaid while 10.2% for men. This is not only a statistical example of discrimination of 🤬, but a violation of one’s rights at work. However, this cannot compare to the human rights violations of Martial Law. At the time, the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) stated that around 9,000 victims of human rights violations were monitored from 1969 to 1986. Of the 9,078 cases, 73% experienced one type of human rights violation while the rest experienced two to six counts of violations. With this said, we may not be perfect, but we’ve come a long a way from the state of the country during that dark period of Philippine history, and we should forever remain grateful for the freedom our fathers fought for.

I chose the song “Bayan Ko” by  Jose Corazon de Jesus because it has been used as a protest song in various points in Philippine history. This is a song that people sang on the streets during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.  However,  the Filipinos who were there during Martial law felt as if freedom was out of their reach. This is because the government deprived them from some of their rights like the habeas corpus.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when the people unite, just like during Martial law, the EDSA revolution and during this global pandemic. When the people join forces to help others, they use the freedom that they have for the benefit of the people and not for their own selfish reasons.

Despite the good examples of freedom there are also ones that violated the people. An example of how it is violated was during Martial law. The rights of the people were suspended like the freedom of expression, thus people that were suspected of disobeying the government were captured and wrongfully accused.

I chose this picture because during The People Power Revolution, the Filipinos did not back down and kept pursuing freedom until it was finally won when Marcos left the country.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free in my eyes means you can do what you want when you want to do it, without the restrictions of anyone but yourself. In books, it means you are not under control or in the power of another person and you are able to act as one wishes. When you are free, you don’t live under the power of a person, whether it be a family member, a friend, or even a stranger. You can choose to take action in whatever you want, even if it’s good or bad for you. To be free, you take charge of your internal capacity to make choices,

Freedom, however, is the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Unlike freedom, there is a twist, especially if it relates to your freedom under a country. When it is freedom under the administration of a government, it also enables laws that prevent other people from hurting or threatening you. For example, during the monarchy, if an aristocrat summoned you, they would say “you are free to go,” afterward, as if you had been under their leadership.

Although, you can take advantage of the freedom that is given to you. There are freedoms that you don’t realize you are lucky to have, such as your right to education, your right to be counted as an equal, the right to a fair trial, and even the right to wear whatever you want.

An example of when freedom was exercised was when Abraham Lincoln believed that freeing slaves was important to their efforts to win the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation later took effect the next year, though it only applied to Confederate states. Afterward, the 13th Amendment was established, granting liberty to more than 4 million black men, women, and children who were enslaved.

A law that violated the freedom of the Filipinos was the Sedition Law of 1901. It was passed with the intent that the Filipinos could not say anything against the US at the time, which violated the freedom of speech in the Philippines. They also weren’t allowed to display the Philippine Flag or sing the Philippine National Anthem without being fined.

I chose this quote because it shows that educating people about the right things can change their impact on the world, depending on how you teach and them and how you choose to act around them. Leaving people ignorant will not only affect their impact on the world but can also change the way they speak to people.

source of the photo: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.learning-mind.com%2Fportfolio-items%2Fthe-secret-of-freedom-lies-in-educating-people%2F&psig=AOvVaw2fBH4QF7pFohr2LA2boUOA&ust=1589018398485000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKD62v2ApOkCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAO

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means that you can do whatever you want to do without being restricted. Freedom is a right given to human beings which allows them to speak, act, and think according to what they believe, to live your life without any restrictions and limitations, and without being controlled by anyone else. A simple example can be when an editor of a publication writes his opinion of a current matter like the closure of ABS CBN. He has the freedom to write whatever he wants (including his opinions).

An example of how freedom is exercised is through the right to vote. Citizens of the country who are ages 18 and above, have the right to vote during political elections. Having the right to vote is vital in every country because at the end of the day, it is the citizens who will choose the future political candidates of the country. You also have the freedom to choose not to vote. In the 1987 constitution of the republic of the philippines – article v, it states that “Section 1. Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.” It also states that, “Section 2: The congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad. The congress shall also design a procedure for the disabled and the illiterates to vote without the assistance of other persons. Until then, they shall be allowed to vote under existing laws and such rules as the Commission on Elections may promulgate to protect the secrecy of the ballot.” Through this constitution, the Filipinos were able to practice the right to vote. Therefore, it was properly used. Although it may seem like no one in the country violates the right to vote, some still do. For example, Ferdinand Marcos, who was the president of the Philippines from 1965-1986, took advantage of his powers being the president of the country to gain votes. To finance his election campaign, he used the government’s funds, and later on resorted to vote-buying, intimidation, terrorism , as well as other forms of electoral fraud. An example of vote-buying would be when you, a candidate for a political position, give money or bribe other people, the citizens, to vote for you. This did not enable the Filipinos to practice the right to vote. Therefore, this was an example of freedom being violated because Marcos technically forced the Filipinos to vote for him even if they did not want to.

I chose a picture of birds flying to represent freedom because they have this natural ability to fly. They can also walk on land, and swim in the sea. They are free to do anything they want to do. They are not caged or restricted. Some consider that birds are a symbol of eternal life; they are the link between heaven and earth.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the right to be able to act, speak, or think as one wishes or wants without it bringing burden, hindrance, nor restraint. It could also mean not being bound or restricted from movement or not being imprisoned or enslaved.

