Welcome to #PUNTOTalks, our monthly podcast/chikahan series featuring the voices of Filipinos from the diaspora. This series will focus on global Pinoys who embody fascinating intersections in their own identities and experiences.
#PUNTOTalks will delve into the beauty and the unique challenges of juggling multiple identities, the intersections between them, and our often complex relationship with the motherland.
Meet Ali Sangalang!
Ali is a creative, social entrepreneur, and one of the founders of Linya-Linya, a top digital and merchandise brand in the Philippines.
Linya-Linya is beloved back home for its ability to capture the Filipino spirit, humor, and culture through fun memes and visuals.
Last year, Linya-Linya made a bold move to advocate for truth-telling and justice in the face of a maddening climate of disinformation and lack of accountability in the Philippines. When former Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo ran for president last year, Linya-Linya’s words served as a rallying cry for the opposition. Socially-minded Pinoys from all over the country wore Linya-Linya shirts as a powerful cultural statement against injustice, corruption, and the political establishment.
Ali is no stranger to politics. Before founding Linya-Linya, he worked as a speechwriter for former Philippine President Benigno III “Pnoy” Aquino.
In this latest episode of #PUNTOTalks, we chat about how to stay hopeful, the future of the Filipino grassroots movement, and the power of art in fighting back against disinformation and injustice.
In the words of the OG MC Ali himself:
Listen up, yo!
It’s the Ali Sangalang Show.
NOTE: For non-Tagalog speakers, please refer to the transcript below for the full English translation of our conversation. It’s been painstakingly edited for brevity and clarity. (Thank you Relma B. for your amazing help and patience in putting this together!)
Maki:
What were you saying just now about VP Leni being the standard-bearer of the opposition – against all of the political forces of evil in the Philippines joining together? About Duterte’s brand being strong?
Ali:
So, when the 2022 election was approaching, the opposition knew that Duterte’s party would include either Sara Duterte or Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Actually, they were both gunning for president until Sara decided to run as Vice-President, and the tandem ultimately became Marcos-Duterte. It really became like the Joint Forces of Evil. <laugh>
So Duterte, Marcos, and even [former Philippine president] Gloria Arroyo played a big role in forming this coalition for the past few years. That has been the source of the dire conditions of government here in the Philippines.
I think that was also a crucial decision of the opposition on who to pick for the presidency – who among them would have the lowest chances of losing to this tandem? – otherwise it would just be a waste to run.
That was the big consideration of VP Leni when she was deciding to run for president – if she could win against Marcos-Duterte. I think the initial thing that she wanted to do was to unify the opposition: like who doesn’t like this kind of politics, who doesn’t like this type of governance, and who else is tired of what’s been happening these past few years and the kind of situation we are in now. So, who could it be?
At the time, VP Leni was talking with the other presidential contenders, Ping Lacson and Isko Moreno. Isko was actually considered a “hot” candidate at the time, because out of everyone, it really seemed like he was the only one with the intention to run. He was running political ads early in the process, ads that were very similar to Duterte’s style when he ran for president. Isko put out these teasers; he was very active online; and he had a lot of backers and sponsors for his bid.
That’s why Leni initially tried to talk to them about the idea of uniting together and figuring out among themselves who would have the best fighting chance. They would have these talks, but it always ended up in fallouts, clashing egos, and different agendas. I don’t think they were all on the same page about bringing back good governance and fighting back against this administration. And it showed.
In the end, the other candidates showed their true colors, especially Isko. It seemed like he was actually a supporter of the Marcos-Duterte tandem. So then it fell on VP Leni to run for presidency because she was actually Number 2 to run. But the thing is, she was not being supported by these other ambitious politicians. Maybe if they had all joined together, the opposition would have had a fighting chance.
You know, the vote share for Marcos Jr. was just so high…it was unbelievable.
Maki:
It sounds similar to what happened when Trump was elected in 2016 in the U.S. I remember that feeling. […] People wanted Trump to be in power, and they called it the “revenge of the white working-class.” These people who were not educated and who had no one on their side.
