MAHARLIKA, maharlika, hindi ito bola
Ngumiti ka man lang sana, ako’y nasa langit na
Maharlika, maharlika, hindi ito bola
Sumagot ka naman, ‘wag lang ewan.
The lyrics sound familiar but… Oh. It should be “Mahal kita” and not maharlika.
In February 2019, then-President Rody Duterte suggested changing the country’s name from the Philippines to Maharlika.
When BBM’s father was president, then-Senator Eddie Ilarde, through a bill the latter filed, also proposed the same.
Since my minute brain was asleep during history classes, I Googled the meaning of maharlika, and that’s how I discovered its English translation: “free man.” So, does that mean if you’re free, you’re automatically a maharlika?
During the Marcos years in the ‘70s and ‘80s, right before BBM’s father imposed martial law and most especially when the country was already under martial law, the Pinoy felt he wasn’t free at all. Censored news, controlled media, Marites was not the term yet at that time but people were whispering into each other’s ears, afraid to be heard. Students joining anti-Marcos rallies were then the norm. Afternoon and evening classes were sometimes canceled because of—take your pick—anti-Marcos rallies, frat wars, or floods.
When the Marcoses were sent to Hawaii in February 1986 during the original People Power, the Pinoy expected for those rallies to stop. But they were then replaced by coup attempts aimed at Tita Cory.
That’s probably the reason why I learned to hate History more. I was never interested in History as a student, and when reality began to bite, the more I hated History.
There’s this proverb: “History is written by the victors.” If you take that to heart, you’ll begin to question the Bible. And all other books written before you were born. You were not there to witness the events, Facebook started only in 2004 for Mark Zuckerberg’s friends and in 2006 for everyone else, so, what proof do you have of the past?
And just when you thought Duterte would be the last Pinoy to mention maharlika, here it is again, reborn as the Maharlika Investment Fund.
Pinoy politicians should dare use “maharlika” in any of their proposals only when Pinoy is truly free.
But, for now, perhaps government offices should urge some highly privileged government employees to work their a**es off for the monthly salaries they’re receiving.
Imagine this: getting paid for doing nothing since they have already been replaced. But the new boss can’t remove them because of, I don’t know—contracts signed by Ursula? I was again asleep during Law classes, so, I have no idea how government offices implement rules.
But when Ursula sings, “Poor unfortunate souls/In pain, in need,” these privileged employees can’t relate since they’re now fortunate. Their old boss has already left the building but the new boss has to tolerate them. And their salaries are taken from the taxes the Pinoy religiously pays.
Which makes the Pinoy the unfortunate soul. Tsk tsk.
In pain. Ouch.
In need. And that’s when the Maharlika Investment Fund comes in—to fill up the need? Hmmm.
