VERSE 1: The day has finally come after months, anticipating Take a look around at other brown faces waiting Contemplating where their journey’s gonna take ‘em When they get back to the Motherland, the place originated I don’t know what to expect or even what I’ll see But I’m hoping to connect with my soul in the Philippines Can’t believe it’s happening after all Through the roots of my family tree, I feel the bond Boarding call, excitement ensues Settle in and give a nod to the people passing through Out the window I see the clouds below As the hands of time move a step closer to home Cuz even though I’ve never been, I hold it dear to my heart With the start of our descent, the rapid beat of my heart As the clouds begin to part, there it is in plain view Six in the morning as the dawn breaks through VERSE 2: Anticipation building as the wheels touch down Landing gear on the ground, an applause from the crowd With a buzz in the air, hear the seatbelts unfasten Smiling brown faces make their way through the cabin Grabbing bags stowed away in the overhead Almost there, but it ain’t quite over yet Standing in line, gotta make our way through customs …Get the passport stamp before the luggage Maneuver through the terminal, arrive at baggage claim Jockey for position then we play the waiting game …let it sink in as I’m people watching Swimming in a sea of balikbayan boxes The feeling of excitement from spotting what is ours Heading through the doors, I feel the beat of my heart Engulfed by the hot, humid Philippine air Hell yeah, I’m finally here…

VERSE 1: The oldest child out of six kids At the age of 15 had to leave the province To the capital city in Manila for school Separated from his family because he had to Do it to increase…the opportunities graduated then he moved overseas Settled in Guam at the age of 19 Reunited once again with his family Did different odd jobs as the years passed by Fell in love with a woman who soon became his wife In their mid-20’s, with a house and two kids Still something was missing, it was Education Never finished college but he wanted it bad Knew he didn’t stand a chance in his job to advance So he went back, earned his degree at 34 Right around the same time that they had their third born VERSE 2: From a boy to a man, with a fam of his own With the love of his life, together they built a home Now time to leave the island and continue the chase Of the American Dream, migrated to the States Tryna find work but he found it was hard When companies didn’t care about degrees from abroad Yet he never complained, he worked hard and did the job Made the sacrifices without a second thought …Didn’t have much material wealth But they made ends meet and did alright for themselves Raised three kids, put ‘em all through college Raise a glass, mission accomplished Time to relax, kick back, put his feet up Retired with his wife, now all their time is freed up Long overdue booked a flight for the return To where it all began in the place of his birth VERSE 3: He left his homeland as a teen in ‘66 Only went back twice, 21 years since The last visit…but even longer than that 48 years since he saw where it all began A bittersweet return to his hometown At a loss for words at the sight of his old house With a flood of memories from elementary years Conflicted emotions, at times holding back tears Reuniting with his peers over beers and jokes Couldn’t help but wonder if he never left home How it changed so much in the course of a lifetime Found comfort in the familiar skyline Sights and the sounds, reminiscent of a place Coming full circle after five decades Three quarters of his life past, he found his way back Glad I got to be a part of the homecoming for my Dad…

VERSE 1: I was only 8 when you passed away On my Mom & Dad’s wedding anniversary day We barely got home from church when my mom got the news That the one who gave her life just couldn’t pull through So we were mourning the loss of a mother and a wife Too young to understand, sad to say I didn’t cry Now I’m here at your grave, tears pourin’ from my eyes Falling to my knees, can’t understand why 21 years later I’m feeling it now a flood of emotions from not having you around I know you would be proud of the man I’ve become Proud of all your granddaughters and all your grandsons And the great grand ones who you never got to meet Your legacy lives on, carried through the memories All the wisdom passed down the blood line Cuz I know you’re looking down from heaven…smiling VERSE 2: The minute that I heard the news, everything froze I sat there in silence as the tears followed Just a few months ago, I was right at your side Looking in your eyes, with your hand in mine It was tough to see Father Time taking its toll At 90 years old, near the end of the road You still lived a full life, did so much for so many The sacrifice to provide for your family Thankful for that one last chance to talk About anything and everything in Life. I love… The sound of your laugh, the smile on your face A snapshot of time held in a special place You’re in a better place, finally at peace …just let your Soul be free Reunited with the love of your life Now I know you’re both looking down from heaven…smiling

VERSE 1 (Precise): One last embrace before boarding on the plane Kids tugging on her shirt, ask her to explain Why she has to leave, while she’s masking the pain Her husband tries to hold back the tears, but can’t refrain Cuz they don’t know just what the future holds Overseas she has to go to keep the family afloat Cuz back home the chances of survival Are slim to none with no hopes of moving up So she’s shipped off all alone in a foreign land exported for her labor, forced to leave the Motherland exploited by employers…who’ll never care to understand what it means to leave behind your other half The memories missed, the moments lost in time Thinking of the images embedded in her mind Dreaming of the day her family could reunite Hug her kids, hold ‘em tight, never have to say goodbye again VERSE 2 (Art of Verse)