I was living in the South as a reporter during that time. I talked to these people from the “white working-class.” You could feel their resentment: they were fed up and wanted someone to blame and be their hero.
Ali:
In the Philippines, it was the same story when Duterte won. The people were fed up with the elitists and oligarchs, the very same people who were leading the country, and that’s why they wanted a hero to save them.
That is the mentality of Filipinos because it’s part of Filipino Culture. It’s like pop culture in the Philippines – someone like FPJ (Fernando Poe Jr.) saving the day. He’s an action star, someone very macho.
Maki:
A celebrity culture.
Ali:
Yes, someone very macho but has a kind heart!
It’s like your father who is a troublemaker and a drunkard but he says sorry afterwards and gives you money. <laughs> Someone who is very abusive, toxic, and a pervert.
So that’s what happened here. It’s also a social class thing where for the longest time, the middle class and the higher class were winning, but then what happened to the masses?
I think that is also what they did when Erap (former Philippine President Joseph Estrada) won. This comes back to Duterte, and this is also a big factor, this regional thing, because Duterte was the first Mindanaoan President.
Maki:
Yeah, I remember that.
Ali:
So, Mindanao also felt that for the longest time, they were being left out and it really felt like they [were being discriminated against by] Imperial Manila. Mindanao also has the largest voting population; there are also a lot of Mindanaoans living in Manila and they saw a person who represents them. But it ends there: with him just representing them. So, what kind of leader is he?
He showed it for six years: the economy crashed, lots of people died, and we were left with tons of debt. The sad thing is, his ratings are still high and the Duterte Legacy is real.
It seems weird, but I think my resentment is real because I came from the Aquino Administration. For six years, we turned around the numbers in terms of the economy, social services, and education. There were of course challenges but we accomplished a lot, and then the result is low ratings and no legacy. <laughs>
Duterte did the opposite. He brought down the country but still ended his term with flying colors in people’s eyes, as opposed to Pnoy, whom people just forgot about.
Maki:
I think it’s the narrative, right?
Similar to here in America, the Democrat Party has a really hard time selling its message and its achievements. For example, like Biden right now, he is always about policy. He goes ahead and cancels student debt and he does all these things, but people don’t know that.
There’s something about human psychology, I think, where you can tell a good story. You can spin a good story. I mean, you’re a storyteller! Like your work with Linya-Linya, you can tap into the Filipino psyche and the culture.
There is a political narrative back home that has taken hold for decades since Marcos the First. And maybe the Philippines needs to come up with a better narrative, Filipinos like you and me.
What is the new story about the Philippines that you want to tell?
Ali:
Oh my… Yeah, I think that is the big question to everyone.
We thought with VP Leni [and her presidential campaign] that this was it. The meaning of her possible presidency, and the grassroots Pink Movement that supported her.
There were a lot of lessons we learned from the previous attempts to topple our crook leaders, but there was still something missing. The forces of evil doubled down, and they were basically people who were a lot more serious than us about what they wanted to happen. Marcos-Duterte had the machinery, and they used all of their resources to win this election.
In a way, you can’t win an election just based on an organic movement. If it came down to just being an organic movement, then this Pink Movement was really something else.
Maki:
It was very grassroots actually. Just like Bernie Sanders’ campaign. Like, wow!
Ali:
You could really feel it. It was coming from everyone’s hard work, and it all came from the heart.
Arts and culture played a big role. All our musicians and artists were making music and murals. Everyone was contributing. Like wow, it was so great that we could all feel it!
But then clearly, it was not enough. Even with that push that came from the creatives, we still really needed the machinery, the money, and funding for this. Even if there were no arts and culture from the opposing party, they still have all the money and machinery.
Maki:
What they need to do is just pay people or bribe them.
Ali:
And that’s it, Maki.
What also worked against us was disinformation. The other party had access to the entire population through their cell phones. Everyone was using their phones, and they have free data to access social media, so they were able to penetrate YouTube and Facebook.
Maki:
Is it like political ads? The ones they used online? Or fake posts?
