INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

Danton Remoto, podcast interview transcript, part 1

INQUIRER.net

Editor's Note: What follows is the first part of a preliminary transcript of the Eleksyon2007 podcast interview with senatorial candidate Danton Remoto.

Joey Alarilla: Welcome to the Eleksyon2007 podcast. Our guest is Professor Danton Remoto. Remoto teaches English at the Ateneo de Manila University and is running for senator as an independent. Good evening, Danton.Danton Remoto: Good evening, everybody. Joey Alarilla: Our first question will be from INQUIRER.net reporter, Joel Guinto, who covers defense.

Joel Guinto: Good evening, sir.

Remoto: Good evening.

Joel Guinto: Why are you running for the Senate?Danton Remoto: I'm supposed to run for party list, Ang Ladlad, but the Comelec [Commission on Elections] has not yet given us accreditation. So along with other, maybe other anti-GMA [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] party list groups...so I decided to run for the Senate, so the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] advocacy won't be snowed under by all these noise in the forthcoming elections. So it’s like a pilot test to see the strength of the lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender group, and also the education sector because I've been teaching for, what, 20 years.

Joel Guinto: Sir, what do you think are your qualifications to make it to the Senate?
Danton Remoto: I've been teaching for 20 years, so my advocacy number one is education. If you've been around the country, you will see how dismal the public school system is because the children drop out of school when they reach grade four. So what I plan to do is to have--They drop out because they don't have money. They don't have money to buy food. So we can have a nutrition program for them, a feeding program for the children in the elementary school. And then more books, text books that--whose pages are not bali-baliktad, no?

Because what we have here is a monopoly of publication of text books. So we have to break that monopoly. I have a degree in publishing from Scotland, and I worked in Ateneo for 15 years as a publisher, so we can go around that system of monopoly.

Number three, we need more classrooms with roofs because the problem is, many classrooms are built but there are no roofs, or they have no chairs. They have no blackboard; everything is sub-standard--not in everything, in many cases. So we need an oversight committee to make sure that all the classrooms have roofs or chalk. Number four, we need to upgrade our teacher training because in the 1960's, our schools were the best in Asia. But now, look at it now, they're really in a very bad state because of [the lack of] teacher training. We need teacher training. And number five; we need more scholarships for CHED--Commission on Higher Education to give more scholarships to teachers in college so they can have MA degrees. That's education. The other is [the] human rights anti-discrimination bill which has been there in Congress and the Senate for nine years. So we’re fighting for equal rights, not special rights, and also aside from the LGBT, we have so many laws for children. The weakest link in society are children, the physically disabled, women and elderly. We have so many laws for these people, but we need an oversight committee maybe an oversight committee of what? Who can make sure that these laws are implemented? So, number one is education, because I've been teaching. Many candidates say they're for the education, but they don't know a lot about education. They just want to give toothbrush[es] to poor children. I mean, you cannot give toothbrush[es] to poor children; they don't have teeth, no? They are toothless. They have dental caries. If you've been to the slums you will see how terrible the situation is. And then many people are saying they're for human rights. But what have you done for equal rights for everybody, no? Aside from paying lip service to these. So we've been doing this for 20 years, so our friends...just said it’s a symbolic candidacy that, if we don't make it in 2007, there's 2010, no? Many of us are young--not many, some of us are young candidates here, no? So in 2010, we can run again if we lose this year?

Joel Guinto: Sir, if elected, how will you define your term? How do you want to be remembered?

Danton Remoto: I want to be remembered because I'm a child--my parents were teachers. My grandparents were teachers in the public schools. My parents were teachers; I want to be remembered as somebody who helped improve the public school system in the Philippines, primarily.

Because if you've been to the poorest schools, it's so heart-breaking. Children walk miles and miles, and they don't have money; they don't have food. But they will go to school because they want to learn. So we can help them buy giving them programs to feed them. Giving them books and good teachers and classrooms with chalk and books.

