The Jupiter EffectKatrina Tuvera

The Jupiter Effect (2006) revolves around the story of the

Contreras family during the Marcos era. This setting is assumed,

as the President’s name is never mentioned nor the dates in which

particular events take place. Regardless, the historical

parallelisms in the events which take place in the narrative can

also be found in historical facts of this particular period in

Philippine history. The novel chronicles the events taking place

in the Philippines before and during the Martial law years in the

Philippines through the experience of the Contreras’s, whose

breadwinner, Julian, works for the President.

Two parts compose the entire novel. The first maps out the

circumstances which mold the experiences of the young Gaby and

Kiko Contreras, their innocent observations and musings about the

political climate they live in. The second reveals how, years

later, the same begin to find themselves deeply affected and

involved with the same political issues they had been unaware of

as children. Though the main story involves the Contreras family,

it also reveals a number of characters who undoubtedly play a

major role in understanding the major issues of the era, knowing

the movers and shakers of the time and objectively seeing the

president whose actions have gained him the loyalty of some and

the spite of many more.

The Historical narrative:

The Jupiter Effect mostly uses the literary device, flashback, in

order to recount the events which took place during the Martial

law years. In a number of instances, the novel dwells into a

brief history of particular Filipino landmarks and events which

would aptly explain the parallelisms in the political conflicts

of pre-colonial and post- independence Philippines. Because of

this style, the story not only focuses on the Contreras, but also

includes a number of other characters from the different sides of

the Marcos era. A number of characters have their own sub-story,

which contributes to sketching a picture of the over-all

atmosphere of the time, as well as present how these inter-

connected characters eventually affect each other’s perceptions

and beliefs.

For the sake of this study, the summaries mainly focus on

the development of the Contreras as well as the characters whose

real life parallelisms can be affirmed through other historical

sources.

Chapter 1:

Gabriela Leondardo Contreras is the third child of Emi and

Julian. Due to two miscarriages previous, the successful birth is

a source for great joy for the couple. Raul Estavilla, Julian’s

friend and colleague at the Manila Daily becomes her godfather.

Danny Contreras, Gaby’s sibling, is two years older than her.

1969 is a significant year for the Contreras children. This

was mostly because of the number of significant events in the

arts, sciences and entertainment which took place. To name, there

was the first moon landing1, the first Binibining Pilipinas to

win the Miss Universe crown2, the U.S. State visit with the

President3, and on December 30, 1969, the President’s second

inaugural address at Luneta.4 Despite the President’s speech on

discipline and the troubles on the country, weeks later people

would rally and attack the President and his wife on their way

out of the Legislative Building on Burgos Street, their claim

that “he’d cheated” (6). Days later, the mob would continue to

grow in number and crash the gates of Malacañang; the military

responded by repelling the mob with tear gas and later, “when

1 On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 had successfully landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong (commander of the Apollo 11) has been quoted for this historic event, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”; he was the first man on the moon. 2

? Gloria Diaz. She is said to have won the pageant because of her witty answerin the question and answer portion of the competition. 3

? This could either be Lyndon Johnson (whose term ended in January 1969) or Richard Nixon, as Gaby mentions that she hears the word “Vee-yet-nam” mention in discussions. As early as John F. Kennedy’s term, Vietnam had been a constant political topic for the United States.4

? Ferdinand Marcos delivered his second inaugural address on Dec. 30, 1969 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. (transcript of speech: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos%27_Second_Inaugural_Address)

this failed, bullets” (7). This event would be dubbed as “Bloody

Friday”5.

Chapter 2:

Julian Contreras met Raul Estavilla as they both worked for

the Manila Daily. They became close friends, the mutual interest in

the stories of Manuel Arguilla6 served as the starting point of

this relationship. It would also be because of working for the

dailies that they would later on meet the future president. The

two were working on an exposé on a prostitution ring in Manila

whose biggest clients had turned out to be the biggest

advertisers for the newspaper Jules and Raul work for.

