In 2020, the world saw the passing of the Anti-Terrorism Act in my home country of the Philippines, which greatly expands the definition of terrorism, listing broad, ambiguous acts as terrorist threats. One portion of the legislation especially has caught the attention of the public and lawmakers, as it states that the act of inciting others through means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners, or other representations is an act of terrorism in itself. These vague descriptors make many Filipinos fear that those who show any degree of opposition towards the government or promotion of destabilizing the economic, political, or social system, such as through social media posts, in-person conversations, protests, or labor strikes, can be considered a terrorist threat to the Philippines. The law also allows for suspects’ personal and bank information, personal communications, and more to be under surveillance without their knowledge, and it also gives police and military forces permission to perform warrantless arrests and detain suspects for up to 24 days before they can even be brought before any judicial court.

I wrote this piece in response to the passing of this legislation. It features the Philippine National Anthem and a folk song named Maliwanag Na Buwan, meaning “Bright Moon.” The national anthem originally describes the beauty of the Philippine homeland and culture, and the folk song is about the loyalty we feel when we experience love - even love that is unrequited. But in this piece, the melodies are dissonant fragments of their actual selves.

This piece is titled “Matakot”, which means “fear” and “nervousness” in Tagalog, the Filipino language, and through this string orchestra piece, I strive to convey the uneasiness, dread, and instability that many Filipinos are experiencing.

Matakot won the Old Dominion University Young Artists Competition in 2021.

It was premiered by the Old Dominion University Symphony Orchestra in December 2021 in Norfolk, Virginia.