An example of how freedom is exercised was when the Filipinos united together against the Marcos’ Administration during the EDSA People Power Revolution in order to obtain the freedom they desired. An example of how it’s violated is when the Philippines was under Martial Law. During then, the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, and so, those who were arrested were punished without going through a trial, thus faced consequences without even being able to be given the chance to prove that they were innocent.

I chose this picture because it describes the Filipinos experiences in the past being under colonization. The first time the Philippines was colonized, the colonizers placed “handcuffs” that bounded them from their freedom. The handcuffs also signify how they become slaves having to serve the countries they were under. The detail where the chain is cracked illustrates how the Filipinos were able to finally achieve the independence and freedom they were yearning for after several years of being “imprisoned.”

# data[].attributes.body
To be free is enjoying personal rights as a person that is not in slavery. People look at freedom from two different perspectives, some people think that freedom means we are able to do anything, good or bad. Some people think that  freedom is being given the rights to do anything with in the law. In my opinion I believe that we are physically free to do anything we want to do.

But I think that those who choose to use their freedom for bad, are taking advantage of their freedom. This is why laws were made, even though we have freedom we should be mindful whether what we are doing is good or bad. This is shown through many times in our history, like how Marcos was corrupt, using our country funds for himself. He was free to do that but it still was the wrong thing to do.

I believe that we all need freedom to live, without freedom no one will survive, but I also believe that giving people too much freedom like allowing them to break rules and laws would destroy society. This is why I chose this quote, this quote reminds people that even if we have the freedom to do something it is not always good.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom means that there are no boundaries. One has the power to do and express anything without being influenced or controlled.  With freedom, you can do what you want to do and be who you want to be. Everyone can have choices and opinions in all aspects, meaning that they have the right to speak. act, and feel with no limits. Although we have the right to have freedom, it should be used properly. You can do anything you want, but there is a responsibility to make sure that it does not hurt anyone.

How is freedom properly exercised? An example of how freedom is correctly used is when you fight for acceptance and respect. Regardless of your race, appearance, religion, etc., respect and acceptance is something that everyone deserves. Even though you have the right to freedom it does not mean you can use it to hurt someone physically and mentally.  As long as it does not offend the person in a bad way, it is properly used.

How is freedom violated? An example of how freedom is violated was during martial law. Everyone didn't have the freedom they deserved and they were controlled. Another example is when one is not allowed to defend themselves. This is similar to when Marcos suspended the writ of Habeas Corpus. People were allowed to get arrested without a warrant for allegedly "opposing" the government.

I chose K'NAAN's song entitled "Wavin' flag". The lyrics meant that everyone is powerful because we have freedom today. There were lyrics in the song that stated "When I get older, I will be stronger", and it was referring to the time when a lot of racism was still around. Another was "They'll call me 'Freedom',  just like a wavin' flag", and it referred to people of all races waving flags because today, they have the freedom to do so. It is a very meaningful song about freedom and there are many ways the lyrics can be interpreted.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
K'NAAN - Wavin' Flag (Coca-Cola Celebration Mix)

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the absence of restriction and constraint in a choice or action. It stems from the belief that we are capable of making our own decisions and are able to think how we want and act the way we want. When a person achieves freedom, he/she achieves the right to life, speech, assembly, religion, education, opinion, etc. For more than 2000 years, the ideals of democracy have guided western society and political thought. Overtime, modernity has introduced freedom as a principle value deserved by everyone.

However,the freedoms that go hand in hand with a fair and ideal society have been curtailed even in supposed democracies. A particular event where the freedom to live was violated took place just in the last century. Over about seven years, the rights of Jews in Germany and in their annexed territories were gradually taken away. The increasing, aggressive revocation of the rights and freedoms of Jews culminated in what we all know as the  Holocaust when millions  were summarily and savagely executed in concentrations camps in and around Germany.

Another example of the severe revocation of freedom occurred in the Cultural Revolution in China, during the 1960s. The leader of the Communist Party, Mao Zedong shut down schools, taking away the right to education of millions of students. Mao Zedong also banned the printing and distribution of books that expressed western ideas while allowing the distribution of only communist propaganda. He abused the people’s  right to freedom from torture and degrading treatment by imprisoning and torturing people who went against his policies, and killing about 20 million, through famine or through outright murder.

In conclusion, as Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues wrote in the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  These freedoms are inalienable, meaning that everyone on this planet should enjoy them. Despite the importance of freedom to a just society, the rights of millions of people, even billions have been trampled on throughout the centuries and they continue to be. Even in our very own Philippines, a supposedly democratic nation, these freedoms have been curtailed many times. To secure a brighter future, we must hold the freedom of every person on this planet sacred.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the right to all human beings. It’s what gives us the right to speak up our decisions and control our own lives. Freedom basically let’s us do anything we could do without restraint or enslavement.

