The sun will shine on this side of my world.

When we have problems, we don’t feel the kindness of God.

But it doesn’t mean that God isn’t kind.

It just means it’s nighttime, but God’s kindness is still shining.

In another part of your world, it’s daytime!

 Soon, your night will pass. Your trials will pass. Your burdens will pass. And you’ll see the first rays of the morning sun break through the darkness of your problems.

- Bo Sanchez 

I'm not having the best start to my day today, unlike other days when I feel extremely happy in the morning. 

Sometimes, my Tita makes it a habit to point out all the bad things that are happening to us and our family, and sometimes it just really takes a toll on me. Like every November, she makes it a point to remind us that Christmas this year won't be as good as Christmas in 1995 or 1996, during the better days, I must say. I can't blame her though. She has already sacrificed so much.

Years ago, I always looked forward to this time of the year, especially when school got too busy and when my parents decided to part ways. I always wanted it to be Christmas, simply because I got to spend more time with my Lolo and Lola, who really just show their love so much (and the gifts I got from my ninongs and ninangs. Haha.). In 1997, my Lola passed away a few days after Christmas, and up to now, memories of that day still flash through my mind so vividly. Ten years later, my Lolo suffered a stroke which ultimately led to his demise the following year. Christmases since then weren't exactly occasions I looked forward to.me fun or like what they used to, I still can't answer the hows and whys and what-ifs. Sometimes, it just pierces my heart knowing that right now, I am powerless to change things. I feel like even if I have the perfect Christmas celebration outlined in my mind, I really can't share it, and it crushes me. 

I used to question God a lot. Why me? Haven't I suffered enough? I'm so young to have to go through all these things. Don't you love me?

I know that in terms of my faith, I'm still taking baby steps, but I'm hoping that I'd be able to truly walk with Him to answer the longings of my heart. A few weeks ago, I went to mass. And I really can't help but cry. God sent me a message on that day and I could never forget it. 

Sometimes, you just have to bear your cross in order for you to grow in My love, and when you grow in My love, you can share it with the world.

I do not know if you believe in callings, but I do. Somehow, I could never fully understand why God allowed me to go full time despite all the challenges I needed to face. But then again, I believe that this is where I am able to share the love, and someday, soon, maybe my family will experience that kind of love from me too. I just hope that it the sun will shine on this side of my world. :)  

Kung ang lahat ng Pilipino ba ay tulad mo, gaganda ba ang bansa? (a reflection)

Yesterday, just in any other talk he has conducted, Kuya Mari asked the question: "Kung ang lahat ng Pilipino ba ay tulad mo, gaganda ba ang bansa?" And just as in any instance he has asked this question, I could also think of reasons why I could say YES, but I could also think of reason why I could say NO.

Why, you might ask?

I could say yes simply because I have a vision of a better Philippines. I believe that this country has far too much potential and I would like to harness these potentials so that we can make this country better. Truly, if Filipinos thought this way, I'm sure that we will be able to rise.

But in accepting the fact that the Philippines will be a great country if all Filipinos were like me, I believe that it entails a certain posture. I have asked myself so many times, am I a good role model for Filipinos to follow?

Posing this question, I could enumerate a lot of reasons why I am not the best model. I am a flawed and broken person, and in humbly accepting the fact that I am flawed, I believe that there are things about me that Filipinos should not even try replicating. I am sure that my weaknesses will not be good to follow. And I know in myself that I should start changing if I want change.

Which is the good thing about my situation -- It turns the negative into a positive. I am broken, but I could rise and be a stronger person. I am flawed but I can work on being the perfect child that God always wanted me to be. I can change and will be the change I want to see in this country.

Hence, if you ask me now, kung ang lahat ng Pilipino ba ay tulad mo, gaganda ba ang bansa? I wouldn't say yes -- but I wouldn't say no either. I would say, not yet. I will be. :)

 

 

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is destressing with dhang and ate cla. :-)

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Pilipinas kong MAHAL. :-)

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one of my favorite prayers

Lord, let me be the change I want to see
To do with strength and wisdom
All that needs to be done
And become the hope that I can be
Set me free from my fears and hesitations
Grant me the courage and humility
Fill me with spirit to face the challenge
And start the change I long to see.
Even if I’m not the light
I can be the spark
In faith, service and communion
Let us start the change we want to see
The change that begins with me.

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'...right by Your side I'll stay, worshipping you all day. I will live&die for You. Everything I will do for heaven is here in my heart.'

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My candidates for the upcoming elections.