The lawyer who arrived at the office had already established

himself as the best in the country. While still a student, he was

arrested and accused for the murder of his father’s political

rival. The accused studied for his bar examinations in prison

and, surprisingly, scored the highest in the exams. Later on, he

5 This event finds it historical equivalent in the First Quarter Storm in 1969. People rallied and protested against the President, against graft and corruption in the administration and the rising prices of goods. The military quelled the protesters (most of them student activists) by force—tear gas and at some point, gunfire.

(Santos, Tina. “First Quarter Storm Commemorated”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 26, 2008.Accessed May 2009. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080126-115020/First-Quarter-Storm-commemorated) (Panganiban, Paula.“A Walk Through the First Quarter Storm”. Manila Times. Febuary 2008. AccessedMay 2009. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/feb/10/yehey/weekend/20080210week3.html)

6 (1911- 1944) Filipino writer. Author of “How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife,” a short story which is often included in Philippine Story anthologies.

accused chose to defend himself in court, and got himself

acquitted7.

This particular lawyer helped Julian and Raul. He reveals

that during the closed-door discussion with the businessmen, he

threatened to reveal other dirty secrets of the businessmen

unless they dropped the case. Indeed, the case was dropped and,

as if it were foreshadowed, Raul jokingly told the lawyer that

with his popularity and natural capabilities to win over cases,

he was headed for a political career.

The lawyer topped the list of senators in 1959; he joined

the Liberal party; he married a beautiful woman who would help

him down his political path8; when his own party mates would not

support him as a presidential candidate, he easily switched to

the Nacionalista party and won in 19659. (17)

7 Julio Nalundasan, who was Mariano Marcos’s (Ferdinand Marcos’s father)opponent for a Congressional position was shot by the 18 year old Ferdinand onSept. 20, 1935. Ferdinand was charged with murder three years later, though atthe time he had already been a senior at law school. He studied for the BarExaminations while in prison, as well as wrote his appeal. Ferdinand Marcospassed, scoring the highest for the examinations that year. The judge later onconsidered his appeal and dropped the charge.(Ferdinand Marcos. Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2006. Accessed May 2009.http://www.bookrags.com/biography/ferdinand-marcos/)8 Imelda Romualdez was from Tacloban City. She had won a beauty pageant, andhad been called “The Rose of Tacloban” for her beauty. She had since winningthe pageant been grazing the covers of magazines and gaining popularity forher beauty. She met Marcos when she moved to Manila in 1945, and they gotmarried in the same year.(Tuvera, Kerima. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos: A Biography. Regal Printing. Manila: 1970.)

9 Ferdinand Marcos followed the very same political path when he had begun hisinvolvement in Philippine politics. (Biography entry on Ferdinand Marcos. Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2006. Accessed May 2009. http://www.bookrags.com/biography/ferdinand-marcos/)

Two years into the President’s term, Raul had been placed as

the Minister of Information10. Also after the President had taken

his place, random bombings and talks of communist rebels and

Muslims being responsible for this took place. Moreover, the

Liberal Party is bent on winning the Senate, as its eight

candidates composed of incumbents and a former Speaker of the

House who had the equal “sense of hatred of the President” (19).

These same candidates would be present at the proclamation rally,

which would take place at the Plaza Miranda.

Despite the talks about the disaster which took place at

Plaza Miranda, the Contreras children would remain oblivious to

the happenings. First, Kiko would begin to attend first grade;

three years later, his younger sister, Gaby, would attend school

for the first time as well. The interests of the children

revolved around what was showing at the movies, television shows

and games. Moreover, despite the recent Plaza Miranda event,

people would soon forget it because of nature; a series of rain

showers and storms threw the city into darkness, and “it was the

worst typhoon in more than eighty years.” (22)

Chapter 3-5:

10 The Minister of Information under the Marcos administration was Gregorio Cendaña. (Gregorio Cendaña. PIA Daily News Reader, Information Services. August 28, 2006. Accessed may 2009. http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p060829.htm&no=55)

Ian Melchor, the Defense Minister11, asked Raul to write a

report about a certain Senator who was known for speaking well as

well as for being a Liberal. This Senator has been granted a

privilege speech, and thus Raul has been tasked to attend the

Senate hearing. The reason for the President’s interest in this

particular figure is that they had been both from Cavite, as well

as known each other—though not as friends.