But sometimes freedom could be misused in a lot of ways. It still needs to be something that should be controlled and it shouldn’t be abused.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when the Filipinos fought for their freedom in the people’s power in EDSA. They wanted their freedom back which they fought for and succeeded.

An example of violated freedom in when Marcos declared marital law on the Philippines. It didn’t give the people of the country any right to speak up or even do anything they wanted to do. It was all controlled by the president and there was nothing to do about it. This is a violation of freedom.

I choose a pencil inside a light bulb as a symbol for freedom because it holds meaning and I could strongly relate to it. It gave me this feeling of freedom because it tells me that you could do anything you want, it’s only up to your imagination that limits you. As a practicing artist and digital artist, this could relate to me because it’s like you can do anything with your canvas, draw anything you desire. Your mind is free to do anything it wants to. That’s why it gives me this feeling or freedom.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is a right given to every human in the world that allows them to be in control of their own life and make decisions for themselves. To be free means to be able think, say, and do anything they desire. It means that no one else can control your life and that you don't have to follow other people's will.

However, it's provided that you follow laws, make the right decisions. An example of how this is exercised is choosing what to do in the day such as going to the mall or a friends house. You not take advantage or abuse this freedom to do something wrong against others such as a crime like stealing or hurting others.

An example of freedom was when William Wallace led the fight of Scotland against the English. Despite the fact that they were greatly outnumbered in several battles he didn't give up and continued to fight against them. Even when they were invaded by the English, he refused to surrender to English rule, so he was eventually captured and hanged to death. He would stop at nothing in order to try to gain the country's freedom. There is a movie about this(Braveheart) and one popular quote of his was "You may take our lives, but you will never take our freedom!"

# data[].attributes.body
To be free is to go about your normal routine and follow the rules without restraint. To be able to have control over yourself independently, and to be able to think, act, and speak without being held back by someone else. Someone who is “free” is able to act for themselves, and to choose whatever they want without someone dictating, forcing, or expecting them to follow in their footsteps, and choose what they chose.

If you are truly free, you’ll be able to speak the truth without the fear of being tortured, or physically or mentally abused. You will be able to honestly speak your mind, without feeling held back because of “what’s going to happen” or “they’re going to be angry with me”. If one is truly free you allow yourself to express anything with no lies, to watch, speak, act, or choose with no fear restraining you.

An example where freedom was exercised was when the Philippine flag was sewn by the revolutionary junta in Hong Kong and was  first raised in battle on May 28, 1898. This was an example of freedom because it showed that we chose to act together as a whole country, and not just as single citizens. We raised our flag proudly despite being colonized at the time because we knew that we were still a country, equal to all the other countries. We were fighting for our freedom and even if we were being colonized, the fact that we chose to unite as a nation without being forced too is a great example of independence.

I chose this quote as my SSS for freedom. The reason I chose this is because I feel that this quote is very accurate. You can't truly have joy if you aren't free. By this I mean that in order to find true happiness, you must not feel restrained. When you are happy, you feel "free". Like you are able to do anything. And in order to be free you must have courage. One can’t be free if they don’t have the courage to do something about it. To gain true independence, you must have the bravery and courage to break free of what’s holding you back. The Filipinos needed all the courage, hope, faith, and bravery they could muster to fight for our independence, and the fact that we stand today as an independent nation, free from the pain our colonizers had caused us shows you that all you really need sometimes, is a little bit of faith.

# data[].attributes.body
By the book,it means not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or be done as one wishes.But I think that freedom is something that everyone deserves and that no one should be rid of their right of freedom.However, If you don't take freedom seriously you would just be breaking the rules.Others, could not have any freedom and forced to do things against their will.One famous quote of freedom is “When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
―  Nelson Mandela.

# data[].attributes.body
The state of being free means being at liberty rather than in confinement or restraint— meaning, we can speak, think, and act on what we want with no limitations. It is a gift we are all born with once we are thrusted upon this world. We all have basic rights that start out our freedom, including: the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of expression, the right of work and education, and many more that we are all lucky to have. With these set of rights that represent our freedom, we can make our decisions of how we will individually progress and think about our futures. We can do so many things with freedom, but we must know how to be careful.

Freedom is used in every situation. Right now, you’re free to read this writing entry. In another situation, you’re free to tell others how you feel. As you can tell, freedom goes a long way— simple scenarios or complex ones. It can be as simple as being able to refill your water jug. No one will stop you from refilling it because it’s simple. You can even choose if you want to refill it now or later. It’s purely your decision.

There are different ways throughout history that freedom has been practiced. It was properly used in 1919, when the Philippines sent out missions to the US to campaign Philippine independence. The independence missions were under the leadership of Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, and Manuel Roxas. Through this, they were able to have their voices heard and use their freedom of expression. They used it properly with no abuse, and instead used their position and right to express their readiness for independence.

Although, sometimes freedom is still misused. In a different time in history, it was violated when there was graft and corruption during the 1970s. When Marcos had ambitious projects for the Philippines, there was an inadequate budget. To resolve this, he secured loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Unfortunately, his cronies and other associates used the money illegally for selfish purposes when it was supposed to be used for the public welfare of the Filipinos, leading to a lot of foreign debt owed to the WB and IMF. They used their rank in society as a way to provide and help themselves. They did not use their freedom of being in the government properly, and did not consider service to the civilians.