Remember a few months ago, I blogged about who I'm voting for? Well, there were some of them whom I thought I was sure of -- particularly Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo. However, after they've finally decided to be guest candidates under Money Manny Villarroyo's party, I've decided to drop them. Also, I couldn't believe that someone who used to hate Marcos with a passion would run under the same banner as his son. Oh well. That's politics for you. 

The good  thing about my posting that blog, however, was that some candidates actually made an effort to approach me so that I could get to know them better. Alex Lacson (whom I am most sure of voting!), Ruffy Biazon, and to some extent, TG Guingona, made their plans known to me. I felt that my own vote counts and considering that they couldn't really reach every single Filipino, I was siquite fortunate to have had that opportunity to ask them personally about certain aspects of their programs  current engagements. I've also done my research on Sonia Roco, Martin Bautista and Yasmin Busran-Lao. I'm voting for them :) Sonia Roco on the grounds of women empowerment, Martin Bautista because he has the best program for health (considering, of course that he's a doctor), and Yasmin Busran-Lao because I believe that in order to achieve true peace in Mindanao, they need a representative in the legislative process. :) 

I'm not voting for Danny Lim, though. So it's not exactly SLAMAT LORRRD. And yes, I'm under voting for senate and councilors.

So here's my almost final list. 

• President: Noynoy Aquino
• Vice President: Mar Roxas
• Senators 
• Sonia Roco
• Neric Acosta 
• Martin Bautista 
• Alex Lacson 
• TG Guingona
• Yasmin Busran-Lao
• Serge Osmena (guest candidate) 
• Ruffy Biazon
• Ralph Recto 
• Risa Hontiveros 
• Frank Drilon
• Mayor: Herbert Bautista
• Vice Mayor: Joy Belmonte
• Congresswoman: Vivienne Tan
• Councilor
•  Sep Juico
•  Party list: None!

And yes, Sep is the only candidate I'm considering so far. The others seem a little too trapo for me. At least I'm confident in these choices.

And yes, halos lahat LP. Haha! :)

The Rationale Behind the Choice

This is the last time I'll explain my vote. I may not argue up front, but here are my arguments on why I've decided.

I've always thought that my chosen candidate, Noynoy Aquino, could run a campaign like Obama's. Obama had comparatively less experience than John McCain, yet the Americans have decided not to be subjected under a less than competent government. I thought that Noy could run a campaign built on hope that the country will rise after a 12-year spell under a government that has lost all sense of integrity. One that people can put their full trust on.

However, with the current political landscape, trapo politics still reigns. Instead of having just a few gunning for the presidency, everyone who thinks that they can could run -- even if they had been corrupt (or been loyal to someone who has been proven to be corrupt), ousted from the presidency, or just merely wanted to do so (even if they barely had a chance on winning the elections). Good governance has been ill-defined in the sense that it is considered to be "good" if the people could reap some benefits from it.

But the truth is, it's not just about the benefits.

Good governance means doing what has been entrusted to you by the populace while retaining your integrity despite the temptations being presented to you. It means delivering the services that is due the people without compromising the quality. It is about inspiring others to do good because you believe that goodness is innate. It's about using the power bestowed upon you to affect change.

I believe that my president has that ability to run the government with integrity. I believe that he can deliver. I believe that he can inspire because he's a good man. But there are just people who wouldn't give him a chance simply because he hasn't much credentials to show.

Fine, he may not have as much money to spend on advertisements, he may not have gone to Harvard for Law, he may not be a crowd-pleaser: but he's a good man with pure intentions. And if you're a good man, people can see that you only want what's best for your country even if you have just enough to get by. He ran because people wanted him to do so. I simply wanted him to run because I knew that he would put governing with integrity and principles, improving education, eradicating hunger and poverty at the core of his campaign. I know his record, and believe me, I like what I've seen. Above all, I support him because I know that he will anchor his poverty alleviation plan on Gawad Kalinga. One that has proven to be the most effective way of eradicating poverty in the country by EMPOWERING PEOPLE by showing love and care to the least of the poor. It is faith in action.