VERSE: Everybody need a dollar, on the hustle to survive From the early sunrise and late into the night Tryna find an odd job, but not to floss on the block Working with what ‘cha got, only got one thought That’s to feed those who you hold close… An everyday struggle when you just don’t know The next time you’ll eat a meal, on the brink of defeat But ya never giving in, true resiliency …Stay steady on the grind… Tryna stay afloat in a race against time Gotta make due, gotta make it on through Need a dollar for necessary shelter and food Living for today, looking forward to the next one Can’t afford to look in a backwards direction Life is hard, but ya do what you can When all you own is the labor from your own two hands

VERSE 1: The darker the skin, well…the deeper the roots But through centuries the colonizer, hiding the truth They got us lookin’ up to that old Great White Hope Abandoning the soul for skin whitening soap Getting high on the social totem pole Separate themselves from those who ain’t mestizo The worst type of oppression is total mind control When the perception of your reflection isn’t seen as beautiful Got us emulating those who came with the sword and the cross Give up everything you know or have to suffer the loss Now it’s all ass backwards and flipped on its head Inundated with these images and told that we’re less If we ain’t light, we ain’t right, here’s some products to buy Look inside, it’s a lie, so why even try To spend our lives tryna look White, looking like some fiends In search of the next fix in a fabricated dream VERSE 2: The darker the skin, well…the deeper the roots But through centuries the colonizer hiding the truth Got us lookin’ up to that old Red, White, and Blue Anything American put up on a pedestal While the puppet master laughing all the way to the bank Pockets deep like the effects of papaya soap ads Colonial mentality, a systematic attack Colonial relationship ain’t just a thing of the past Mass media and schools, fertile ground to plant the seeds Perfect tools…to lure the work-force overseas But why we even gotta leave for the American Dream? US imperialism the mastermind of the scheme But we ain’t gotta be imprisoned in a permanent state Cuz the beauty of the people is in the power to change That’s why our movement is based on National Democracy To see the Philippines achieve true sovereignty

VERSE 1: We broadcast live from the belly of the beast Where the powers that be in control don’t wanna see the Philippines Be free…and so they try to kill the movement Here and abroad, both working in collusion With the PNP, the AFP, but we ready to be Taking it to the streets, for National Democracy No justice, no peace for human rights abuses A unified front, different sectors, all inclusive A true revolution rooted in the masa From the mountain jungles to the city yelling “Makibaka” 3rd World to the 1st World, the struggle is protracted We study theories, implement it through our practice Our stance is anti-imperialism Solidarity to those opposed to the current broken system That’s crumbling from within, let’s continue organizing Take a look around, it’s a global uprising VERSE 2: Now I know you might be thinking “what’s this gotta do with me?” “I ain’t even Filipino, so it’s not my problem, G” but it is, that’s your tax dollars going overseas to fund the military plan of counterinsurgency Oplan Bayanihan, say it’s friendly exercise Pull the wool over our eyes to violate our Human Rights If you choose to speak and fight get killed in broad daylight Torture and forced disappearances, it just ain’t right Now don’t you think the cash…deducted from your paychecks Could be better used for things like education? Budget cuts, tuition costs, debt is through the ceiling Income tax, income gap steadily increasing We can’t compete with that, but we could keep up with Kardashians? Dreaming of a life filled with bourgeois extravagance We rooted in the ground, not floating in the clouds When the revolution comes, then we’ll see who’s really down

VERSE 1: Thinking of the innocent memories distant A simpler time as the daughter of a fisherman It started to change when her mom passed away When she was only 8, dreaming of a brighter day But nowadays solitude is all that she knows Leave the family behind, reminiscing of home Alone in a city full of more lost souls Price tag on her soul, on the auction block Take the hand of a strange man, back to the room Another object for sex, broken shadows of youth Every touch, every thrust, more numb to the pain Every night a reminder won’t let her run from the shame Graduated high school, but can’t dream of higher learning If it means for the time being: no money earning Sending back almost every cent Not proud of what she does, but she doesn’t regret That she’s able to provide for the fam that she loves Clinging to the hope to one day fly free Wonder why life’s gotta be so tough With the world on her back at the age of 19 VERSE 2: 21 years old, graduated University of Philippines, now she working full time but it’s not a 9 to 5, it’s a way of life dedicated to the movement to organize from the masses to the masses, back to the basics class analysis of the living situation a sticky situation, when it comes to her mom who doesn’t understand why she doesn’t get a job got six younger brothers, gotta deal with the pain the youngest one cries, doesn’t recognize her face a stranger in her own home… unfamiliar to her own blood, but still remains strong Gabriela Silang in the modern day form Upholding the tradition of the ones who came before But it’s still a tug of war, is it family or… Serve the People so they won’t have to struggle anymore She has a kasama and a partner in love Both bound and connected by a common belief Separated all the time, fighting on the front lines For agrarian reform and a new society