I chose a quote said by Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, to represent freedom. “A freedom that asks what’s in it for me, a freedom without commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.” he stated. This saying represents the two sides of freedom: the properly used and the tragically violated. The way we should rightfully use freedom is through every point he pointed out: it cannot be selfish, it has to commit to other people, and it has to convey love, charity, duty, or patriotism. While it shows how being free should be exercised, it shows the tragedy of how people always misuse it. He talks about how it “is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.” meaning a freedom without all those essential points mentioned earlier is not good. It is selfish. To use it badly, once, twice, or a hundred times, is almost a disgrace to those who exercised it properly and had passed. Hopefully, we can learn to use it properly and make those who misuse it know what they have to change. Barack Obama’s quote really shows us what it means to be free.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free is not being regulated, controlled, and monitored by anyone or anything. You are in control of yourself. Moreover, freedom is the option to act, think, or speak without any obstacles. Freedom is a right everyone should have no matter how poor or rich. Although we live in a very complex environment. Freedom isn't always there. Some people in countries don´t have the right to exercise their freedom. A small wrong act may take you six feet under the ground. While some people are given to much freedom. Other people have done many wrong acts but not captured due to the bribery the privileged do.

An example of freedom exercised was when the first pride parade occurred. On June 28, 1970, the first-ever LGBTQ parade took place through the streets of New York City. The parade was a form of freedom of entry wherein people declared their existence regarding their attraction for the same gender as them. People proudly kept their heads high as they took giant steps into the streets for recognition in their sexuality.

Freedom was violated when Marcos suspended the writ of habeas corpus. As he suspended this act, Filipino citizens may go to prison without any trial. Armed forces would imprison, torture, or kill those who exercised their freedom of speech and people who were suspected of opposing the government.

As a symbol to represent my definition of freedom, I chose the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was given to the Americans by the French in 1886 in New York. This statue was an all-embracing form of freedom. Initially, the statue was given to America as a symbol of friendship between the two countries and their mutual desire for liberty.
----------------------------------------------------Source:
https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/statue-liberty-meaning-and-use-national-symbol

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Statue-of-Liberty

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/when-was-first-gay-pride-parade-origin

https://classroom.google.com/c/NDEwNDcwNDc2MjFa/a/NzEyMjg3NDU3OTFa/details

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means to be able to make your own decisions. An example would be if you were free to drive a car. No one is stopping you from driving it, but it is your choice whether you want to drive it today or not. When someone is free, they are practicing to live independently and be responsible for their own decisions. Freedom is when you are not under someone else’s control. You have the right to do and say anything you want because there are no obstacles in your way.

An example of how freedom is exercised is the freedom of expression. Anyone is free to say anything they want about a certain topic because it is a crucial right that every citizen should have. Since freedom of speech is a right, everyone is entitled to share their own opinions about something. This is shown through the incident where Ninoy Aquino exposed the dark truth about the Marcos administration to the public. Ninoy explained how Marcos’s administration was very corrupt and was planning to put the country under Martial Law even before he started his second term. This was an example of freedom of speech because he had the right to share his opinion about the Marcos administration and how his ways of governance were dragging the country down. Ninoy Aquino used his voice to try to put an end to Marcos’s corruption and notify the public on how much of a dictator he was.

When Marcos found out about this, he arrested Ninoy Aquino. This was an example of freedom being violated because Marcos had no right to simply arrest Ninoy Aquino just because he did not agree with Marcos. Ninoy did not do anything wrong and was just stating his opinion. He arrested and accused Ninoy Aquino of subversion which meant being against and trying to break the order that was present in the society. By arresting Ninoy, Marcos wanted to frame him to the public as someone who broke the law when all Ninoy was doing was trying to unite the Filipinos to overthrow the dictator and bring responsible leadership back to the country. Marcos violated the right of freedom of expression because everyone has a right to say what they want about something and he should respect their decision.

To represent freedom, I chose a quote by writer Kahil Gibran, whose works sparked during the early 1900s. His quote is “life without liberty is like a body without spirit”. Your spirit is what keeps you alive. Your spirit is your energy, beliefs, and how you feel about something which all form your character. You have the freedom to be yourself and follow your beliefs. However once freedom is taken away from you, you begin being under someone’s control and are forced to make the choices that are told to you. When you lose your freedom, you lose the ability to say and do what you believe is right, which is your spirit.  A body without spirit is like death because you cannot do anything.

# data[].attributes.body
In finding Nemo, a 2003 Disney

Film, Nemo goes on a field trip with his friends, and was free to explore the coral reef. Unfortunately, he went too far and was captured by a diver. All his problems started from there. His dad came searching for him everywhere with the help of some friends like Dory. This is an example of freedom.

I drew a bird that is carrying a twig with leaves. The bird represents a free being and the twig with leaves represent life. There is also a sun behind it and shows that the leaves catching fire. The sun is our guide and lights our path but also represents the boundaries or our limitations and the fire represents the consequences of we go beyond our boundaries.