To be mentioned about this Senator is that his wife belongs

to a prominent family who owns the Hacienda Estrella, the Salcedo

clan.12 The Senator himself belongs to a family who is known for

a significant political history:

His father had been a member of the National Assembly afterthe Americans set up the Commonwealth… when Bataan fell and theAmericans surrendered, the Senator’s father stood on the groundsof Malacanang waving the enemy’s flag, in warm welcome of theJapanese commander. In gratitude, the Imperial Army appointed himhead of the one and only political party allowed to exist duringtheir three year reign13. (3)

11 During F. E. Marcos’s administration, Juan Ponce Enrile was the Defense Minister.

12 Corazon Cojuangco- Aquino belonged to a prominent family in Tarlac. Shemarried Ninoy Aquino in 1954. (Corazon Cojoangco Aquino from Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2006. Accessed May 2009.http://www.bookrags.com/biography/corazon-cojoangco-aquino/)

13 Ninoy Aquino, Sr. was said to have been a collaborator during the Japaneseinvasion of Manila. For this, Ninoy Aquino, Jr. in his younger years wouldremember being discriminated by his peers for this accusation on his father. (Dalisay, Jose and Azurin, Arnold. “Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.: The Making of a Martyr.” Mga BagongBayani. Anvil Publishing. Manila: 2006, pp. 8-9)

At the Senate, the Senator shares a folder labeled as

“Operation Virgo”, which contains confidential documents on how

the government must “no longer hesitate to enforce drastic

measures” to prevent “deterioration of peace and order throughout

the Philippines.” This revelation brought aggressive counter-

measures and announcements from the government’s side14. A

closed-door meeting with the Philippine Constabulary Chief,

mayors, Liberal party members and the Senator as well results to

members of the press finding out that “Operation Virgo” is a

three-step process for the military to take certain steps to

counter particular situations which affect the country’s

security. The country was in the first stage, according to

Defense Minister, Ian Melchor.

Later that day, as Melchor heads home in his car, his path

is obstructed by a van. A group of men with guns open fire at

Melchor. Although he survives, everything halts as the President

declares Martial Law. The Senator is arrested later that evening,

charged with subversion, murder and illegal possession of

firearms. Aside from him, other politicians, particularly

14 In a privilege speech by Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. delivered on Sept 13, 1972 in Congress, he revealed a file called “Oplan Sagittarius. The document contained names of military heads as well as steps of military take over. Senator Aquino believed the document outlined the steps in preparation for proclaiming Martial Law in the country. (Zamora, Fe. “Before Rolex 12, there was Omega 5”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sept. 21, 2007. Accessed May 2009 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20070921-89823/Before_%27Rolex_12%2C%27_there_was_%27Omega_5%27)(Celoza, Albert. Ferdinand Marcos and the Philippines: The Political Economy of Authoritarianism. Greenwood Publishing Group. U.S.A:1997)

congressmen who were known to be against the president, were also

arrested15.

For the Contreras children, particularly Gaby, martial law

meant that there were very few newspapers and that she could no

longer watch her favorite TV shows since stations had gone off

the air. Some newspapers returned with different names, such as

The Evening Journal, The Manila Daily and The Philippine Times. Nonetheless, life

went on for them as they continued attending school, unaware of

the effect that they had on their teachers upon being found out

to be of the Contreras family.

Another problem takes place in the family; Kiko begins to

lose his sight in his left eye. After having been examined by

doctors, is diagnosed to have a cancerous tissue in his eye; the

cancer could spread to his other eye if not treated immediately.

As the operation is a difficult one, they must have Kiko’s eye

operated in a more specialized hospital abroad. Julius asks for

help from the President, who easily funds Kiko’s treatment.

Chapter 6-7:15 On the evening of September 22, 1972, Juan Ponce Enrile was “ambushed” bymen who open fired at his car as he was on his way back to Makati. Thisincident would serve as a reason for Marcos to declare Martial Law upon thecountry. The day after Martial Law was declared, the President ordered certainpolitical leaders and figures to be arrested.(“Fake Ambush of Enrile Ushered in Martial Law.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sept. 21, 2006. Accessed May 2009.http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20060921-22225/Fake_ambush_of_Enrile_ushered_in_martial_law)(“Marcos’ Martial Law”. Time Magazine. October 1972. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906446,00.html)

Despite the difficult political climate, there had been

reason to celebrate as a number of triumphant moments for the

Philippines lift spirits. One of these was another Filipina

winning Miss Universe16; another was a Filipino had won the Chess

Olympiad17, the first Asian Grandmaster; yet another, the moon

mobile was said to have been invented by a Filipino18. Moreover,

a number of personalities would come over to visit. For Gaby, her

significant memory would be the Parade of Nations, as Miss

Universe was to be held in the Philippines that year.

