For The People, Cartoonist ZACH Remains
By Mikael Rizada Borres
Portions of the interview were conducted in Cebuano (Bisaya).
All Cebuano quotes have been translated into English for clarity and length.
Philippine politics and culture are ripe for intense scrutiny, and Cartoonist Zach does not hesitate in illustrating his criticisms of what is going awry in this country through his cartoons. He takes aim at questionable trends and outdated traditions; he lampoons the personalities who exploit those trends or insist on upholding the status quo. He can galvanize fans, followers, and online passersby to grieve the ills and growing pains of our society. ZACH not only makes us laugh, cry, groan, and react in all other ways – he makes us think.
His political and societal commentary has graced the pages of Philippine publications like The Freeman and CBCP News (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines), as well as international newspapers like France’s Le Monde, Switzerland’s Le Temps, and Luxembourg’s Tageblatt. And throughout his rise as a cartoonist, his work has gained recognition from thousands of people on social media, catching the eyes of admirers and nay-sayers.
But there is something that shines the brightest amongst his accomplishments and feats. What has come to light is Zach’s capacity to stay strong because of his cartoons and despite nefarious characters seeking to silence him and his fellow cartoonists. Creatives like Zach are responding in kind as artistic enemy combatants. To uphold what he thinks is right and just, Cartoonist Zach remains.
Zach Is Not Afraid (To Piss His Teachers Off)
Zach remembers knowing how to draw, sketching out stick-figured houses, animals, and family members, before learning how to speak. He would even say that drawing was his first language. To Zach’s regret, however, not everyone is as fluent in the language as him. “When I went to elementary school, just like any other artist, I was quiet, quite misunderstood. When I started school, I was kind of unruly or mischievous, kind of the type of person who always gets his mother called for something wrong he did,” said Zach. He recalled drawing characters from the anime television show Dragon Ball Z during class, irking his teachers in the process. “So my focus was always diverted to other things. I could never focus, my papers would get filled with drawings.”
His distraction was how his first-grade teacher noticed his knack for art, complementing his drawing even if he drew them during class. That teacher became one of the first, if not the first to recognize Zach’s art. Whenever the teacher needed something to be drawn on the chalkboard, they would call on Zach for help. Zach’s skill as a drawer then got more acknowledgement, winning poster-making contests in elementary school.
But drawing became something more than just a way to get accolades and praise, or a past-time he did during dull classes. Drawing allowed Zach to construct bridges between himself and other people, hoping to create connections amidst a period in his life defined by isolation. Between him failing to perform strongly in his studies as he should have been and getting scolded at home for the artistic antics he does in school was his wish to be validated for who he is and what he enjoys doing.
“As a kid, I saw myself as a castaway sometimes. They say, ‘Ahh, Zach, you’re weird,’ something like that. It was like I wasn’t that accepted much by my classmates. There were times when I was misinterpreted. So drawing was a way to get appreciation from my classmates.
Speaking Politics With Styluses And Pencils
Zach’s interest in cartooning spurred before high school, applying as a cartoonist in his elementary school’s publication back in the 6th grade. (He did join the team, albeit as a writer). But as soon as Zach got to dabble in school press conferences, he scored wins for his high school by competing in the Editorial Cartooning category.
He revelled in the victories he attained in high school press conferences, but he discovered the true purpose of his cartooning whilst being a staff illustrator for the University of San Carlos’ official progressive student publication, Today’s Carolinian. Calling the publication the place where his “true political awakening” took place, he befriended fellow awkward introverts with whom he can discuss societal ideas and political issues with comfort and confidence. “In college, it’s really rare for you to find someone who’s politically inclined because, you know… I’m sorry to say, but people [in college] want to graduate. That’s it. So some of them, they have this privilege to be apolitical and to be probably apathetic to issues that have been happening in the country.”
Ever since his political awakening, Zach holds no bars when using his stylus pen to sketch out his condemnation of the corrupt Filipino powers that be. From his suspicions towards the Maharlika Investment Fund and its supposed to his calls to scrap the Sim Card Registration Act, to his caricature of now-debarred lawyer and Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon, Zach’s record of intense scrutinization through caricaturization is evident and storied.
“What satire really looks like, it really looks to be funny. It looks to be humorous, using humour and exaggeration. It really looks ridiculous. It tends to provoke people's minds, but the intention is to introduce or to re-awaken the minds of the readers or the viewers of your cartoons to what's really happening. It's always rooted in the truth.”
(Do You Dare) To Draw?
Having an opinion of any kind puts one in a position where they would be a viable object of the observing public’s scorn. To evoke the words of comedian Joy Behar: “As soon as you open your mouth, you lose half your audience.”
Zach is not impervious to the truth of the aforementioned quote (in the form of social media beratement against him). For the most part, his critics react to his work by commenting on his posts, sharing their dismay at Zach’s opinions. He sometimes engages with the remarks, explaining himself and his opinion if he sees any opportunity to answer the other side’s questions and address their concerns. “For criticisms [of] my work, if it comes from a real account, I will either respond or take a mental note because you have to be open to criticisms. Art is always a continuous progress,” said Zach. “[The haters] are people. Don’t treat them as enemies and don’t exclude them.”
But aside from the fault-finding chides in the comment section, a small portion of the cynics hold hysteria that breeds danger and barbarity. Such is prompted by Zach’s cartoons sometimes touching the unpleasant nerves of those unwilling to put names to the factors causing the plight of Filipinos.
When Zach does get comments and private messages that threaten him with legal attacks, violence, and even death, there is some element of dread being felt within him. Exactly a month after the interview with Zach, two motorcyclists gunned down radio personality Percy Lapid, a fierce critic of Philippine presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He became part of an ever-expanding list of journalists getting killed in the Philippines.
“Of course, you’ll fear for not only your life but also your family because [...] things have not been going quite [well] lately,” opined Zach, who deletes online death threat messages whenever he receives them and blocks the users who sent those messages. “You know we have the threats of cyber libel or just made-up charges against journalists and activists.”
However, in the face of virtual vilifiers, Zach continues to draw and put out his cartoons. In fact,
from much exposure to the vilifiers, has gotten used to the hate. If anything, the aggression and taunts showed him the bogusness of what was being said about him and his work. With enough time as a digital content creator, he understands how several threats he would receive in his inbox would turn out to be online trolls trying to scare him.
He has also embraced a kind of fearlessness amidst the frightful possibilities. He is not fearless in that he does not possess anxiety about what could happen to him and his loved ones. He is fearless because he is aware of his anxieties and yet still pushes on for what he thinks is good.
In response to the question of whether he is scared of what he may face because of his cartooning, he says: “If I become silent, who else will speak up? If every cartoonist will stop making cartoons, who else will do it? This is the motivation behind the movement. We should not live in fear.”
“We should not be afraid of speaking the truth. If we become silent, this enables tyrants, those people in power to continue their fascist governance. We should remember that everything we are doing right now is guaranteed by the Constitution, its freedom of expression.”
“This month marks the 10th-year anniversary of joining Today's Carolinian. Here is my first-ever cartoon that I ever contributed to my student publication back in college, during the height of the PDAF scandal.” (Cartoonist Zach via Facebook, July 14, 2023)
Cartoonist Zach and Mikael conducted the interview through Zoom on September 3, 2022.
Recommended Song: Who’s Side Are You On? - Natalie Merchant
Images and Cartoons from Cartoonist ZACH’s Facebook Page.