Ali:
You have to be able to see it to understand it. Since the Philippines has free data to use Facebook, it means they didn’t need to pay for anything.
Maki:
No privacy rules? Oh s**t, I didn’t even know that. No wonder.
Ali:
That’s the main thing. Because there is no control or regulation, with all of the misinformation entering social media, it filters in directly to the minds of Filipinos.
So wherever you are, even if you live in a far-flung area, as long as you have a cell phone and cell phone signal you can access Facebook and YouTube. It’s all in those social media apps where they place their propaganda: creating all these documentaries, TikTok videos, collaborating with bloggers and Fake News Peddlers.
They made all of these to spread myths like The Marcos Years, The Philippines’ Golden Age, and The Tallano Gold. That the Marcoses have all this gold, and when they win, they will use it to pay for all kinds of debts. All kinds of wild and out-of-this-world stories. So because they had access to this kind of information that was not filtered, we lost. We really lost.
The same with what you mentioned earlier, the uneducated folks will really believe that. Lots of people were brainwashed and became victims to misinformation, and they ended up believing that the Marcoses were the savior of this country. They used those misinformation tactics to attack VP Leni; not just during campaign season but also during the six years under the Duterte Administration. They had already discredited her, so how could she win?
Even the neutral ones were being brainwashed with all the fake news. Maybe they were also swayed not to vote for VP Leni. Misinformation was a much larger force than we expected.
Maybe in terms of depth and quality of the campaign, VP Leni won, but in terms of quantity, she lost because of the principle of one person, one vote.
Maki:
They were very strategic about how they used power; they wanted power so they got it. So how can we get power?
Ali:
That’s what my friends always say, Maki. It’s so tricky.
I think the thing that I see is that we want power, but we are reluctant to hold the sword.
Maki:
Exactly! Same here in the U.S.
Ali:
You don’t want to hold the sword. You’re afraid to use it. How do you use it?
My question to myself is: from a moral standpoint, you want to use the power but in a good way. If you use it in the same way as they’re using it, then what is the difference between you and the evildoers?
They said: Ok, let’s vote for VP Leni, but we should not be afraid to do bad things. We should also buy people’s votes, and we should also brainwash people.
Sorry, not exactly buying votes, but we need to fight evil with evil.
Maki:
I don’t think it is about fighting evil with evil. I work in community organizing now and in order to be an effective community organizer, you have to learn about the nature of power and how power itself is actually neutral and it’s the way you use it that becomes either evil or good.
As human beings we all are jockeying for power and influence, right? It’s just the way we are wired.
Now when it comes to Marcos, Arroyo… all of these people want it because they want to hold on to their wealth. They want power, they want control, and they want all of this stuff.
Now we want it, presumably, to have a better Philippines, right?
I don’t think we should buy votes. <laughs> Like, number one. I know it’s part of the culture in the Philippines and I hate that.
I don’t know how it works in the Philippines but I think having a smaller set of goals that you can achieve and build it up to a longer-term thing, that’s going to make people more hopeful each time there is a small win. And then yeah, maybe you can go for the presidency again.
But I think power itself is neutral. I don’t think you should buy votes, but you should tell a better story and you should be more strategic right?
Ali:
Agree. We should not go to the extremes like that. I think that’s the general sentiment of the people: we really need to do something else since we have the power of a movement. But we don’t have backing or a strategic plan for the long term.
It should be now that we start to organize with the grassroots for the next six years, so that when the time comes when we have to fight again, we can be well-prepared. Not the same as last time when it seemed like we were cramming.
Maki:
Cramming, yes. It happens for real.
Ali:
The question stands: who will lead us and who has the resources to do that? We are so scattered. There are so many different types of groups, unlike the party we’re fighting against. Even if they have a large coalition, they all share the same goals. Like, they just want power. <laughs>
Maki:
Power and money. <laughs>
Ali:
Yeah, power and money.