At the end of the Parade, the Presidential couple also show

themselves, waving to the crowd. Kiko sees the President for the

first time, and realizes that he is the reason why he had

received treatment abroad and saved his right eye. There are more

reasons that the child feels more indebted to the President who

to him is his father’s “boss”, as during the early half of the

school year, he is able to receive a signed autograph from his

boxing idol—Muhammad Ali—when the personality visits the

Philippines19.

16 Margaret Moran won the Miss Universe crown in 1973

17 Eugenio Torre gained this title in 1976 when he defeated Anatoly Karpov, the reigning world chess champion at the time18 Eduardo San Juan had invented the moon buggy in 1968.

19 1975. “Thrilla in Manila” was the historical boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. (Sexton, Joe. “The Thrilla Continues to Thrill.” New York Times. April 3, 2009. Accesssed May 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/arts/television/05sext.html)

The Contreras children do not feel the seriousness of the

situation yet. However, their father’s alliance with the

President leads to larger problems; rallies right outside their

house and death threats disturb the family’s peace. Emi confronts

a friend she finds leading the angered mob, and questions his

loyalty; Emi remains adamant about being on the President’s side

as he saved her son.

Meanwhile, the Senator, while in custody, had gone on hunger

strike. He was put on trial in a military court, charged with

murder and sentenced to death by a firing squad. Surprisingly,

the President changes his mind and decides to let the Senator run

as an opposing candidate to the Presidency to “show that [the

country] is still a democracy.” (75)

The Senator loses the election, though after this the extent

of damage incurred while he was in on hunger strike jail takes

its toll on his body20. He needs medical attention, and is sent

to the United States for treatment21. The President asks Raul to

20 “After Martial Law was proclaimed, Senator Ninoy Aquino was arrested and charged for subversion, as well as accused for the Plaza Miranda Bombing. He was imprisoned at Fort Bonifacio and Laur for 7 years and 7 months, mostly in solitary confinement. While in prison, he went on hunger strike in protest to the blatant bias and mishandling of the trial proceedings in 1975. Ninoy had the opportunity to be free in exchange for his fight for freedom and democracy, but repeatedly declined the offer and would rather die for his principles than surrender.”(Benigno Aquino Jr. Foundation, Inc. Ninoy: Ideals and Ideologies. Sanford Press. Hong Kong 1993)

21 “Following a heart attack in 1980, Ninoy and his family were allowed toleave for the United States, where he would undergo and survive heart surgery.(Dalisay, Jose and Azurin, Arnold. “Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.: The Making of a Martyr.” Mga BagongBayani. Anvil Publishing. Manila: 2006, p. 22)

relay a message to the Senator, but Raul’s last visit has

unnerved him. Raul asks Jules to relay the message for him, and

the conversation leads to the two friends deciding that they must

part ways; Jules remains indebted to the President for his son

while Raul decides to leave his job.

PART TWO

Chapter 8

Gaby now lives abroad, though thinks much about the past,

especially her highschool years. It was when she was sixteen that

she first heard the term, “the Jupiter Effect”, from her science

teacher, Ms. Salva. During those days, there was much talk of the

end of the world; Ms. Salva proposed that the end of the world

would come through the Jupiter Effect, which was when all the

planets would align with the moon and the sun, creating enough

force to make the sun explode22. Similar to her other

classmates, Gaby would hardly take these apocalyptic thoughts

seriously. Gaby was more familiar with the changes happening to

her, and growing keener on what kind of things she likes and

dislikes as well as how people seem to perceive her.

