Republic of the Philippines

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

College of Political Science and Public Administration
Sta. Mesa, Manila

UPUAN: A Call Out to the Modern Principalia

A Reflection Paper on “Upuan” by Gloc 9 and Jeazell Grutas

By RHEA MAE B. CALASARA

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science 1-1

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in GEED 002: Readings in Philippine History,

Academic Year 2022–2023

Prof. Jacinto R. Valila Jr.

Subject Teacher

January 30, 2022

REFLECTION

Music is a form of art that transcends beyond the sound of melodies. It is also an
instrument used to deliver messages across and Gloc 9 has proven his understanding
of that concept as he wrote and composed his song entitled “Upuan”. The song is
popular among Filipinos and is often heard in Karaokes on certain occasions. Not only
is it well-liked because of its admirable melody and flowy rap lines, but it also holds a
deep message encoded in its lyrics; lyrics that reflect the long-term struggle of the
Filipinos and the presence of class division in Philippine Society.

The song goes like this; it starts with the chorus sung by Jeazall Grutas that
consists of lines that seems to be pointing at a particular “taong nakaupo”, telling them
to get up from their seats and see the situation of others with the hopes of them
realizing the state of these people’s lives. This was followed by Gloc 9’s first rap verse
describing the comfortable place these people currently are in. His lines were written in
a way that shows how out of reach from reality the “seated people” are because of their
privilege in life. After the first chorus was the second and last rap verse, stating the
harsh living conditions of those at the bottom of society. Clearly, the intention of the
song was to point fingers at the people at the top who disregards the living conditions of
those below them and does nothing despite being more than capable of making a
change and offering help.

Upon listening to the entire song and reflecting on each line, it came to my mind
that the “taong nakaupo” resembles so much of the modern-day principalia which
consists of ruling politicians, capitalists, and elites. These powerful people are seated
comfortably at the top of Philippine society. Similar to how Gloc 9 described them in the
song, the modern principalia are indulging themselves in their wide properties,
extravagant houses, money, and power. In contrast to these people, the working and
lower classes suffer from the harsh reality of life. While the elites have huge houses that
provide them safety and comfort, the poor are enduring shanty spaces to reside in.
While the elites enjoy festivities in their every meal, the poor barely have food to satisfy
their hunger. While the elites capitalize, corrupt, and exploit millions worth of wealth, the
poor can barely make a living. These people are living in a bubble of wealth, privilege,
and comfort that makes them indifferent. They do not see the need to care for those
below them for they are blinded by selfishness and greed. In fact, they see the working
and lower class as an exploitable agent that they can utilize to become richer than they
already are. This is the reason why the rich only get richer while the poor get poorer.
They monetize the fact that these people need money to survive and so they use their
services in exchange for a certain amount of salary that most of the time, is inadequate
for a family to survive a day. Other elites who hold a seat in the national and local
government are just as corrupt as their capitalist equivalents. They have the power over
creating laws and systems that can improve the living conditions of those who suffer
from poverty. However, instead of utilizing their ability as lawmakers and enforcers, they
use their positions to create a system that only benefits those of their kind, totally
disregarding the condition of the vast majority who are tormented by the faulty social
system of the present.

One factor that I see behind why the modern principalia continue their unfair
ways is that they have already convinced a great number of lower-class Filipinos into
thinking that their unfortunate state is a result of their doing and not by the constant
exploitation of the rich. Instead, the poor were conditioned to be thankful to the ruling
class who apparently helped them through limited forms of assistance when they are
capable of giving more if only they were genuinely concerned. These realizations just
intensified my will for social change that would ensure the improvement of the lives of
the working and lower class. But for that to happen, the mass Filipinos must first
acknowledge that their poverty is systematized by those who built and runs it, it was
never solely their fault.

To conclude, Gloc 9 and Jeazell Grutas’ song, “Upuan,” was a great way to call
on the modern principalia to get out of their bubbles and consider the situation of the
less fortunate. This is not only meant for the modern principalia but also for the poor
who were blinded by the elites into believing that their sufferings can be solved through
resilience and working even harder. The song has the ability to open the mind of those
who listen to it as it was written from the point of view of a person who has lived in the
suffering end, the person who has witnessed how people from above lived in comfort
while he had it hard in life, and the person who wishes for his grievances to be heard
and addressed. This song tells the story of the Filipinos.
REFERENCE(S)

Gloc 9 & Grutas, J. (2009). Upuan. On Matrikula. [Audio File]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/HBpIVKyRoOg