It’s so difficult when your only goal is to serve and you have no intention of making a lot of money and building a huge coalition. Then it just becomes an NGO. <laughs>
Maki:
You have to be serious about power. If you want to serve, you have to get power first, and you have to get serious about that too. But it’s easier said than done, but you do have to get to that step first.
What keeps you hopeful though, Ali? I know you were at the forefront of [the Pink Movement]. Really, it was cultural organizing what you guys did with Linya-Linya. I know you are also close with the Robredo family.
What keeps you hopeful? I mean are you hopeful? <laughs>
Ali:
That’s the question. <laughs>
Am I hopeful?
I hope… I’m hopeful that I’ll be hopeful again. <laughs>
Maki:
It seems like a bad breakup.
Ali:
Yes, it’s like a bad breakup.
There was actually a glimmer of hope during that period because literally, I was in the middle of all the rallies and house-to-house meetings. I felt like there was something there. This is what I wanted to do: to be with these types of Filipinos. And I realized that we can be like this.
For the longest time, Filipinos were being reminded of all our negative traits. About how hypocritical we were to act like this, [wanting the best for our country] even though supposedly we’re all the same: just a bunch of rowdy and uncontrollable jerks. <laughs>
Maki:
Glorifying all our bad traits.
Ali:
Yeah. Just like your rude Pinoy uncle [who brings you down] by saying: Well, you’re also going to become like this. That’s what was being hammered into us.
I refuse to believe that Filipinos are like that. And you also know that, Maki.
Filipinos are good people. We are a great people. So when the Pink Movement happened, you could really feel the throbbing goodness within Filipinos’ hearts.
Maki:
That is really people power.
That’s what led to EDSA 1 (People Power Revolution) and really, it’s true.
Ali:
Yes, my parents also said that, especially my dad. He said that our movement went far beyond in terms of People Power with all of these massive, ongoing, back-to-back rallies in support of Leni.
Maki:
Amazing! It’s mobilization.
Ali:
It was so great! Our mobilization lasted for months. There were back-to-back rallies. And the entire Philippines was in on it!
Everywhere you went, there were these huge mobilizations and you heard a lot of stories and narratives. Even if you check Twitter these days, there are still some people who are sharing their most memorable memory of the Pink Movement.
Maki:
I should check it out.
Ali:
Yes, check it out because even now, there are still people who are sharing.
How can you not be hopeful when there were so many moments when you were surrounded by people who had traveled from different parts of the Philippines just to express their frustrations with the current administration, and how they believed there was still hope?
Actually, I’m going to show you Maki, our t-shirt with the Angat Buhay NGO [Leni Robredo’s post-campaign project].
Maki:
What does that say?
Ali:
Nasa paligid ang pag-asa. (Hope is all around me.)
Maki:
I love it! Oh my gosh!
Ali:
Maybe this summarizes my sentiment about hope. Nasa paligid ang pag-asa.
Maki:
That’s beautiful.
Ali:
So imagine people wearing this shirt that says, “Nasa paligid ang pag-asa.”
That means that the hope that I’m seeing is not just within myself or within VP Leni, but within the people whom I’m surrounded with. Within all the volunteers who offered their talents, energy, money, and time to rally and push for better governance.
So, the hope is also there from all the other Filipinos who showed up during the campaign, and if you wear the shirt you are also part of this collective hope. It means you’re passing the hope to another person.
Maki:
I love that. It’s so lyrical.
Ali:
You are giving hope to someone else. Hope comes from you, and you give it to another person; it’s not just from one person or leader. So that was our rallying point. It really comes from everyone.
So where do I get hope? It’s from all the small narratives that I heard and experienced from the rallies – even up to now. There are still lots of reasons to fight, especially now that we are losing.
Maki:
I believe in the power of people. I work in politics, but I don’t work for candidates. There’s a reason why I’ve stayed in a community organization.
You activate regular people to become leaders, and that’s where the hope is. If you can motivate someone to act politically on behalf of their own interests, that is the most powerful thing and you can’t take that from anyone, right?