22 The Jupiter Effect was a concept brought about by a book published by JohnGribbin and Stephen Plagemann in 1974. Ms. Salva’s explanation is either amisunderstanding or exaggeration to the actual theory which explains that thealteration in the sun’s surface would cause a chain reaction. This chainreaction leads to the Earth experiencing tumultuous earthquakes. (Young, Donald. “Defects in the Jupiter Effect”. Institute for Creation Research. Accessed May2009. http://www.icr.org/article/154/)

It is also at this age that she receives attention from the

other boys in her class, though she reserves her attention to one

particularly strange boy—Anton. This particular boy caught her

eye because of his unconventional way of acting; he would ask

strange, albeit interesting, questions in class to challenge his

teachers’ patience. Despite Anton’s antics, he and Gaby have

rarely spoken to each other. Gaby, however, receives a note from

another classmate—Nilo Benigno— who asks if he could call her at

her house. Gaby shuns the idea, though at the back of her mind is

constantly nervous about his possibly calling at their home. He

never does.

Chapter 9

Gaby receives another message through Nilo’s friend, that is

to meet him after class. She thinks it over, her attention still

focused on Anton. Gaby attempts to share a joke with Anton, but

he reacts untowardly towards her; Gaby decides to meet up with

Nilo instead. Upon meeting with Nilo, however, things do not seem

to change as the boy acts strangely quiet— seemingly uninterested

to tell her what it was he wanted to say. She leaves the boy,

irritable over the series of incidents that day. Nilo calls her

up later that evening, and the two begin to share a conversation

which makes up for the awkward incident.

On the other hand, Kiko is now in college. He has also made

his new group of friends. However, there are certain events which

place him in a spot. His political science professor, Andrea

Mojan, for instance, gives him a difficult time and insinuates

that he is part of the corrupt government by simply being the son

of Julian Contreras. Kiko remains silent, decides not to

challenge his professor. Unknown to Kiko, Andrea Mojas had lost

Danny Remorca (her first boyfriend) to the violence brought about

by his decision to be against the government.

As Gaby goes through the complications of highschool life,

the political tension continue. Raul Estavilla is now puts up his

own paper, Kalayaan, an underground publication which criticizes

the administration. Despite the paper being sold and purchased in

secret, it has been in demand. That day, Raul receives a note

from Jules to meet him for lunch.

The two friends meet for lunch. Despite their differed

alliances, they are still able to share a conversation like

before. Raul knows that there is a reason for this meeting. Jules

mentions that there have been talks about the Senator returning

to the Philippines. The two understand that this could mean that

the Senator’s life would be placed in danger. For this reason,

Jules asks Raul not to publish anything which informs people

about this; Raul, over much consideration, agrees.

Chapter 10:

The Contreras children have grown apart. Gaby began to see

Nilo in secret, going out with him during the day, and talking on

the phone at night. They spend a lot of time together, even

without Kiko knowing. Kiko, on the other hand, actually wonders

how his sister is but does not bother to talk to her. He wonders

if she is able to cope with the harsh realities which he seems to

be coming across lately; as he is in college, he thinks of how

his sister would be able to cope once she becomes a collegiate

herself.

Miles away, the Senator has become decided to end his

exile23. He has prepared everything, a fake passport with a fake

name, and he is to be accompanied by a group of journalists on

the way back. His wife asks him why he has decided this,

struggling to understand his decision. The Senator remains with

his resolution to return to the country at the best time—as the

President grows weaker with an illness, talks of the president’s

wealth abroad becoming more known to the people, and NPA rebels

becoming stronger against the administration24.23 “Marcos was himself ill, which worried Ninoy, who believed that thePhilipines would tumble into further chaos and ruin unless a viablealternative—a united opposition— was shaped beforehand. This he would go hometo lend a hand in that shaping.” This decision to return home would take placein 1983. (Dalisay, Jose and Azurin, Arnold. “Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.: The Making of a Martyr.” Mga BagongBayani. Anvil Publishing. Manila: 2006, p. 22)

24 Marcos had been diagnosed with Lupus, which slowly weakened him. Moreover,there had been talk about the family’s Swiss Bank Accounts which amounted tomillions of dollars. On top of this, NPA communist groups were growingstronger, alongside with Muslim rebels. Numerous bombings would take placeduring these periods, though there is speculation that the bombings might havebeen done by the government to sow fear into the people.

