Yap, Erynn

The arrival of Spain in the Philippines and the Diliman Commune share a common thread of a history of oppression, survival, and freedom. It is a history that echoes today in the current state of our country.  We are made by our own experiences. As much as I want to forget the pain caused by these events, it is important to recognize it. Only when we recognize the past can we move forward. Despite the similarities occurring in history, I believe that we are not doomed to repeat history.  This history will forever be interwoven into our country’s legacy.  More importantly, this history becomes ours to use to define society today.

Before I started with this work, I saw an article on Toym Imao’s Barikada and it struck me with how the past issues continue to be relevant today. Inspired by it, I thought of how those barriers were used as a vessel of safety. Ultimately, I like to believe that people are capable of taking back their narrative and making their own future.  We are the owners of our history and fate. Wherever we go, it will be in a ship of our own making