ariellalisan.org – Homeward Bound

Ms. Gupana flanked by Sarangani officials and representatives of various sectors

THE WOMAN behind the huge flag project, Grace Galindez-Gupana, was called to deliver a speech. She wasn’t introduced properly, so we didn’t know who she is except that she has something to do with ABS Herbs and a certain HalleluYAH Prophetic Global Tower Foundation. More about her feats here.

Her speech made me dizzy. She failed to establish the purpose of creating such a huge replica of the Philippine flag and bringing it to various provinces in the Philippines. She didn’t even give us the dimensions of the flag, the persons she commissioned to sew it, or the details of her effort of coming up with such an ambitious project. Moreover, it was the most culture- and gender-insensitive speech I have ever heard.

What I heard from her rhetoric are as follows:

1. The Philippine flag that was to be unfurled isn’t the record holder of largest flag in the world. The largest flag is the flag of Israel, which was created also under her leadership. From her speech and from the leaflets they disseminated, I understood that her group is looking up to Israel, being God’s chosen land. The leaflet contained the holidays and celebrations of Israel. She also showed the 777 Yahveh’s Banner, which is actually a flag of Israel stitched side by side a flag of the Philippines.
2. The government did not allow the unfurling of the flag at the Luneta Park.
3. The administration of the University of the Philippines did not allow it to be unfurled at the Sunken Garden.
4. Sarangani is the most beautiful province. Well, she sure said that of the other provinces she visited, too.
5. We should elect young politicians. “May mga arthritis na ‘yan.’ She said that matter-of-factly. I believe it was supposed to be a sort of praise for our governor and vice-governor who are both young. However, she should have been mindful of the older ones who were also present.
6. No gay or lesbian has ever gotten rich. Or, verbatim, “Walang bakla o tibo na yumaman! Tandaan n’yo yan!”
7. You can earn 7,000 to 15,000 pesos a day from sago’t gulaman. In her words, “Sago’t gulaman? Tubig lang ‘yan at brown sugar,” but she told us that she made a fortune selling sago’t gulaman in front of Quezon City Hall.
8. She will be recognized as one of country’s top women entrepreneurs.
   Her team has spent about 40 million pesos already. That includes her travels around the country.

All throughout her speech, she sounded like a cross between a charismatic TV evangelist and a traditional politician.

We were all very puzzled about her motivation. Is it business? Is it evangelism? Is it a call for national transformation? Is it just publicity?

One thing is clear. This effort is bewilderingly crazy.