Chapter 11:

The President and his family’s assets are now being

questioned as foreign publications have written about his Swiss

Bank accounts; the papers were banned from public view. Moreover,

videos on the President’s houses all over the world have been

circulated—copied and recopied—from one household to the other.

As if to avert the attention from the political events, the

First lady has began her project, the Manila International Film

Festival, which she announced would be “Asia’s answer to the

Cannes Film Festival.” (135) Unfortunately, much of the money had

gone to the building of the Film Center. This very same building

had collapsed, but because the First Lady had wanted to meet the

deadline, construction continued though a number of bodies could

not be retrieved from the site25.

The Contreras family had also experienced certain changes

among the members. For one, Emi no longer left the house or

participated in outreach projects or medical missions; Kiko had

grown grumpier and no longer joined the family for dinner. Gaby

knows that this is related to the work of their father. Gaby is

aware of what is being said against the President, but she

remains on the President’s side, thinking that those who are25 The Manila Film Center, located in Roxas Boulevard, is notorious at presentfor being haunted. This is due to the tragedy of the building’s collapse whileit was being built in 1981. It claimed a number of lives of workers; it is said that Imelda ordered that the damage be paved over. Until now, no one truly knows how many people died at the site, nor had the bodies been retrieved.

against are simply envious of him and of the people who benefit

from his generosity.

Gaby was then in her sophomore year. She was sent on a

conference with twelve other girls from her school and a teacher

in Teacher’s Camp in Baguio. The keynote speaker, BAdong Luis,

was part of the opposition; “son of a former President, he hoped

too someday be chosen by Filipinos to live in Malacañang.26”(138)

Gaby felt anxious when the people seated behind the speaker

stirred when he mentioned having spoken to the Minister of

Information, Julian Contreras; Badong called her aside after his

speech, asked her to give her father his regards, posed with her

for a picture and bade goodbye. Meanwhile, a teacher from the

other school threw dirty looks at Gaby shortly after that, making

side remarks about “parasites”.

The treatment from the teacher made Gaby think about how

people would act towards her. She thought that it was with Nilo

and his Uncle, Lumot, that she felt most comfortable. Although

Nilo and Lumot knew of Gaby’s family’s relation to the President,

and that they avidly attended rallies to protest against the

administration, they would not treat Gaby with contempt.

Chapter 12

26 Perhaps pertaining to Senator Sergio Osmena Jr., who was then also part of the opposition (Liberal Party) and ran as a Presidential candidate during the 1965 “rigged” elections.

The Senator is all set for his trip back to the Philippines,

though he is keenly aware of the possible consequences of him

stepping on Philippine soil once more while the President is

still in power. Other Filipinos on board asked him what he would

do and whether he was not scared to return to the country; to

this, the Senator replied, pointing out the foreign journalists

also on board, “the entire world would know if anything happens

to me”. (144) The Senator had also taken a number of precautions,

he had a fake passport bearing the name Rizal Bonficaio.

Prior to leaving for the Philippines, the Senator shared the

last conversations with his wife. His wife could not understand

why he wanted to return and risk his life in the process. He, on

the other hand, began to question himself for his decisions, his

insistence and determination. He wondered if his wants were

caused by his family’s past— “was he haunted by his own father’s

disgrace, branded a Japanese collaborator during the Japanese

occupation?” (146) The Senator was convinced that expiation, to

clear his family’s name, was a great factor influencing his

decisions.

Meanwhile, Raul Estavilla had been tuned in to the radio

that morning, waiting for any news about the Senator’s return

home. He knew that the Senator was on his way, and that he would

be arriving in the afternoon. He thought anyone might have

figured out the Senator’s plan to return.

The plane the Senator was in had finally reached Manila. As

the plane landed and came to a halt, he began to feel anxious. He

noted that even the journalists were quiet, perhaps sensing the

danger ahead. Suddenly, the cabin doors flew open and three men

in khaki uniform strode in. When the soldiers recognized the

Senator, they welcomed him, saying that “we are here to escort

you... see that you get home safely…” (152) The Senator did no

resist, and was escorted by the four men, as the other passengers

made way.