Number two, the passage of the anti-discrimination bill for lesbians and gays, bisexuals, transgendered. Just like in Makati now, many of our member are--like one lesbian took an exam here. She passed. During the interview she was seen as a butch-lesbian, short hair and big body. So she was asked by the personnel here, are you a practicing lesbian? And she said, no, I'm no longer practicing, I'm already good at it. So she wasn't hired, she's from UP, she has an MA degree.

Another of our members from Ateneo, MA Sociology, [is] transgendered, and she has female body parts. She took the exam, call center. She passed it. And then she was told, we cannot hire you because you have breasts. So she said, but my breast won't do the talking for me, di ba? So that's the problem here, no? [laughs] We have discrimination.

One Catholic school in Manila would ask the parents to sign a masculinity pink form that their son is not homosexual, will never be, I mean how can you tell that your son won't be gay, no? He falls in love maybe when he is 50. So, this situation is all of these things in the workplace, in schools, they have to be changed like, this entertainer was kicked out of a bar. We filed a case. We might win the case. Sabi sa kanya, we cannot accept your money because of who you are. So what is the color of the gays' money. Is it pink? So he was already eating, and he was asked to leave. In the provinces, mas malala, no? Lesbians are sometimes--their fathers asked some men to rape them to “cure” them of their lesbianism. These are all documented cases. We have all these case in our group Ladlad. We have to change that because the human rights components of the LGBT movement has to be improved, no? The Bill of Rights says everybody's equal, but we are citizens also and taxpayers, and we are 4.35 million voters--10 percent of 43.5 million. That's a swing vote in a tightly contested election like this.

Joel Guinto: Sir, you mentioned about discrimination. What are your thoughts on gays entering the military?

Danton Remoto: Ah, it's like this: In the Philippine National Police [PNP], the revised police code of 1998 forbids discrimination in hiring and firing, because what happened, Orly Mercado was the Secretary of National Defense, his assistant was the member of our group. So he helped. He wrote the bill. We gave it to Orly Mercado, and he gave it to President [Joseph] Estrada who signed it, no?

I hope he read it. But anyway he signed it. So it's now a law. The military is problematic because there's no laws of...Gays in the military. They've been there. A group in the military base in Pampanga, Basa Air Base. Julius Caesar...all this military...Alexander, all these macho guys, no? 'Di ba? Julius Caesar was every man's soldier and every man's wife. So this issue of homosexuality is an old issue that has been there for centuries in the military. Philippine military is not yet--the law is absent.

Joel Guinto: Thank you.

Maila Ager: Hi, sir. I'm Maila Ager. I am assigned to cover the House of Representatives and the opposition ticket. So you are running against [Manuel] Villar, [Loren] Legarda. so what do you think are your chances of winning?

Danton Remoto: Oh, it’s like a snowball's chance in hell. Hell of course refers to Philippine politics. But we're running, well, because if you do some number-crunching…43.5 million voters in 2004. Ten percent must be LGBT. That's 4.35 million. And I come from Bicol. Bicol is the only ethnic vote in the whole country. None, no solid north, no Ilocano vote. And they're all registered, by the way. I checked. Many of them. Among them--I've been talking to them--they’ll vote daw for Manoy Joker Arroyo, for Sonny Trillanes, for Manoy Greg Honasan, for Manay Sonia and Chiz, and me. Anim 'yan. Para 'yang bibingka, no? They were divided into six pieces and that's a solid vote, no? Two million Bicolanos in the Bicol region, 2.5 all over the Philippines, and abroad. I'm not saying I'll get all of that, but we'll get some of that. Like when I went to Bicol. My relatives are either NPAs [New People’s Army] or priests. I'm just being honest with you. If you're from Albay, it's either NPAs or priests. I'm from Oas, Albay. So the priests said, OK, we'll campaign for you but don't put the same sex marriage in your [platform]. Of course it's not there. And then, they don't want reproductive health, which is abortion for them. So I just put there women’s health because in politics you have to use all of these euphemisms to please everybody.

