How the Exclamation Point became slanted - FROM A DISTANCE by Carmen N. Pedrosa

From my perspective, the silent protest was intended to be that – a silent protest. But as wise people say, man proposes, God disposes. That is also what happened to the so-called Silent Protest Movement. It was not always called that. It came to be called that by some newspapers because the founders did not seek publicity for the movement. It was originally called The Exclamation Point Movement and from the start it revolved around a slanted exclamation point sticker. The following is the story of how it came about.

* * *

It began at one of those dinners periodically given by former Speaker Jose de Venecia for different groups of people to hear their views. A young economist, Joel Binamira, out of the blue said that we really should start finding some way to know just how ordinary people were reacting to the "bad news about the Erap government." At that time talk about scandals and the lifestyle of Erap’s government was already rife. Binamira talked about something harmless, some symbol that might link ordinary people together, as the fish symbol united the Christians in early days. There was a nodding of heads and general agreement, but some of us around that table did not think then that the suggestion would go anywhere beyond dinner talk.

* * *

That was about the time also that my husband, Bert, was mulling the idea to put together a group of ordinary citizens looking for new politics. He did not think it was right that people should talk about how badly Erap governed the country and not do anything about it. As a starting point, he got in touch with co-workers in PIRMA (the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action). Among them were Nelson and Linda Montayre. We met for lunch somewhere in Port Area, discussed our ideas and agreed to meet again and see what could be done.

* * *

Sometime after that, I wrote a column entitled "The problem is not with Erap, but with us for having elected him President". I received many phone calls and e-mail from here and abroad, congratulating me for this article, saying it reflected what they were feeling and thinking then. Among those who called were friends like Mandy and Ruben Torres, Tom Consunji. They said this column was talked about in dinner parties. The dissatisfaction was pervasive. The problem was what they were prepared to do about it. Perhaps it was this spark of interest that finally moved us to act. By coincidence I met Teddy Lopez, formerly of PBSP at an exhibit sponsored by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the Ayala Museum. We reminisced about our organizing days of Filipinos in Europe during martial law. I asked him to join our discussions about the political situation.

* * *

Café Gijon is a unique coffee shop owned by Sylvia Roces Montilla. It is on the second floor of a building on Jupiter Street, very private, very discreet. When we finally organized the first meeting of the group in this private, second floor café, the founding members came from these three groups – some who were at the dinner at Joe de V’s, some from Pirma days, and some apolitical friends who called after reading the column "The problem is not with Erap, but with us for having elected him President."

* * *

Teddy Lopez from martial law days in Europe could not come for that first meeting. Bert who had recently met with CMDM (Christian Muslim Democratic Movement) in Linggoy Alcuaz’s house said he might invite someone from the group if we decided to organize a party. In that organizational meeting, those present were Bert Pedrosa, Linda and Nelson Montayre, Fr. Sulpido, Cynthia Posas and another lady teacher from La Salle. Joel was late because he was unsure about the date but promised that he would come up with some design he was thinking of that might represent our collective dissatisfaction. We promised to meet again the following Saturday.

* * *

The next time we met the same group was present with the addition of Teddy Lopez and Linggoy Alcuaz. Joel came up with his computer-generated design and it was an exclamation point. But it was shaped like an inverted triangle and a solid period which reminded someone of a military medal. Joel said we should let an artist go over the designs and come up with something more acceptable to all of us. The artist we gave it to was Mandy and Ruben’s daughter, Raquel Torres, who was an advertising design artist. The slanted exclamation point was just one of several designs. The final choice for the symbol of the group fell on a committee of three – Joel, his wife Marga and myself because we would be the last to see the various designs before going to the printer. Joel volunteered to pay for the first print of 20,000. The strategy was that we would divide the first print run among ourselves and quietly distribute the stickers among friends and see how people would react to it. If there was no sympathy then we would just fold up and return to our regular private lives.

* * *

Joel, Marga and I met at their apartment in the Urdaneta Condominium in Ayala Avenue. I chose the slanted exclamation point. Joel and Marga concurred. A regular exclamation point would not express dissatisfaction the way a slanted one would. That was the simple story of how the slanted exclamation point became an expression of discontent with the Erap government. We did not know how far and how many people we would reach. Even before the exclamation point stickers were distributed by the rest of the group, Alcuaz asked for sample prints to show around in the different kapihan groups that he frequented. Didi Domingo, now immigration commissioner, took some and said she had contacts with politicians and labor unions. I gave some to Liway Chato who said she would use the Couples for Christ network. Teddy Lopez distributed among his circle of NGOs and Socdems. Linda Montayre was off to Bicol and carried some also for an Ateneo parents’ outing. Joel and Marga distributed among friends in the stock exchange and the Makati villages. It soon became talked about that the exclamation point stickers were coming from the Urdaneta Condominium.

* * *

Then Christine Tan came out with the PCSO exposé. A meeting was organized for her to meet with more than 200 women at the Manila Polo Club to give her side. Among those invited were Joel and Marga. They brought along with them the slanted exclamation point stickers and were mobbed by the group. If this is to be the symbol of protest, who are you? This event added pressure for us to formally release the exclamation point stickers instead of distributing it silently and surreptitiously as we had planned. Moreover, questions were being asked about the organizers. People wanted to pin down what the movement was all about. We had an emergency meeting at the Gallery Café in Magallanes to decide as a group how we would release the stickers and what we would say we were. We decided to hold a press conference. We also needed a spokesman. As far as most of the group were concerned, the unexpected developments upset our plans. We had wanted more time for the exclamation point stickers to spread out. We had wanted to delay any public appearance for as long as we could. Since it was Joel’s idea, we thought he should be the spokesman for the group but he declined for personal reasons and said he will ask his father, Ramon, who was in Cebu instead.

* * *

With the inadvertent connection made between the exclamation point and Christine Tan’s PCSO exposé at the Manila Polo Club, what was to have been a silent protest movement became headline stuff. Although many car owners were reluctant to stick the exclamation point stickers to their cars, nuns and middle-class women readily stuck them on their dress. Someone stuck one on my sleeve on my way to the Senate hearing of Sr. Christine Tan and the PCSO scandal.

* * *

The group had no choice but to make a public appearance. On our part, Bert and I preferred to remain in the background, mindful that our PIRMA connection might come in the way of the independence of the group. Those who came out publicly were the group’s appointed spokesperson, Ramon Binamira, Carmen Consunji (a grandniece of Jose Rizal) who appeared for Mandy and Ruben Torres since the latter also preferred to remain in the background. Linda and Nelson Montayre, Teddy Lopez, Cynthia Posas and Linggoy Alcuaz. Mrs. Consunji is Mandy Torres’s mother but we asked her to be on centerstage because as a direct niece of Jose Rizal she stood as a romantic symbol of the continuity of Filipino aspirations for freedom and democracy. Unfortunately, there were reservations about a nondescript group of citizens coming out as a political movement. That was not the done thing in this country.

* * *

There might have been differences of opinion within the group but after the public appearance there were those of us who wanted it ended just as we had intended – to prick consciences and then fade away from the scene as silently as possible. In a way, the name Silent Protest was more appropriate to the original objective of the group. But as I said earlier, we can plan and strategize all we want. In the end, what really happens is beyond our power. Other members who had different ideas about what we should be went ahead to do what they wanted with the exclamation point that became a noisy Silent Protest.

* * *

My e-mail address: [email protected]