I chose these symbols because even if a bird is free to fly, if it flies too close or beyond the boundaries, his life can suffer and may even die. Being free means being allowed to do whatever you want, but making sure to stay within boundaries and limitations of life. That’s why as children, we should always listen to our parents and elders who are sincerely concerned with us. We should also remember our learnings about God’s teachings so that we can always be guided and do the right thing.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means having my own control. Control of how my life begins, ends, and what happens in it. Being free is very common in people's lives. People are free to breath, free to live, or even free to help. Being free is special and the best gift to have.

Freedom is expensive and a gift of God, freedom is what makes human beings have a future. Freedom is what makes people move on with their lives. Freedom must be used wisely in different kinds of situations.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when a boy cooks for his family, the boy is using his freedom to feed his family with his own choice of doing so. An example of how it's violated is when a girl doesn’t do her homework, the girl has freedom to do her homework, but instead she abuses the freedom and experiences its consequences, like having a bad grade or punishment from her parents for being irresponsible.

I chose a quote by Ayn Rand which is “Freedom: To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.” In the quote, “To ask nothing.” means that you don't need anyone else’s opinion, you are in control. In the quote, “To expect nothing.” means that if you expect something then you have the freedom to expect it or not because you don't know if it really is gonna happen or not. Expecting nothing gives you more freedom than already having freedom. In the quote, “To depend on nothing.” means that you should be independent when you are free, choose your own future and be happy.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is defined as having the power to act without restraint or control or fear. It is the ability of a person to choose what to do with their lives. This choice is actually a gift that was given to humans by God (free will). Through it we are able to make decisions and act upon it and be responsible for the consequences ourselves.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when people follow other religions.  Many people have many different beliefs and practices that are based on their cultures and traditions.  There are Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and more.  We cannot force or impose our choice on others but we can educate them and allow them the freedom to make a decision.  Whatever that will be, we need to respect it.

Freedom is violated with you take away the ability to choose and act or when one is punished for it.  A recent example of this is the closure of our country's largest network, ABS-CBN. The order for them to stop broadcasting goes against freedom of media and the press.  Not only does it prevent the public from receiving the news or entertainment, it also affects all their employees who are at a risk of losing their jobs.  Ironically, this is not the first time that ABS-CBN has had to face a similar fate because during the time of the Marcos dictatorship, they were also forced to cease operations.

I chose Paul McCartney's song entitled Freedom because the words he used to define freedom are simple and straightforward. It is our right and something we need to fight for.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Paul McCartney. "Freedom" (official video)

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means to be not under the control or in the power of another, and to be able to act or be done as one wishes. Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when we do anything we want to do and no one can control us or restrict us to one certain task. When we utilize our rites as human beings. Rites like getting married, raising a child,  speaking out in the public, expressing our thoughts, being in any religion we choose to be in, etc. An event or certain time when our freedom was violated was when the Japanese took control over the Filipinos.  Filipinos were forced to bow to Japanese soldiers and greet them. They were only allowed to be out until a certain time.

I chose a gust of wind as my symbol for freedom. I chose this image because,  wind is free to go wherever it chooses to go. It cannot be stopped because it is free to go where ever it chooses to go. The wind also carries leaves with it sort of like how we can do whatever we want with others as long as they let us

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means to be able to do, make, say, or change something without anyone's restraint.

An example of how freedom was  exercised is when we take care of ourselves because we as humans have basic human rights such as marriage and family, right to your own things, freedom of religion and thought,  freedom of speech, etc. We are free to make our own choices and choose how we take care of ourselves. An example of when freedom was violated was when during martial law of Marcos's time, he strictly  prohibited rallies and protests which violates our freedom of speech and our right of public assembly.

I chose this image as a symbol for freedom because birds are commonly used as a symbol of freedom because they have wings to fly wherever they want and do whatever they want, and the infinity symbol symbolises that there are an infinite amount of possibilities and things when freedom is exercised.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means not being under someone's control and making our own decisions in life. Being free means speaking out without someone telling us what to say or do. Freedom means being able to do whatever you want without limitations and control. Having the power or right to act, speak, and choose is freedom.

Freedom can be abused especially this time of the pandemic. When we go out of our homes, we can get the virus which limits our freedom and our daily activities outside such as going to school and being able to see our families. When we take advantage of our freedom, we sometimes don't think of other people's rights. Sometimes our freedom can limit other people's daily activities. Our freedom of going outside and being a carrier of the virus can also take people's lives.

An example of freedom is when a person is at a presidential debate and speaks out what she or he thinks of what's best for the country. When she or he speaks, the person doesn't need to be told what to say; the person is freely speaking to the people and gaining trust on why they should vote for him or her. When speaking freely in a debate, you are expressing all your ideas, thoughts, and creativity to make people think that these ideas will make a better place or will change the mindset of others. Another example was the shutdown of ABS-CBN. The people who support the company are speaking out as to why they shouldn't stop the company's broadcasts and shows. The Filipinos showed freedom by protesting to The National Telecommunication Commission on renewing the franchise and not order ABS-CBN to shutdown. Members of the company showed love and freedom by defending press freedom in the country. Unfortunately, The National Telecommunication Commission did not renew the franchise and had shutdown ABS-CBN.