It's there and it’s unlocked. I don’t know who’s organizing with you guys but I hope someone will organize, or maybe you can organize them! <laughs>
Ali:
<laugh> I think it would still be difficult to consolidate all the different groups and organizations, since they come from different sectors and advocacies.
I agree, though, but I don’t know how or when.
Maki:
Organize your culture-vulture folks.
Ali:
On that note, Maki, let’s start talking about the Linya-Linya (uni)verse.
Maki:
Yeah, let’s do that.
Ali:
We are entering the Linya-Linya-verse. I think our company made a contribution when it came to culture-building through our involvement with VP Leni’s campaign. We saw that there is power within the youth, creatives, and artists. We weren’t the ones at the forefront; there were other artists too. But it really seemed like we could do something and have an impact with these brands and these artists.
For the longest time, Linya-Linya had been neutral when it came to politics. As you know, I used to work for the Aquino administration, but I was always very careful not to put color on the brand because I wanted it to be a neutral space. Then Linya-Linya evolved from being a personal account into a passion project and then finally into a public space, a community where people could express their feelings and share their thoughts.
We all started with funny, hugot lines about stress and what we are going through as a people: all of our stresses in life like love, finance, food, fitness, and the like. So that’s what it really was, it was fun to make, and that’s what brought everyone together.
Maki:
It’s deeper.
Ali:
But that’s where it started. With those basic things first.
Maki:
Yeah, that’s true.
Ali:
So when the pandemic happened, that made us think about other ideas like: Hey, since we are in a pandemic, what we’re making is not funny anymore. What other kind of content should we make?
It was so difficult to make people laugh; we needed to make people happy, but not to the point of making fun of the situation. So, we started by sharing more empathetic content about what Filipinos are going through the pandemic.
Maki:
It captures the feeling, and it unites people too.
Are you still going in that direction? Like it’s philosophical, but you’re also putting out funny stuff?
Ali:
Yes, I don’t think it’s either/or. It can be both, because honestly speaking, that’s life.
Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s not, and sometimes it might be philosophical, serious, or poetic. We mixed it all together because these experiences are happening in real time, all at the same time.
Maki:
In real-time, capturing it. I love that.
What are the two things that you have written and you’re proud of? Maybe one that is philosophical and one that would be funny or kind of like regular life.
Ali:
I wouldn’t say it’s the funniest one but the most iconic line in Linya-Linya is Damndamin (Damn, these feelings).
Maki:
Yeah, I remember that.
Ali:
The wordplay with Damn and Damdamin as it encapsulates the Filipino heart. Whereas damdamin is feelings and adding damn with how we’re feeling day-to-day, right?
Maki:
So hard it’s overwhelming! We’re so emotional. <laughs> I love it.
Ali:
Yeah, yeah. It’s so true and so painful.
Sometimes, it almost seems like it’s our fault for being like that, but that’s who we are, right?
Maki:
I don’t know if we’re at fault. People just say that s**t.
People are like, “Oh, don’t listen to your feelings,” and I am like, “No!” Because I received that in my own conditioning growing up with family. I refuse those questions. I will honor my own emotions now.
It’s hard though. Very, very hard.
Ali:
I will share with you two other lines. One is about the pandemic. Hindi ka nag-iisa sa pag-iisa (you are not alone in being alone).
That was one of the lines we came up with during the pandemic that for the first time showed people that we are not only funny; we can also be that empathetic friend who understands what you’re going through since we’re also going through that.
Linya-Linya also had a crucial role during the pandemic because we were one of the few Filipino content creators that had daily reminders and daily motivational and inspirational lines to remind you that even though what we’re going through is not easy, there is always a reason to hang on and continue.
So, you are not alone in being alone. It also served as a reminder to us, the content creators, that we are also human!
It’s hard to motivate people when you are not motivated; it’s hard to make people happy when you’re not happy. It’s okay to not be okay, you know?
Maki:
Yeah, because otherwise, it would be like how it is on social media where you need to put your best face forward, but you know, people are actually down to hear other people being vulnerable there.
