Deconstructing Patricio Mangubat

Teaching Philippine history for a bunch of college kids at the University of the Philippines in Manila way back in 1992 was an experience I would never forget. My class was gruelling. After spending eight hours work over at DZBB as newswriter, I log out at 7 in the morning and head straight to Padre Faura to teach at 10 in the morning. I was the youngest faculty at that time, headed by Dr. Villegas of the social science department.

I was given three classes, most of my students were freshmen. I was just given a desk where to put my stuff (mostly books), near the desk of Prof. Roland Simbulan (of the Nuclear-Free Philippines fame). A colleague of mine, Prof. Peter Badilla, was my source of strength at that time. My salary was just a bit below 2,000 pesos per month, which is okey since I supplement it with my 3,500 pesos salary over at DZBB, GMA Channel 7.

As a history teacher, I did'nt teach them about dates or make them memorize events. No. One of my students (now an Attorney), whose name is Datu Reza Sinsuat, can attest to that. What I taught them was historical and dialectical materialism. I said that in order to understand the events happening all around us, everyone should at least know the theoretical models, especially the philosophies of History. Theoretical models are based on concrete observations of reality.

Historical and dialectical materialism is one such model which is quite good in analyzing Philippine history. You get to know the dynamics of time and space in operation. I also gave them Braudel's system, Spengler's view of the relevance of historical milestones and Bauer's interpretations. Most of all, I also emphasized on the importance of oral history.

A few years later, I was able to teach at Dela Salle University in Taft Avenue Manila. The department, located at the fourth floor of the faculty building, was then headed by Dr. Tony Hila, who was then finishing his doctorate over at the UST. Dr. Hila commented that I am also good at Political Science. Well, it's not surprising since I really started as a student of Political Science, having been admitted at the university to this quota course way back in 1988. I got high marks in political science subjects and just decided to transfer to history in 1991 upon the prodding of my colleagues at the League of Filipino Students (LFS) especially (now Prof.) Rommel Banlaui and history professors, such as Dr. Zeus Salazar, Dr. Jaime Veneracion, Dr. Miranda, and Dr. Isagani Medina. It was a decision that I am not ashamed since history is more exact than political science and more engaging than the often stolid grind of reading and analyzing politics.

During my university days, I spent a lot of time working for the LFS. I was inducted into the organization as a freshman, and immediately became an officer. My LFS head then was a guy named Dom Danao, who was the very first millionaire of his batch and married a bar top notcher named Amor Datinguinoo (sister of Vinia of PCIJ, also a group mate of mine in the LFS). Amor was the head of the LFS National Propaganda Bureau where I was also a member. Other LFS members such as "Sheila", " Daniel" etal are now all working for NGO's and POs and some, like Amante Jimenez, decided to go full-time with the Party.

In 1990-1991, I was elected vice-chairman of the CSSP Student Council upon the decision of SAMASA, the dominant student political party headed by Mike Defensor. My Council Chairman was Vicente Paulo Yu (who's now a lawyer, graduated from UP College of Law). We were the first Council to implement the transfer of tambayans, from the CSSP building to the kubols outside the building. The dean then was my professor and idol, Dr. Zeus Salazar whom I created a very strong ideological bond even up to now (though my nanay nanayan back then was Dr. Miranda of the UP History department).

While studying, I worked as a researcher under Dr. Maria Serena Diokno of the Jose Diokno Foundation in New Manila and wrote as a journalist in the now defunct Diaryo Filipino. My first beat then was the Department of Justice. I also wrote for the weekly magazine of Octopus Files of Mangubat.

Though I got high marks in the masteral program in History, I decided to take the full-time Masteral program of the College of Mass Communications (CMC), majoring in Communications Research. The approach was tri-media. Why did I not pursue teaching history? Well, it's plain and simple practicality. I choose this masteral program because I want to write. I envisioned a career in journalism. And this decision I never regretted.

In 1995, I got hired by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as Foreign Affairs Specialist II under the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS). The CIRSS is the main think-tank of the DFA. I handled the economic diplomacy unit which contributed in the research that APEC of 1995 used. I was under the administration of Dr. Aileen Baviera, who is now at the UP Asian Center. I was the one who made the position paper on China's Inclusion to the World Trade Organization (WTO), predicted the rise of regional economic setups in the Asia-Pacific region, and the eventual dissolution of weak states.

After the APEC event, I decided to again go full time as a journalist. I wrote articles for the Manila Bulletin, under Diego Cagahastian and Jun Icban, and did radio work for Radio Veritas under Mario Garcia. MG was my editorial mentor. While sir Diego was my mentor in writing news articles. I became very good as a reporter that I was given a morning program.

Eventually, I worked briefly as AVP of AMA, then left for RPN 9 when my boss allied himself with then Vice President Erap. In 1998, I helped in the campaign of Defense secretary Renato de Villa. In 1999, I met my classmates again, Mike Defensor, Miro Quimbo and Bong Bongolan. We worked together. In 2000, I met a lady named Rosebud and we exposed the alleged scam in the PNP which was then headed by my kumpadre, Ping Lacson. I became friends with lawin, then Col. Berroya and the former PNP chief Bobby Lastimoso. After EDSA dos, we parted as friends. I taught one semester over at DLSU-Dasmarinas in Mass Communications (Newswriting, Newsroom operations, etc) before I left for Singapore to work in Product Development for a Singaporean firm allied with VISA Asia-Pacific.

A year and a half ago, I came back to the Philippines and again worked for a Malaysian firm, handling product research and development. After ten months, I was head hunted by an agency to handle their Business development and marketing. I left the agency last year to pursue what I love best---journalism. Since November, I am now engaged in journalism and even formed a media organization, an online one.

Patricio Mangubat is not some figment of some guy's imagination. The reason why I don't use my real name is very, very simple----I don't want to be popular. No.

What I want to become popular is the struggle, the message that Patricio Mangubat (PM for short) wants to convey and the truth that he writes.

Pat Mangubat is just a cyber nom de guerre, a brand name so to speak, hopefully to replace the common name of Juan dela Cruz. Patricio means "country" and "mangubat" means to "go to the mountains".

It's a liberating name, the kind that has no colonial baggage to speak of. It urges everyone to fight for one's country, even at the point of death. "Mangubat", the mountain of struggle, is actually one of enlightenment. It also symbolizes the New Media, a refuge of someone like me, a thirty eight year old family man, who still wants to fight the forces that destroy the Motherland. As I wrote previously, this is my New Sierra Madre, my Olympus, the Internet.

And this struggle will continue unabated until a New Bayan emerges from the rotten ashes of traditional Philippine politics!

Ipagpatuloy ang Laban ng Sambayanang Pilipino!

Ibagsak ang Pasistang Rehimeng Arroyo!

Labanan ang Korupsyon, ang kasakiman at ang kawalang katarungan sa ating Bayan!

Itaguyod ang Pambansang Demokratikong Pamahalaan!

Mabuhay ang Lakas ng Masa!

Mabuhay ang Para sa Bayan!

Mabuhay ang mga New Patriots of the New Generation!

Mabuhay ang YOUng!

Mabuhay ang CPP-NPA-NDF!