“Different voices, different choices.”

“You can’t talk peace and have a gun”

“So many faces, so many races”

These three particular lines from the song say a lot. The first and third one refers to us being different from each other and that we have different choices to situations in our life. The second one refers to the cruel reality of what has happened to Human Rights as a whole. People use peace as a medium to get what they want. Is it peace if peace is being forced?

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClNTn1wtq7E

Real-life Situations in the Philippines: Extrajudicial Killings.

Solutions: The best possible solution to this is to remove laws that allow officials to take a person’s right to live, speak, defend, and etc.

Ng bawat isa sa mundo

Sana'y pag-ibig na lang ang isipin

Sana'y magkatotoo

Sana'y laging magbigayan

Sana'y laging magmahalan”  

            These lines from the song say it all. They provided a compelling reason for us to consider why we should fully accept, be fully kind, and fully love everyone. There is absolutely no harm in doing good for yourself and for others. Doing so will make a difference and may influence others to do the same while changing our perplexing world somehow. 

           We are born into this world to help one another, to accept each and everyone, and to always do good for ourselves and for others as well. We all share the same world and we should all be responsible enough to support and protect one another.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_H4l6frmk 

There is no need for us to have a particular status in life in order to be accepted in our economy. We are all entitled to equal benefits and rights. Not everyone is born with the ability to be economically solvent, independently wealthy, educated, and have a steady income. But, we should all work together to achieve our goals and make significant changes in our lives.

Infographic: Sofia Gonzales

The very first line of this song speaks of the upper-class being entitled to a seat from which they never rise.

 “Kayo po na naka upo, subukan niyo namang tumayo”, 

This line tells us that the people on this so-called chair pretend to be unaware of what is going on around them and choose to ignore their people as long as they have power. This power becomes their obsession; that’s why they are willing to compete to sit on the “chair”. 

        Also, "At baka matanaw, at baka matanaw ninyo ang tunay na kalagayan ko”.  As to the previous line, people are asking the one who’s sitting on the “chair” to stand up. This line states the crying and begging of the people for the higher-ups to notice the real problem that is happening in the country, especially in the lower class, and do something about it. 

           In the end, we discover that the people on the chair are not aristocrats, but rather ordinary people with ordinary clothes and lives. For the most part, upper-class people are oblivious to the people below them; there are some exceptions, but most ignore the class struggle beneath them because it is in our nature as humans to be selfish. As a result, some turn into greedy beasts desiring more wealth and possessions than they could ever hope to use.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvWVfYwpMD0

Lawyers, physicians, dentists, engineers, professors, architects, civil service executives, and civilian contractors make up the upper-middle class.

      The difficulty with this program is that: if you don't have a job or a steady income, you might easily be thrown off. We can overcome this if we are given the opportunity to demonstrate what we have learned if we are given government positions.

Another issue with the middle-upper class is that children born into it are under pressure from their parents to excel academically. One answer is for parents to understand their children's learning capacity and to allow them to develop at their own speed.

          Another issue is that upper-middle-class wages are taxed at a much higher rate than investment income, which is where most families get their money. Warren Buffet even mentioned that he pays less in taxes than his assistant. We should charge individuals the appropriate amount of tax so that they can afford to pay it while still having enough money for their daily needs.

Example of situations in the upper-middle-class

The upper class is made up of people who have jobs and come or have wealthy families. Only a small percentage of people get rich enough to become upper-class. Moreover, a hierarchy still exists in today's society, where rich families stay rich for generations, while lower-class people stay poor for generations, because we are stuck in a mindset given to us by our culture.

Solutions to prevent classism:

These solutions can only be made true if our government becomes better, nourished, and smarter with how they use the natural resources of the Philippines.

 "Gugutumin, sasaktan, malalagay sa peligro"

"Uuwing nasa kahon ni, wala lang testigo".   

          The song describes the condition in the Philippines and the reasons why some Filipinos labor in other countries. The song also describes OFWs' experiences while working abroad, such as being restless, being abused, and dying without a witness.

          The song's lyrics, "Pinuno ay ungas sila lamang nakikinabang pero tayo ang utas," reflect the previous government's terrible leadership, which used power to buy their way to luxury, which is why many Filipinos were forced to work in other countries.