And I think that is actually what social media does these days, you know? Like self-care and therapy. I don’t know how it is in the Philippines, but in the U.S., there are all these questions of: How do you deconstruct your toxic family patterns, how do you put up boundaries?
I even listened to some of your podcasts, where you talked to that Filipino psychologist who is really cool [Dr. Gia Sison], and I was like, “Oh, is this also happening in the Philippines now?”
Ali:
Yes, I’m happy that finally, wow, Filipinos are starting to be like that. These days, we are all about mental health, mental wellness and well-being.
Linya-Linya is also active in advocating for those issues. That’s why we release regular content reminding people to take care of themselves and to admit whatever they’re feeling. We’ve released shirts about it, and recently, we also released a wellness planner.
Maki:
I saw that! It’s so cute.
I actually want one; how do I order that here? <laughs>
Ali:
We have worldwide shipping, so you can just order online and get charged with the shipping fees.
This past year – and especially during the pandemic – we were so focused on the welfare of our friends and families. And it was exhausting.
This time, since the situation is starting to get better, we’re going back to taking care of ourselves so that we are more capable of taking care of other people. Even with our products and our podcasts, like The Linya-Linya Show, we keep having guests like Doc Gia Sison…
Maki:
She’s so great, I love her.
Ali:
She’s a doctor who is a mental health advocate here in the Philippines. She always reminds us to take care of ourselves.
In a way, this new type of [motivational] content helps fight back against all the toxic content on social media…
Maki:
Fighting back against disinformation! <laughs>
Ali:
Fighting back against disinformation, and also fighting back against all these reminders on social media about how we’re lacking this and that.
It’s beautiful how Linya-Linya has become more conscious about these issues. We knew we were given this power and the influence – if we can go back to that – and we were blessed to have this community of people whom we can talk to, whom we can influence, and whom we can connect with.
Now that we have that power, should I still be scared to hold the sword? To really affect change and create impact?
You know, when we created Linya-Linya from scratch, it was just full of jokes. Eventually, we created a community that bonded over laughter and humor. And then the pandemic happened, and we realized that it wasn’t funny anymore, so we started sharing more empathetic content that allowed us to “hug” people through our content. Our followers loved this new move from us, and so our community grew larger and began to include not just fun-loving Filipinos, but also Filipinos who were more empathetic and mindful.
And finally, VP Leni’s campaign happened last year, and we realized that our content couldn’t be just about laughing and hugging each other. It was also about needing to stand up and fight back when we need to. This was the third level that Linya-Linya had reached. Our content pivoted to become more socially aware and actively fought back against disinformation. If there were big things happening in the world, we would speak out about it. And all the while, we stayed true to our brand.
Maki:
Yeah, you have to be, because that’s how people connect.
Ali:
Our style is either humorous or poetic, and we’ve communicated that through our channels.
That’s the story of Linya-Linya so far. It has evolved, matured, and now we’ve opened our eyes and gotten “woke” in the sense that we won’t allow things to stay the same anymore. You’ve been given a crowd, an audience, a community, and all this influence – so how will you use that?
We’re conscious of that and yes, of course we will use it. Not to make our company rich nor increase our clout as a content page, but to really try our best with these small things…
Maki:
It’s changing the narrative. That’s how I see your work, and the best way to do that is really through art and culture. People don’t want to feel like they are being strong-armed into: “Oh, you have to vote for this person because blablabla.” They have to be persuaded by it, and that’s the power of storytelling and narrative.
The best way to do that, especially in Filipino culture, is humor, right? We don’t like to be told what to do. I mean, we might do it, but we still don’t like it. <laughs>
So, is that part of your plan for 2023, and really for the years beyond? To leverage Linya-Linya and what you’ve built now to be a space for people who want to be more socially aware?
Ali:
Maki, can I share something before going into that?
Maki:
Yeah, yeah.
Ali:
I was invited to a convention to talk about disinformation and the role of arts and culture in fighting disinformation. I used Linya-Linya as an example. This was the first time where I’ve actually looked back at all the things we’ve done and how we might have created an impact, so I am going to share that part.
