Dear Secretary Briones, Part 1

WHAT does it mean to be a relevant writer in the 21stcentury?

What does it mean to be a relevant writer in the time of the pandemic?

Indeed, what does it mean to be relevant at all?

And do I want to be relevant?

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I was happily and peacefully writing my novel-in-installments for Wattpad.

I have decided that it would be my November project.

If I could just finish a novel in the 30 days of November, what a great literary achievement it would be for me already.

Of course, I wanted to hit two birds in one stone; that’s why I also started sharing them here in my column. 

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But I am also pretty active on social media, and I have gained a certain following after that scathing piece on the quality of literature among the young writers in the Wattpad platform.

My essay was considered enlightening. An eye-opener.

It was long, but people read it until the end anyway.

It was a painful reminder for many, but it was also “only the truth that hurts.”

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I was called an organic, and engaging, writer because even my bashers cannot question my fact-based, and logical writing and presentation.

And so, I had, once again, reinvented myself with a new persona on Facebook, and that as someone people can listen to, and whose opinion affects, and matters much to the Filipino youth.

Following the Angel Locsin body-shaming DepEd module scandal that made the rounds of social media, I posted something that called for responsibility, and a stop to faulty and wrong stereotyping.

A teacher with political malice questioned my post, to which of course, I answered at length on Facebook.

(I might share my Facebook reply here next week.)

That reply had 1.3 reactions, 229 comments, and 550 shares the last time I checked.

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Then, there was the Lea Salonga on tattoos module scandal.

And that farmers-dressed-in-rags module scandal.

People sent me stuff so I could write something about them, make an opinion that can give them a direction on how to react, and process information.

Then, there were the typhoons. 

And UP Diliman professors pushed, or at least revisited, the talk about academic freeze.

I felt that I had to react.

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So, I’m taking a break from my novel-in-installments in my column this week, and maybe next week.

Don’t worry about the novel.

It’s progressing on schedule as I have planned.

I’m still averaging 1,000 written words a day.

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But my biggest masterpiece in the past week was my open letter to DepEd Secretary Briones.

I think its Filipino language with a sprinkling of English made it most popular.

I have long realized that not many people read me in English.

That only the smarter ones could really afford to read me in Panay News.

So, I’m not translating my open letter.

I want you to enjoy them as netizens have enjoyed them.

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AN OPEN LETTER TO DepEd SECRETARY BRIONES

By Peter Solis Nery

Dear Secretary Briones,

May ilang opportunities po kayong maging greathero sa Pilipinas bago kayo pumanaw sa mundong ibabaw:

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1.) ipaglaban at ipatupad po ninyo ang Academic Freeze bago matapos ang November(read on po kung bakit).

Itaon po ninyo bago ang December para parang pamaskong handog na rin sa mga Pilipino — mga estudyante, guro, magulang. 

Parang Santa Claus lang ang peg, minus the ham and cheese;

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2.) mag-resign po kayo — kung hindi makikinig ang Pangulo sa recommendation ninyo para sa Academic Freeze. 

Bayaan n’yo pong siya o ang kapalit ninyo ang managot.

Matanda na po kayo para mag-worry about makabuluhang mga curricula at programa. 

Ang message po ninyo para sa history books natin ay ganito: “Sinubukan kong ipatupad ang Academic Freeze, pero hindi sila sumang-ayon kaya ako nagbitiw sa pagiging DepEd Secretary noong November 30, 2020. Hindi naman ako gahaman sa sweldo at puwesto. Mas gusto kong maalala bilang isa rin sa mga nanindigan for the genuine and meaningful education of the Filipino youth.” 

Winner po ang dating ninyo r’yan;

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3.) magpatiwakal po kayo. Hindi po recommended, pero parang marangal na hara-kiri ng mga Japanese lang ang peg. 

Mas magiging memorable ito, pasok ka agad talaga sa history books. 

Mapapabilang ka pa sa number of student suicides due to the pressures of modular and online learning. 

Parang Rizal lang ang peg, na gugulat sa sambayanan at magmumulat sa gobyerno upang ipatupad ang Academic Freeze. 

Ilang healthy years na lang po ang natitira at 8 0 na rin kayo. 

Don’t tell me wala ka pang nararamdamang mga sakit. Honorable death. E, di wow! 

Don’t forget to leave a note: “I did this to atone for the mistakes I’ve made as Secretary of DepEd, lalo for not implementing Academic Freeze sooner.”

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Bakit po Academic Freeze?

Kasi nga the Filipinos are just not ready.

We fooled ourselves with “the opening of classes went smoothly.”

Niloloko po natin ang ating mga sarili to think that teachers, parents, and especially students have adjusted well, and are getting into the rhythm of things in the new normal.

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(To be continued/PN)