          The song's lyrics, "Kumita ng dolyar na ipapalit sa peso," state the result of weak administration and governance. Filipinos are subjected to rising prices as the value of their currency depreciates.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFJZUCg3_DQ

         Working-class people must have a college diploma, and many of them are also classified as middle- or lower-middle-class.

         Sociologists such as William Thompson, Joseph Hickey, and James Henslin say that the lower middle is the largest class. In the class models by the sociologists, the working class comprises between 30% to 35% of the population of a country, roughly the same number in the lower middle class. 

        A lot of people who fall into the working class category are the ones who are most likely to conduct a protest or a program in order to inform our government and society that the benefits they are receiving are not commensurate with the amount of work they are doing. That’s why working-class people require a decent and reasonable wage because they are frequently the ones who support our economy in growing and surviving. Government officials must work on this as soon as possible especially now that we are in this time of the pandemic, a lot of workers are risking their lives in order for them to hold on and to have an income to provide for their necessities.

Monetary Problem: This is one of the most typical issues that a middle-class man faces. How can one anticipate anything different given the state of the economy and the ever-increasing expenses of everything from groceries to gasoline? The middle-class man encounters hurdles every step of the way since there is simply no money left, no money to save, and no money to buy anything with a meager salary that barely covers power bills and taxes.

 Quality Education: Education, like everything else today, has caught up in terms of expense. All parents wish for their children to receive a good education. Yet, the middle-class man may not even be able to consider it. Most students who attend prestigious colleges and universities believe that prestigious private schools, tuition, and coaching sessions are required. Additional costs include mandatory picnics, Industrial Visits, and payments for other annual programs, among other things. However, most middle-class children must attend government schools and may not receive any tuition unless it is extremely low.

Health-related and Medical Problems: The majority of people in the middle class do not have health insurance. Not every doctor is compassionate, and not every clinic will waive fees.

            This song tells the story of a woman who’s name is Magdalena. During her childhood days, she had a best friend who’s name is Ernesto. He narrates the story and in the first part, he said that Magdalena was treated like a princess by her family. Ernesto developed his feelings for Magdalena as they grew older. During their High School Prom, Magdalena fell in love with a man from Manila. She decided to follow him; unfortunately, she didn’t find the man she loves. 

           As time passes by, Magdalena’s still nowhere to be found in their hometown. Ernesto decided to follow her. Luck was in his hands for he saw Magdalena in a poster with different hair color. He decided to go to the said location in a poster. When he arrived, the lights were continuously switching colors. He was surprised to see Magdalena dancing on a stage wearing dark make-up and not wearing any clothes— just shoes.

           After they met at the club, they had a one-night stand. Magdalena then left a letter to Ernesto then left him afterward. 

Salamat sa alaala, nagmamahal, Magda"

              This music video tells us that Magdalena is a victim of poverty. Due to Socio-Economic Class, Magdalena didn't have many privileges. She graduated from High School but didn't continue to College. For that reason, she couldn't find any decent jobs in Manila because she isn't qualified. That's why she introduced herself to prostitution.

              As sad as it may seem, there are many Magdalenas in our world. There are so many people who aren't privileged, and they think that this kind of job (prostitution) will help them for it is the fastest way of earning money. Some people have jobs with small wages so they couldn't provide as much for their families. If only we had the same advantages, the world could have been a better place. But, that is not the case. We live in a system where each class is divided. Unfortunately in our country, most of us are in the Lower Class, that’s why there are most that do illegal works to fasten their income (prostitution, selling drugs, etc.).  

Video: 

Magdalena Music Video

MMK: Maria sells herself to support her education https://youtu.be/o75gwmwjsk

Tadhana: Girl gives up her body for 20K! 

P1-M illegal drugs seized in Cotabato raid:

https://youtu.be/Dv_36GTMuwQ

This quote tells us that if we want to help someone, we should not just give them what they want and need (like groceries, money, etc.) because it will only help them for a short period of time. Though, we can do that sometimes, but not all the time. If we really want to help someone, we should teach them how to earn money themselves, so that they can provide for themselves and not rely on other people. We can either lend them money to start their own business or help them find a job.