Maki:
Yeah, absolutely. Just share when you are ready.
Ali:
I think this summarizes the whole thing that we’ve been talking about. Let me read it out to you:
“Unknowingly and unexpectedly, we noticed that our efforts resonated with the people. They shared our content and proudly wore our statement shirts in the events and rallies. As much as we empathized with them, they empathized with us as well.
We are no longer just a brand; we are no longer just producing content and products. Our linya somewhat became a battle cry. Linya-Linya started to become a movement for truth-telling, and while other brands opted to be neutral in these times of disinformation, Linya-Linya and its community continued to rally behind the truth. To stand up, go out, speak out, and do what we can to express our thoughts and fight for what we believe in.
Since Day 1, Linya-Linya was about relating to the daily concerns and frustrations of Filipinos and communicating these sentiments through memes. The goal was to express what we know others like us felt and our tag-line is: ‘Gets ka namin!’ (we get you!). Nothing delighted us more than a comment on our page or a private message saying, ‘You guys got it! That is exactly how I feel and what I’m going through.’
Succeeding in this goal meant that a shared experience was created among people. It meant that we were able to remind people that they are not alone in this world. That was how we built a community: through gaining trust, building credibility among those who saw our creations, and showing them that we are all in this world and in every fight together.
This is one of the most important roles of arts and culture in today’s world: to build communities.”
Maki:
Oh my God, that warms my heart so much!
That just brings me back to organizing. There’s political organizing, running campaigns, but there are also narrative campaigns which are what you guys are doing.
How do you feel about that? About being at the forefront of all of that?
Ali:
We were somewhat caught unaware when this happened. <laughs> It was all so organic and natural. We had no board meeting that was so serious where we were like, “Ok everyone, from now on we’ll start pushing back against…”
Maki:
“Like Q4, this is our focus...” <laughs>
Ali:
There was nothing like that. It was like a natural transition, and that’s how we felt. It wasn’t a personal decision or our decision as owners. It was a group thing.
When we talked to our team about producing these tumindig (Stand Up!) shirts – the visual movement that Tarantadong Kalbo (an award-winning Filipino progressive artist) started –that was the start of us becoming more vocal.
Maki:
I remember that! That was awesome.
Ali:
Going back to the line “Nasa paligid ang pag-asa” (hope is all around us), that was because of all the artists who fought back and who influenced us to do the same. We believed in these artists and looked up to them, so we wanted to find ways to chime in and contribute.
Maki:
And now, you are one of them. <laughs>
Ali:
Right? That’s really what happened.
That was the tumindig (Stand Up!) movement here in the Philippines. That was the image of the artwork where everyone was kneeling on the ground, with their heads bowed down, and then one by one, each person got up and slowly raised their fists.
Linya-Linya was one of those fists. Now, we know that we can influence others to stand up too. That’s what we’re doing now.
Now, we’re socially conscious, but we will never lose our identity, focus, or personality. We are still Linya-Linya: that friend who makes you laugh, whose jokes we all laugh at whenever we’re eating and drinking and hanging out at night. And then, when it starts getting late, we all start to share our deep thoughts…
Maki:
…When s**t gets rough. <laughs> Yeah.
Ali:
…You’re in the middle of these deep conversations, but if you see one of your friends getting bullied or picked on, then that same friend will also be the one to stand up and say: That’s not cool. Let’s go talk to them.
That’s what I see with Linya-Linya. Going back to your question about what is our plan moving forward, the biggest thing that happened to us in 2022 is learning more about who we are, and we solidified our identity as “that” friend.
Whenever you’re feeling down or sad, we’ll make you laugh, tap you on the back, give you a hug, and motivate you to keep going. But whenever bad things start happening in the world that we just can’t excuse through laughter, we’ll stand up together and join each other in the fight.
That is the evolution of the Linya-Linya brand. Now that we know more of who we are, then we know what we can improve on and how to maximize our impact next time.
Maraming salamat! See you all again soon.
x
#PUNTOTalks with Ali Sangalang