VERSE 1: Sun up to sun down, I’m one with the land Feet rooted in the ground, working with my two hands The farming life: the only one that I know In tough times turn to 5-6 loans Diving deeper in debt, can’t afford a decent meal Thinking ‘bout our daughter, is her fate already sealed? Don’t want her growing up not knowing how to read or write Or make the same mistake I did by signing the dotted line I fell for the lines by men dressed to the nines Making lofty promises to live a better life It used to be we would plant what we would eat Now they dictate the crops meant to be sent overseas Every year they demand a larger yield Everybody profits but the ones who work the fields Landlords, loan sharks, corporations, middle men Ignoring…the worsening conditions that we’re living in …but what makes my heart break is when I see my daughter’s eyes going through the hunger pains I feel our livelihood slipping away But deep down I know there’s a way that it could change CHORUS: There was a farmer, his name was Tano The land that he tilled was all that he had VERSE 2: The tension weighs thick, time ticks, it’s a powder keg Lines drawn…it’s Us against Them We started organizing, couldn’t take it any more …So they responded with military force Occupying our schools and our homes Terrorize the people, full militarized zone Sole purpose: quell the movement of the masses Tipping point in a clash against the fascists In the picket lines, they pushed and we pushed back Drowning in an echo of bullets and gun claps While people ducking and running, I’m tryna find my family Stopped dead in my tracks and now I can’t even breathe I see my child in the field face down Shot in the back another life taken down With her body laying motionless in my arms The anguish of a scream’s like the ring of an alarm Followed by the tears falling from a dark place Where the blood stains paint a picture that won’t be erased From my memory, the pain remains forever present The reality of life, the plight of the peasant CHORUS: There was a farmer, his name was Tano The land that he tilled was all that he had VERSE 3: The pain and anger’s taking hold of my soul It’s like nothing could stop it from spinning out of control Until they started coming through and integrating with us Mass work in the community, developing trust Droppin’ knowledge why we live in these conditions How the only way to freedom is defeat the current system Build a new society that’s based in socialism Knowing victory won’t happen if the hope is missing Fighting for our basic rights, the dignity to live Nobody seems to hear the cries blowing in the wind The ones in government serve their own interest Left with no other choice but to stand up and resist Raising up a fist, along with my consciousness See the real enemy is tightening the grip The imperialists label us a terrorist But really what it is, is the complete opposite Real change is from the bottom, not the top The suffering of our people gotta come to a stop Struggle on a higher level than I ever have before Now I’m a principled guerilla fighter in the people’s war

VERSE 1: I wonder what’ll happen when this is all done? When it’s finally time to pack it up And get back to the States to my comfortable life Will the fire die down? Will I continue the fight? I can’t lie cuz deep down I’m kinda scared I’ll get lost in the mix and barely even care My deepest fear: that I’m gonna forget All the stories that I heard from the people I met I’m just not ready to leave I wanna stay with the masses, embody what it means To serve the people with the truest intentions Instead of acting with a selfish agenda Upon my return to the belly of the beast When confronted by everything designed to tempt me Immersed in a culture full of contradictions Gotta stay on track through constant resistance VERSE 2: This for the husband and wife who let me sleep in their house Shared a handful of rice, one fish to go around Despite not knowing when the next meal would be Put others before self in a true community This for their neighbor, his wife, and their child Who showed that there’s always a reason to smile To the members of the co-op, the workers in the field Who fight for fair wages, not another raw deal To the labor organizer who was forced to flee The harassment and surveillance from the military To see the pain in his eyes from those long six months Since he last saw his wife and his son To the Gabriela women who welcomed me in Treated me as their own, plus all the little kids With their smiles that shined with each camera pose The reason for the freedom that we’re all fighting for Last but not least, this is dedicated To my expo guide whose life is dedicated To the struggle…and the ND movement This is for The People cuz this is our music

VERSE: I got a heavy hearted feeling cuz it’s time to say goodbye Staring out the window at the fading city lights As we ascend into the sky, leave the Motherland behind With a collection of memories to last a lifetime The first time I laid eyes on the city, heard the sounds To driving through the province and the rural farm towns That first day caught a case of culture shock But shook it as the days passed, it felt like I was not Foreign in an unfamiliar land, I found my home Searching for my soul, I was right where I belonged Even though what should’ve been my native tongue was amiss I tried to learn what I could to reacquaint with it Reunited with fam, for some the first intro Heard stories firsthand and the history they been through Stayed with peasants, worked the land, saw the struggle that they live through Now I understand the dedication need to give to The movement for a true National Democracy So the people could be free, the way they ought to be Where the quality of life ain’t a privilege but a right I see the deeper meaning to a fist held high With our held high, we gotta keep pushin And tell the stories of a system: broke and crooked But the Hope still remains when we see how day to day Dare to struggle, dare to fight cuz we dare not be afraid Separated by an ocean apart But I promise it won’t be enough to keep us apart Cuz I barely even left and I already miss it Don’t know when but looking forward to the next time I visit So even if I grew up and still live in the States The Philippines is in my heart where it’s forever ingrained I said even though I still might reside in the States The Philippines is in my heart where it’s forever ingrained **Closing Monologue by Kiwi Illafonte is from the documentary film "Sounds of a New Hope", directed by Eric Tandoc**