I chose the quote, "It is this spiritual freedom - which cannot be taken away - that makes life meaningful and purposeful." by Viktor E. Frankl because it says that everyone has inalienable freedom. Having inalienable freedom can make a change for a country by freely speaking out. Having freedom is purposeful because when we fight for freedom, we fight for what we love in life. A person fighting for freedom can make other lives more purposeful and meaningful by changing the way they live in the world such as lessening poverty and having a better economy in the country.

# data[].attributes.body
The right to speak, act, or think without hindrance is freedom. Everyone should have this right. To be free is a gift that grants our will to choose and believe.

An example of freedom was when a mass of Filipinos in San Roque, Quezon City protested because they did not receive any of the said donations by the local government and some claimed that they did come to rally, but for “food distribution” going on. We are also entitled to the freedom of speech, and the freedom to vote for our representatives of the country. A violation of freedom was when authorities caged five teenagers in Santa Cruz, Laguna because they violated the curfew. Treating humans as animals is a violation of human rights. It is not in the law to punish people in cages, but in prisons. The incident in San Roque did not necessarily violate human rights, but the repression of speech which is a human right.

A verse from the Bible in Galatians 5:13-14 about freedom is “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This verse tells us that everyone is made for freedom. However, it says that we should not use this gift to sin and harm others, but to treat them with love and compassion. We are also called to use our freedom to love everyone as we love ourselves.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free is to do things with no restrictions or limits. Freedom is to have the same rights as everyone else and for there to be justice in everything.

Freedom is being practiced by having justice so that people are treated fairly even if they are from a different race, stature, religion, and gender. Some people' s freedom are being violated during our time because racism is still very common, limiting the freedom of some people. This is because when people are being criticized for their race or color their expression for freedom is limited so we need to stop racism and move on.

An example of freedom was  when Malcolm X and the Muslims fought for their place in American society during the civil
rights movement in the U.S.  They carried out their freedom by facing some challenges and by using all the rights they had to fight for a fair life among white people. Malcolm X tried to fight for the Muslims without violence but with agreements and negotiations. This event was a very special moment in the history of black Muslims in the U.S. because it opened their eyes to new things by showing them how to be strong and to fight for their rights and freedom.
A famous quote that helped the Muslims get closer to obtaining better rights and freedom was

" a man who believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire or preserve their freedom" - Malcolm X

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the right that all people have. Freedom gives the power to do whatever you want, and not have anyone stopping you. To be free means to be lifted of all your occupations and do whatever you have chosen.

You have the freedom to do anything, but there is always a consequence. But, as the world changes over time, freedom has been taken away from many people because they are defenseless and can't help themselves. They get everything taken away and are treated as slaves. An example of this are those suffering from Human Trafficking. Many people are captured, enslaved, and seduced into Human Trafficking. They are helpless, their lives and everything they had are gone including their freedom.

The Angel

The Angel is a symbol of the church and Heaven. They are free of responsibilities. They have freedom to do whatever they want. They choose to follow the lord and serve him. That's why they are free. The wings represent freedom because they allow the angel to go where ever they choose. The clouds are the parts that make up the angel and give him/her the freedom to do anything with his/her body.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is the human ability and right to choose. We possess the capacity to act on our judgement, which is only enabled through our personal freedom. The civilized world has nearly unanimously agreed on the importance of freedom for all people. Nowadays, the citizens of most countries are entitled to multiple freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assembly and the right to petition the government. However, violation of human freedom is synonymous with an assault on dignity. Throughout history, regimes, collapsed and standing, have breached this substantial human right.

A particular example of this is the division of Berlin by the Berlin Wall in 1969. The citizens of East Berlin were not allowed to leave or protest because of the stringent control of the USSR. Many who attempted to escape were killed in front of the powerless West Berliners. In this case, the personal freedom of the Russian soldiers was used to harm others. This is why I chose the image of protesters at the Berlin Wall.

In conclusion, freedom can be used for good and evil, and the decision to act on either is based on the discretion of the person. A quote that's summarizes freedom is from - Adlai Stevenson, US United Nations ambassador from 1961-1965.

“My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.”

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is having a right to speak for yourself. It means that The ability or freedom to behave, to talk or to consider without hindrance or restriction as one wishes. Freedom is a right and it should not be taken away from you. Everyone should be able to have say in something. An example of how is exercised it when you have a say in the topic. When you make a stand for what you think is right. I think a good example would be when the Filipinos stood for themselves to protest against Marcos. I think the People Power Revolution is a good example of freedom of expression. Freedom can be violated when you are being forced to do something. And you have no say on your opinion.

I chose this picture because I think that if you're freedom is taken away from you its like being trapped in a cage and being forced to do what they say. And once you escape you are free and your freedom is back.

