Author: Bandilang Itim

Bandilang Itim aspires to end the atomization imposed upon us by capitalist society, an alienation that separates us from each other. Bandilang Itim aims to be the banner that rallies together libertarian socialists in the archipelago known as the Philippines.

We at Bandilang Itim want social revolution—a revolution where radically new ways of doing things enters the realm of possibility. We are for forming a revolutionary organization capable of challenging capital and the state. We are for a politics that empowers everyone and endows them with the agency to govern their own lives and the things held in common. We are for the communization of the fulfillment of human needs. We are for a social ecology that recognizes our interdependence with our natural world. We are for an end to alienating forms of struggle and we are against the reproduction of hierarchies and domination in our movements. We are for the recognition of intersectionality in our struggles and the necessity of solidarity with those oppressed—as long as others are not free, we are not free. We are for liberty in all things.

Bandilang Itim aims to republish works by other anarchists and libertarians from the archipelago and its diaspora for the dissemination of libertarian ideals.

Bandilang Itim also publishes original works by members of our collective for a libertarian perspective on politics and social issues in the archipelago.

“Bandilang Itim” is Filipino for “Black Flag.”

Social Revolution is the Solution

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/30

Written by Bas Umali in October 2011. Published in May 2020 by Alimpuyo Press. Translation into English and edits by the author with help from Maku Felix. (Basahin sa Filipino.)

This is a republished article written by anarchists in the archipelago known as the Philippines or its diaspora. We at Bandilang Itim wish to highlight and disseminate these works to better propagate the ideas of anarchism in the archipelago.

The political exercise that is taking place in the United States is a manifestation of the worsening crisis of capitalism, where one percent of the population of the world has the sole control of the labor, resources, facilities and tools that were supposed to develop and expand the potentials of the world populations’ 99 percent.

Tags Bas Umali, English

Indokumento Republished

Panlipunang Rebolusyon ang Solusyon

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/30

Sinulat ni Bas Umali noong Oktubre 2011. Inilimbag noong Mayo 2020 ni Alimpuyo Press. (Read this in English.)

Inilathala namin ito sa Bandilang Itim para sa kahalagahan nito sa mga anarkisista sa kapuluan.

Ang pampulitikang ehersisyong nagaganap sa Wall Street sa Estados Unidos ay manipestasyon ng lalo pang lumalalang krisis ng kapitalismo, kung saan ang isang porsyento ng populasyon ng daigdig ang siyang may kontrol ng lakas-pagawa, likas-yaman, mga pasilidad at kasangkapan na dapat sana’y magpapaunlad at magpapayabong sa potensyalidad ng 99 porsyentong populasyon ng sa daigdig.

Tags Bas Umali, Tagalog

Anarki 2.0 Indokumento Republished

Ang Werpa ng mga Institusyon para sa Kontrol at Dominasyon

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/27

Sinulat ni Bas Umali at inilathala sa Anarki: Akin ang Buhay Ko 2.0 noong Disyembre 2017. Inilimbag ni Non-Collective (NC) at Onsite Infoshop.

Inilathala namin ito sa Bandilang Itim para sa kahalagahan nito sa mga anarkisista sa kapuluan.

Ayon sa diksyunaryong Cambridge ang kontrol ay: to order, limit, or rule something, or someone’s actions or behaviour. ((Cambridge English, “Meaning of control in English” https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/control ))

Ang kontrol ay ang sapilitang limitasyon ng kilos at mga gawain sa mga tao o hayup sa mga tukoy na lugar. Halimbawa: pagpigil sa pagpasok, pag-okupa, pag-ani o paggamit ng mga biyaya ng kalikasan.

Tags Bas Umali, power, Tagalog

Diaspora Republished

Notes on Autonomy & Anarchism

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/12

Written by Andrea Alakran, originally published at their blog.

This is a republished article written by anarchists in the archipelago known as the Philippines or its diaspora. We at Bandilang Itim wish to highlight and disseminate these works to better propagate the ideas of anarchism and libertarian socialism in the archipelago.

I identify as an autonomist leftist largely based on personal experience. Autonomist can be used somewhat synonymously with anarchist — I use the term because peoples’ conception of anarchy usually = total chaos, which more often than not derails any further conversation about it.

Tags Andrea Alakran, English

Original Writing Statement

To a Free Press and Free Minds: An Anarchist Position on the Nullification of the ABS-CBN Franchise

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/06

A statement from the Bandilang Itim Collective.

Two Days from World Press Freedom Day

Two days after celebrating World Press Freedom Day the Philippine government in the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the broadcast network ABS-CBN to cease and desist their broadcasting operations. ((Neil Arwin Mercado, “BREAKING: NTC orders ABS-CBN to stop broadcast operations.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 05, 2020. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1270074/ntc-issues-cease-and-desist-order-vs-abs-cbn See also a timeline at Melissa Luz Lopez, “TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise.” CNN Philippines. February 13, 2020, (updated). https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/13/ABS-CBN-franchise-timeline.html )) The NTC ordered this because the legislative franchise that allows ABS-CBN to operate expired on May 4, 2020. Included in the cease-and-desist order are 42 television stations and 23 radio stations that are operated by the media conglomerate. ((ABS-CBN News, “NTC orders ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting.” ABS-CBN News. May 5, 2020. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/05/20/ntc-orders-abs-cbn-to-stop-broadcasting )) Normally congress would renew such franchises before their expiry as it had done so in the past, but President Rodrigo Duterte has had a tirade against the ABS-CBN network since becoming president, accusing the network of “swindling” and for refusing to air his political ads during the 2016 presidential election. ((Pia Ranada, “Duterte to block renewal of ABS-CBN franchise.” Rappler. April 27, 2017. https://www.rappler.com/nation/168137-duterte-block-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal )) Just days after he signed into law the franchise renewal of the GMA (the rival of ABS-CBN) Duterte had gone on record saying he would even block the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. ((Ibid.)) We do not doubt that the franchise was willfully allowed to expire without a renewal as Duterte’s allies dominate both houses of congress.

Tags Bandilang Itim, English

Republished

In Solidarity With Comrades Imprisoned in Malang and Tangerang, Indonesia

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/06

Written and initially published by Safehouse Infoshop at their blog. This is also a statement from the Local Autonomous Network.

It seems that blame-game is a common tactic of different states during a pandemic. As petty violators in the local are blamed to cover up the late travel ban and late mass testing imposed by the government, the same is done by the Indonesian government by cracking down those who are critical to their incompetency.

Tags English, Indonesia, Local Autonomous Network, Safehouse Infoshop

Republished

Survival of the Fittest in the Time of Pandemic

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/05

Photo by lev olson from FreeImages.

Written and initially published by Safehouse Infoshop on Facebook.

People often equate Charles Darwin’s notion of “survival of the fittest” with competition. People think that the natural way of the world requires some sort of battle. This is also often translated in how we deal with other people. “It’s either myself or others,” that’s how many people justify cruelty and domination. But if we think closely, survival of the fittest does not always mean competition.

Tags COVID-19, English, Mutual Aid, Safehouse Infoshop

Original Writing

Fear and Favor: Freedom of the Press in the Archipelago

Post author By Bandilang Itim
Post date 2020/05/04

Photo by Jeremy Bishop from Pexels.

Written by Malaginoo of Bandilang Itim.

On May 3, the world observes the World Press Freedom Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the valiant duties and efforts of the press. On this day, we reflect the role of journalism in our lives, and remember the journalists who are persecuted and killed for reporting the truth for the world to know. We are called to stand for “Journalism Without Fear or Favor” something that has been lacking in our country, especially under our current government.

Tags English, Malaginoo, press freedom