Back at Malacanang, Jules was called to the President’s

office. He wondered why everyone, including the First Lady was

there as she does not usually go to the meetings. He observed how

the President “slumped like a child in his gold gilded chair. His

cheeks had long turned yellow and bloated from the disease slowly

killing him…” (154) The President breaks the silence by telling

Jules that “something has happened and I’m afraid”, and that he

needed Julius to make an announcement.

Long before the televised announcement by Jules, Raul had

heard over Radio Veritas what has happened. Badong Luis had led a

small crowd to welcome the Senator’s “secret” arrival. Badong,

whose voice revealed his grief-stricken state, said “Today, those

who will forever want us silent have made their most horrible

mistake. They’ve killed the Senator. God help us all.” (155)

Having heard this, Raul switched on the TV to find that on

PTV 4, Jules had made the announcement that indeed the Senator

had been assassinated, by a “still unidentified man”. The

assassin, in turn, had been shot by the soldiers trying to escort

the man to safety.

Unaware of the events that morning, Gaby woke up to the

unnaturally silent Sunday. She found out the news as she headed

downstairs and found her older brother watching the news,

revealing the footage of the two men who lay dead on the ground.

In the weeks to come, she would learn more about the Senator’s

return to the country, and that people had begun to call him a

martyr. Nevertheless, her friends would never mention the senator

in her presence—not even Nilo. Gaby would try to understand more

about what was happening in the country, but she could not

discuss this with her father, nor her brother. Also, though she

had tried to read the newspapers, they had hardly regarded the

Senator as a martyr. Instead, they would reveal negative aspects

of his past and of him being a corrupt politician.

The Senator’s wife had now been called “The Widow” by the

press. She refused to have her husband’s corpse to be cleaned up;

she expressed her reason, “I want the Filipino people to see what

this government has done.” As the body lay at the Santo Domingo

Church, thousands of people dropped by to pay their respects.

Kiko would be one of those who would join the thousands of people

who mourned the Senator’s untimely death—of course, this would be

unknown by his parents.

The Senator’s funeral was also followed by a number of

people. He was buried in Manila Memorial Park, his procession

witnessed and followed by millions. Sympathizing with “The

Widow”, the classless crowd had marched, creating columns

blocking streets from Quezon City to Paranque. The widow held her

hands up to the crowd, her hands forming an L which meant laban.

The color yellow, the Senator’s favorite, was everywhere as

people wore yellow shirts, yellow ribbons hung from the trees and

confetti showered the people who quickly regrouped despite the

attempts to disperse them with tear gas.

Chapter 13-14:

The turn of events has sent Raul into a spree of articles,

making Kalayaan sell even more issues than before. Jules

constantly calls him up, warning him to stop what he has been

doing. Raul

Kiko and Gaby have long been experiencing the bias brought

about by their father’s working as the Minister of Information.

But ever since the Senator’s death, their family name brings them

even more trouble with peers and teachers. Moreover, the siblings

have begun to form their own opinions about the administration

and how they feel about what has been happening and their role in

it.

Kiko, though knowing that he is indebted to the President

for saving his life, now questions his father for his decision to

remain working for the man. Jules reminds him of how he must

realize that he is indebted to the man, but Kiko brusquely denies

that he must feel this way after what all that is happening in

the country.

Moreover, he begins seeing Mika Nagai, whose father also is

indebted to the President. She is the heiress of one of the

biggest businesses in the country, though has also chosen to

escape her father to attend the Senator’s wake. This is how she

meets Kiko. Since that day, the two have become good friends.

Though they are aware of their stand on the political issues,

both are also aware of their capacity to express themselves given

their fathers’ affiliation to the administration.

Kiko is not spared from the biased treatment from being a

Contreras. His Political Science professor, Andrea Mojares, gives

him a difficult time to complete his requirements. She gave him

and “incomplete”, though he claims that he had been able to take

the final examination. She is always unavailable when he needs to

see her. Kiko fruitlessly keeps looking for his professor, and in

vain only is entertained by Anna, the clerk of the Political

Science Department.