# data[].attributes.body
Freedom is being able to do anything you want without limits or controls. Nevertheless, there will be a cost later for certain choices that you make. We live in a world where we can make our own choices of our own free will, not on the will of anyone else. An example of freedom is a woman who regains her freedom after her controlling marriage has been managed.  An example of how freedom is violated is  discrimination because of race. Racism is the assumption that groups of humans express different behavioral characteristics corresponding to their physical appearance and can be divided based on the dominance of one race over the other. I chose this picture of a horse because Horses are a common symbol of independence without restriction, since riding a horse has made people believe like they can free themselves from their own bonds. They are also related to horse riding, symbols of travel, movement, and desire.

# data[].attributes.body
Free is when a person can chose his future and decisions and no one is controlling you or telling you what to do with your life. An example of free is if you have to finish a homework and once your done you can be free and play with your friends and family.   There is no limit of freedom but there is also bad in freedom because if a person is so confident and free they have no limits so they can make bad decisions like becoming a criminal, murderer, and etc. A person who is to free can also be good like becoming a hero because if you are free and make the right decisions you will have a wonderful life.  But we always have to remember that if you are free there are wrong and right decisions. So don't be to obsessed with freedom because there might not be a limit but there is a wrong decision.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free is like releasing a bird from its cage, and letting it fly away into the sky. Or like when students get dismissed from their classes and head home. The word freedom means being able to speak, act or think without being controlled. Or it can also be "the state of not being controlled, by someone."

An example of how freedom is being exercised can be when there's gender equality. Like when everyone can be accepted for what gender they are, and who they are. An example of a role model who showed freedom  of gender equality could be. When her song Material Girl came out, it "broadened the palette of acceptable cultural identities." An example of how freedom can be violated can be during the Martial Law. Ever since President Marcos's second term, corruption and poverty became a huge problem. Causing the government to issue Martial Law on the Philippines. Which means, the military would be in charge of civilian rights. And because of this, the civilian's freedom decreased because of how they implemented lockdowns, and everyone was forced to obey the government. So if anyone was to be caught plotting against the government, you could be tortured, killed, or even worse.

I chose the Statue of Liberty because it represents freedom. Even though it was originally supposed to represent the friendship between France and the U.S., because of their equal desire for liberty. But the word liberty itself means, "the state of being free from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority based on one's way of life, behaviour, or political views.'"

# data[].attributes.body
To be FREE means to do, think and say what you want without being under the power of another person. Freedom is something everyone deserves and needs to have. But if you are granted freedom, you have to know how to use it properly, meaning you have discipline. You need to set limits so that you don’t abuse your privilege of freedom

An example of how freedom is exercised is having the freedom to speak. You can vote or debate (like in politics) but you need to learn how to use your freedom correctly in order not to cause any scandals. You can use your voice to make the world better. Emma Watson is someone using their voice and freedom to speak out about gender inequality. Abusing your freedom can be when you don’t obey laws and choose to go against them. Some people abuse their freedom by disobeying the government and going out during community quarantine. Some people even abuse their freedom by stealing, killing and many more crimes.

I chose the song “Freedom” by Pharrell Williams because the song represents refugees fleeing from Europe. He thanks the immigrants’ contribution to the world. A line from his song goes “Mind, use your power. Spirit, use your wings”. By using your mind, you can express what you think with others. Your knowledge can be a power. And by using your spirits to “use your wings” can mean to share your knowledge. This song is very meaningful and the music video shows many people who are finally granted freedom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pharrell Williams - Freedom (Official Video)

# data[].attributes.body
The definition of being free would mean 'not being in another's control'. Freedom is being able to express yourself however you are and act without restraint.
We can choose to help people, or ignore them and go on with our lives, but then that's when we get to choose out of freedom. But people like policemen, do it because of their job, and they still get to choose to help out of their own will.
but when we do something out of freedom, you'd get to make choices and there would be results/consequences. I feel like these are three points in your life when you have freedom.
Example: 1.) Lets say that we walk into a convenience store, you can choose whatever you'd like to have as a snack and there is no one that will make you eat something you don't want. 2.) Another scenario would be if you'd like to go somewhere for the summer with whoever you'd like to invite or even go on your own. You'd have enough money to anywhere you'd like for a few weeks, so you have a choice to go anywhere you'd like.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means having the freedom to live, act, speak and do anything responsibly without being controlled or manipulated by other people. Being free means being able to exercise all my rights yet still takes responsibility for all my actions, and ensuring that in exercising my rights, I do not violate the rights of other people as well.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when people go to the street to voice out their grievances to the government.  They do not feel that the government hears them, so they go out of the street to air their grievances.  They all gather together to make a louder voice for the government to heed their call.  That is freedom of expression being exercised.

How it's VIOLATED: This freedom of speech was violated during the time of Martial Law because as the people exercised their right to freedom of speech on the street, they were usually dispersed violently by the military.  The people are oftentimes hurt during dispersals and it prevented them from exercising their right to freedom of speech.

Symbol: I chose this as my symbol because it shows hands breaking a chain, which symbolizes freedom from Martial Law.  Just as freedom of speech was violated during martial law, it was restored after Martial Law was finally lifted.

# data[].attributes.body
To be free means you have the right to do almost anything you wan't to with out restraint. Freedom is something everyone should have. Although if you decide to abuse the freedom that has been given to you, then you are using freedom incorrectly.