And then the youth vote, which as we were saying earlier, not all the young people registered, because they did not know. There may be too busy in Starbucks drinking coffee. They did not register. So the youth vote is there, but it's fragmented. So I really don't know my chances. Manny Villar is the only one with money eh. I mean he is the only one here with money. The rest are all struggling for--like I get a small amount like ten thousand a week. People give me ten thousand, twelve thousand, which pays for tarpaulin and streamers and photocopying and risograph, you know. They are asking the Gokongweis to give us discounts in the plane fare. My students who own hotels in the South are giving me discounts or free accommodations. Somebody paid for my uniforms. Somebody bought me shoes, no. My yaya sold their carabao, gave me twenty thousand [ laughs]. I don't want to accept her money. I told her that's your money. She said, meron pa naman akong isang kalabaw, [laughs]

I mean, you know...

Maila Ager: Given that meager resources, how do you run so far, your campaign?

Danton Remoto: Because when they say a hundred million, seventy percent of that is media driven, which means they have advertisements. But if you go around, if you talk to the poor people, you know what they say? And ganda ng ads, but do we really believe them? Because what's happening in 2007 is like in 1986. The people have--something happened, maybe because of, maybe Mrs. Arroyo. Something happened that the people are now more awake, more open. Like I was in Ateneo Law School. The rich people have set up a democracy fund that will train lawyers and other people to do poll watching. So magbabantay raw talaga sila ng boto. It’s run by Ateneo law school. They will get law students, lawyers, volunteers all over the Philippines to run this. So, maybe there'll be more clean elections this time. So the chances, I do not know. We did some numbers crunching. We’ll get-- I'll get at least two million votes, solid. If I'm lucky, I'll get four. If I'm super lucky, I'll get six. To win, you need eight. So if four million people vote for me that's four million votes that were honest. That were not bought.

Maila Ager: But really, you think gays and lesbians are now accepted in the Philippines?

Danton Remoto: In certain professions. Like people ask me--like [Philippine Daily] Inquirer, you always ask me: Are there gay politicians? Only God knows.[laughs] Maybe there are, but they do not want to come out. So it's even difficult to get money from them. They don't answer our letters. We get moneys from the beauty parlors, from the Chinese businessmen, Filipino-Chinese, no? Discrimination is still there, but I think it’s lesser now in the last 20 years. There are now gays on televisions, newspapers and magazines, on films, but portrayal has to be improved. Pero it has changed.

Maila Ager: Ok, thank you.

Danton Remoto: Thanks.

Lira Fernandez: Magandang gabi, ako si Lira Fernandez.

Danton Remoto: Magandang gabi, Lira.

Lira Fernandez: Nagcocover ako ng Malacañang.

Danton Remoto: Ah, OK

Lira Fernandez: Nabanggit mo kanina, wala duon sa parang platform mo 'yung same sex marriage. Bakit?

Danton Remoto: Kasi ako ano eh. English teacher ako. Bawat ginagawa ko, meron pa akong methods of research. Nag research muna kami, Nag survey kami, focused group discussion. Matatalo kami pag pinilit namin 'yung domestic partnership. Number one, hindi pa nga nakakapag-aral 'yung mga bata sa Catholic schools, bakit na sila magpapakasal? Di pa sila nakakapag-aral. Number two, hindi pa sila nakakapag-trabaho sa Makati, paano sila magpapakasal, no? Tsaka number three, in the Philippines context, marriage is always problematic. As my straight friends would put it, we are so busy trying to leave our husbands and wife; why do you want to get married, no? So, I think that is problematic. So we're not advocating same sex marriage or domestic partnership in this campaign.

Lira Fernandez: But personally, you believe in that?