Anna one day asks Kiko for help; the Chairman needs to

travel to L.A. for a seminar, but travel documents required a

signature from a member of the Cabinet. Kiko agreed to ask his

father to sign. A few days later, having been able to acquire his

father’s signature, Anna hands Kiko a card which showed that his

grade had been changed to a 1.25.

Gaby finds out from her friends, Lumot and Nilo, that Raul

(unknown to them, her godfather) had been taken to Camp Crame.

She does not ask her father about this, though he is aware of

what has happened to his close friend.

Later on, The Widow calls on the people to rally at

Mendiola. Crowds gather, and Gaby’s friends—Lumot, Alex and Nilo

join in the rally. As the crowd grows, people clamor for the

President to step down, for change. In the midst of the

gathering, soldiers swoop down the area, hitting people with the

butt of their rifles and injuring many others. Lumot was

unfortunate, as his injuries were fatal.

Gaby heard the news from Nilo. She is confused with the

development of events, especially at how her father could not

even begin to explain what was happening. Sitting at the garden

outside, confused about everything, and about Nilo’s guilty

phonecall, she feels lost about everything happening around her.

Kiko sits down and accompanies Gaby, the two of them thinking

back about their childhood. The narrative concludes with Gaby

asking Kiko what is happening. To this Kiko, seeming defeated,

answers that the two of them “will just have to wait.”

Literary Analysis:

“The Jupiter Effect”, the given title for the narrative,

suggests the over-all idea which unites the different characters.

Through the experience of the different characters, including

those who remain nameless, the reality of how interconnected

people are and can be is revealed through a single significant

event. The Jupiter Effect is a metaphor to the chain reaction

which affects the different characters who stand as individuals

yet are aligned, so to speak, in being affected by the events

which surround them. What happens, when they all stand side by

side a single, enormous event, is an explosion of experiences and

emotions— all things no longer controllable and it appears to be

a fruitless enterprise to attempt to. This is what the narrative

appears to be explaining, the over-all effect of a dictatorship,

and the death of democracy affects both parties. There is no

peace, especially for the children.

The narrative also dwells upon the idea of loyalty versus

the greater good. The two ideas always come in conflict for

different characters, until they decide which one they stick by

for their own sake. Jules and Emi Contreras as perfect examples

of those who remain loyal because of their being indebted to the

President, in Filipino a social and cultural trait known as

“utang na loob”. This belief is what keeps them blind towards the

political events taking place, even to the extent of blinding

them towards blatant acts of violence and abuse on others’

rights. On the other hand, there is also the Senator and Raul

Estavilla who serve as perfect examples of those who have realize

the need to stand by the truth—regardless of the consequences

these might bring to them. Despite the presence of these people

who know where they stand, there seem to be more who are unsure

of where their loyalty lies. This is where Kiko experiences the

conflict of the two ideas, as he knows that he is indebted

towards the President for the “perks” which he enjoys; on the

other hand, he feels guilty for being part of the corrupt system.

Though the narrative has a number of parallels in actual

Philippine history, its literary quality becomes most evident in

the conclusion. The rally, the gathering called together by “The

Widow”, had ended horribly with the military taking over and

dispersing the crowd. It is a tragic foil-like counterpart to the

actual event which has glorified the Philippines as a democratic

country—the People Power Revolution. It is this altered ending

which leaves one to wonder, “what if history had gone down the

other way?” or “what if the People Power had failed as well?” it

is a bleak idea, and in this seems to be the unique, redeeming

quality when the reader realizes that “it is not true”, that

reality had turned out to be much more optimistic, if not

glorious. Then again, this thought is also left unanswered as one

recalls that the entire story actually takes place in the

recollections of Gaby Contreras.

“The Jupiter Effect” places, in a nutshell, a number of

factual events—albeit through fictional people and places— of the

Marcos era. Its aim is not to narrate these factual events (this

is where it draws the line and becomes fiction), but to allude to

them through the clues left in the text. By doing so, remembering

history through fiction, the novel achieves two things— first, to

drive the reader to distinguish the factual events, and in the

process to learn more about this chapter in Philippine history.

Second, it presents the horrific effect of living in a country

being run by a government which has turned dictatorship, to live

in a country where individuals are recognized according to where

their loyalties lie rather than in pursuit the greater good.