An example of how we can exercise freedom correctly is by helping others and helping the Earth. We can help those who can't afford the things we can by buying them the things they need and things that can help them become better people themselves. We can use freedom to help the Earth by not littering, taking less trips in cars, and cleaning up litter thrown by others. Ways freedom can be violated is using your freedom to do things illeagal like, stealing/robbery, taking 🤬, murder, and other things.

I chose a quote by Albert Camus which is: "Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better." I chose this because what is being said is that you should use the freedom you have to become a better person and to improve yourself.

Albert Camus

# data[].attributes.body
To be free for me means doing anything you want, whenever you want, and how you want to do it. Freedom is something that can be big or small. The simplest things mean freedom for me. It can also be big. Freedom is something that everyone wants but not everyone can have. Sometimes it may be you parents or even your country taking away your freedom. However, you still have the freedom to stand up for yourself.

An example of how freedom is exercised is when people stand up for themselves. The Hong Kong protests of 2019 is an example of that. People protested in the streets of Hong Kong because of Beijing´s decision of not following the agreement they had with Great Britain. According to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Hong Kong was to be a Chinese special administrative region for 50 years. This 50 years would be a transition period for Hong Kong. However, Beijing didn´t want to wait that long. They started violating that agreement. Therefore, protests started happening. The protests have quiet down already however, this will not be the last battle between Hong Kong and Beijing. They exercised freedom here by standing up for themselves. They stood up for the right of Hong Kong. This is usually the case in many government protests. Many protests gather in front of government buildings to exercise their right of freedom.

I chose the song Glory to Hong Kong by a person under the pseudonym of Thomas dgx yh. This song is in the Cantonese language of Hong Kong. I chose this song because it what the Hong Kong people were going to do. It showed that they were going to fight for their country. It makes me see what their morals are. It shows they are proud of their country. It showed what Hong Kong meant to them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"Glory to Hong Kong" - Anthem of The Hong Kong Protests [ENGLISH LYRICS]

# data[].attributes.body
To be FREE means to do anything you wan't with no limitations and no one holding you back or manipulating you to do what you intend to do. FREEDOM is the power to do anything you wan't such as the right to act, speak, or think with no hindrance or barrier blocking your way.

An example of how freedom is EXERCISED is when the people during the EDSA Revolution came  to EDSA express their thoughts through speech and protest on the country's situation  during the rule of Marcos. An example of how it is VIOLATED is when Marcos suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus which is a legal action where the person convicted of a crime can plead for his innocence. Marcos took many citizens suspected of crimes and imprisoned them with giving them a chance to appeal for themselves.

I chose the famous quote, “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” which was by Virginia Woolf. I chose this because this quote is inspirational. I say this because it leaves a very strong expression on you because it means that no matter what happens to her, she'll still have her freedom with her and that no one can take it away from her. This quote means that you should never give up no matter the difficulty standing in your way.

# data[].attributes.body
To be FREE means that you have the right to do anything you want without restraint. The person has the power to do thing s that can not be prevented by other people.

An example of how freedom is EXERCISED is when Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech about his dream exerting his love for the american people and how racism should be dealt with. An example of how it is VIOLATED is when African Americans weren't given the same rights as the other races.

I chose Martin Luther King Jr's. quote "Free at last, Free at last, Thank 🤬 almighty we are free at last." because it shows that Martin Luther King Jr. fought for his country for what is right. He fought for the civil and economic rights for the African Americans. It also means that he expressed his joy that African Americans now were treated equal as the other races.

# data[].attributes.body
To be FREE means not under the control or released from the power of another.
FREEDOM is to be able to do what you want and not be under any constrain imposed by another person or a group of people.

An example of how freedom is EXERCISED is when people gather together and would like their feelings and thoughts to be heard such as that of the government. An example of freedom of speech is to be able to voice out something for a cause through a protest and it can be a peaceful protest just like what happened during Martial Law period. Ordinary people like nuns, priests, housewives, rich, poor and even children with their families joined to protest against the Marcoses.
How its VIOLATED: Marcos arrested people who were suspected of accusing him, and hurting the citizens by launching teargas at them. This made Marcos a bad example to look at  and no President should ever do such a thing to their own people. This is a form of abuse of power. This also represented at that period, that the Filipinos had no freedom under the Martial Law because they weren't able to speak their hearts out. It can be compared to our frustrations now with this Quarantine because of this COVID-19 Pandemic. Our freedom is restrained but justified but still feels very restrained.

I chose this symbol because it represents a dove, a symbolism of freedom. It's like being able to be released by the clutches of the people and soar into the sky, which is the true meaning of freedom. The dove can now be at peace and do whatever it wants to do: soar!

# data[].attributes.headline
PLEASE LOG-in using your GOOGLE account when you post.  [NO ANONYMOUS responses please.]

# data[].attributes.subject
PLEASE LOG-in using your GOOGLE account when you post.  [NO ANONYMOUS responses please.]

# data[].attributes.body
[Sample Post]
To be FREE means...
FREEDOM is...

An example of how freedom is EXERCISED (correct use)...of how it's VIOLATED (abused)...

I chose Jim Paredes' song entitled "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo" because...