Danton Remoto: Oh, yes personally, I believe in that but you know what I learned in this--what is this? New life, in this new life [laughs] is to weigh all things and sometimes to let your person--it's like to… that's why, I keep on watching the movie “Elizabeth,” no? 'Yung si Cate Blanchett, no. I keep on watching that movie because I identify with that woman. 'Yung sometimes you're feelings you have to bury them because this is what--not the party--but many of the people in your country would want. We will lose if we--and if we campaign for a same sex marriage or domestic partnership, that will divide the country further, no? That's why we filed last September, the CBCP [Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines] said they like the human rights aspects of our campaign because there's no same sex marriage provision. It's not politically astute for us to campaign for that, at this point.

Lira Fernandez: As far as you know, are you the first gay running for the Senate?

Danton Remoto: Ah, the one who is out, yes. [laughs]. Di ba si Loren, bading? Our friend... [laughs]

Lira Fernandez: In case you win and you get to the session hall, sino 'yung gusto mo katabi? And how will you initiate a conversation?

Danton Remoto: Ah, teka muna. Sino ba mga nanalo d'yan? [laughs]. I don't know.

Lira Fernandez: Ping Lacson is there.

Danton Remoto: The one I've talked to… Well, the ones who are fighting for the anti-discrimination bill are Jinggoy and Bong, no? We talked, actually I have a session--we have a meeting with them next week. I will tell Jinggoy and Bong, hey you guys, you get your act together because I'm here. Tatlo na tayo. We’ll push for the bill, no?

So, Bong is committed to fighting for the bill, and Jinggoy also. But Jinggoy is so busy with so many things, so I want to talk to those two gentlemen, and help me push that anti-discrimination bill. Kasi, they've been helping us in the past year and a half.

Fernandez: How about if it's Ping Lacson?

Danton Remoto: Well, Ping Lacson’s sons were our students. I really don't know him personally. I'll just tell him--what will I tell him? Good morning! [laughs]

Lira Fernandez: You've talked of a solid Bicol vote. Do you really believe there's a gay vote?

Danton Remoto: It's like this. There were informal surveys in last year about the party list, and these surveys are informal, no? I cannot quote them because they are informal, but we were surprised by the results; like we're very strong in the urban areas, Central Luzon, National Capital Region, Southern Luzon, Central Visayas, Southern Mindanao. We were not known in the rural areas. But in the urban centers, where there are colleges, universities, and where there--kasi young people, they come out in the urban areas, where they study.

We're strong, plus Baguio, we're strong in these urban areas. So when the survey was done--we don't have money, we don't have a lot money--but we were surprised by the strength of the party-list group, no?

Surveys have shown we're good for like, between 1.2 to 1.8 million votes, without even campaigning. That was last year.

And I think there's a pink peso and a pink vote now, because even the marketing campaigns this year, one niche market is the pink peso, no. Because after the gays have paid for their rent, given money to their parents, they will buy clothes; they will buy books; they will go to parties. So, there's a source of disposable income. And some of them are helping us in non-monetary terms.

So I think there is now a gay vote. You know in the Internet, I get all these letters from gays in Saudi Arabia, gays in US, Canada, sending hundred dollars. 'Yung sa Saudi, I cannot forget, that's why. This guy was like working in the heat of the desert. [He said] in Tagalog: Mr. Remoto, itong ipapadala kong hundred dollars na inipon ko. Parang, I don't want to accept that [but I] had to, you know. People like that. 'Yung, that's hard earned money from this poor fellow, and I told him, no you keep it na. Kahit maliit 'yan. Sabagay limang tarpaulin din 'yan, sabi ko sa kanya, no?

So, I mean, that's why you know…I don't really want this, to be honest with you. But when people do this. Like, they sell their carabaos or they send me money for their families, parang…maybe, we have to run, just to pilot test the strength of this group.

Lira Fernandez: Thank you.

Danton Remoto: Thank you

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