What good is being a topnotcher in the bar or being a successful businessman if you tolerate corruption in governance? What good is having a platform with too much statistics and flowery words if at the end of the day, you're the reason why our country is still in a rot? What good is having too much ads being aired on television if you have tainted your name so much by stealing what is due to the people?
Silang tunay na mahirap, silang mga may galing at talino, silang may disiplina, silang babalik na, silang mga relihiyoso, silang magaling magsalita , SILA NA ANG LAHAT. PERO HINDI SILA ANG SOLUSYON. Maaaring alam kuno nila ang pagiging tunay na mahirap pero sila rin naman ang dahilan kung bakit may mahirap. Maaaring sila ang may galing at talino, pero kung "trickle down effect" sa ekonomiya ang aasahan natin para umunlad ang bayan, hindi mo ineempower yung mahirap na ibangon ang sarili nila sa kahirapan, walang kwenta rin ang paghihirap at resources na ginamit mo. Maaaring babalik na sila, pero kung babalik lang sila at babalik lang tayo sa dating gawi at ipagpapatuloy lang natin ang naudlot, THANK YOU BUT WE DON'T NEED YOU. Silang relihiyoso, may pananampalataya sila, oo. Pero kung wala naman ang katawan na kumukumpleto sa espiritu, kung wala ang kilos at puro pananampalataya, wala ring mangyayari. Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa. Silang lahat magaling magsalita. Aba, kaya nga nila iemphasize yung mga magagandang words (yung iba pa nga di nila yata alam ang ibig sabihin), pero hindi ba yung mga taong magagaling na magsalita, sila din yung naging sanhi ng mga pangyayari tulad ng Martial Law at World War 2?
We can be very intellectual about our votes. For me, it's not just about being smart. It's also about being good. Pagiging MABUTI. Pagiging TAPAT. Pagiging tunay na Pilipino. Pagkilala sa biyaya ng pagiging Pilipino at pag-alaga sa biyayang ito.
You may always argue with me with my choice. I'd respect that; but this is my choice and I will see to it that I will be accountable for this choice. If you'd vote for the others, I wouldn't have anything against you.
What matters is that after the elections, we reunite and rebuild a better country.

on poverty

We should not rely on government and international institutions to solve the poverty problem. It must start with the citizens being empowered to improve the current state of things.

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my favorite moment in Phil. History..

I’m watching the GMA Anniversary thinking, why wasn’t I born during the most exciting and trying years in Philippine history, which, in my opinion are the best because it brought out the best in the Filipino! People power!

The sheer image of Ninoy Aquino, martyred, lying in his coffin, in itself shows that the Filipino is worth dying for. Anyone who died for our land knew that we are too great a race to fall on a ruthless leader’s hands, subjecting people to much grief and injustice that they didn’t deserve. Amazing how we can rise above the greatest challenges to our democracy.

So please, this May, make the RIGHT choice. Do not vote for anyone who tolerates corruption, steals from the government and defends the wrongdoings of the current admin… I knnw where my vote’s going! ;)

(^_^)-L

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Presidential forum in DLSU on Friday! (follow the link for details)

MGA LASALYANO!! Berde man ang kulay natin, magkaisa tayo upang isulong ang DILAW na pagbabago! Show your support for the People’s Campaign!!

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will be one of the participants of the DLSU Presidential Forum. WEAR YELLOW and head to DLSU-Manila on Friday, January 29, 2010, 2PM Yuchengco Theater.

Please be there earlier (mga 11am or 12nn) so you can get good seats and gates close at 1pm.

Alumni: pls dont forget your alumni cards! WEAR YELLOW WEAR YELLOW WEAR YELLOW!!!

Ang LABAN na TAPAT ay LABAN ng LAHAT! :-) See you all, yellow army!!! Walang iwanan!!!

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'Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.' - Mark 6:50. :)

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Random facts.

Hospital blankets freak me out. Haha.

Hospital freebies such as basins, cups and thermometers are very useful at home. Haha.

I’m random.

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Honesty.. In Alex Lacson's 12 Little Things (follow the link)

‘Honesty, more than anything, is what makes a good leader. It is the solid core of the character of every great leader in history. It is the core of one’s character, says George Washington. Remove honesty, and man has no character…

‘Given a good leader, the Filipino will attain great heights because the Filipino is inherently a good follower.’ -Ninoy Aquino

‘It is enough for good people to do nothing for the evil ones to succeed.’-Dr. Jose Rizal

We are all part of the problem. We are all partly to blame.

But the good thing is, we are also the answer. We are also the solution.
>excerpts fr Alex Lacson’s 12 Little Things.

LET US DO OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS THIS COMING ELECTIONS. LET’S VOTE FOR THE BEST LEADERS SO THAT OUR NATION WILL RISE! :)

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How I See Politics

People always tell me that politics is such a dirty game. But to me, it only becomes dirty when we allow it to be so. We always choose the ‘lesser evil’. Sad, isn’t it? However if we allow the good ones to succeed during elections, we wouldn’t have to worry about corruption, among others.

The problem lies in the mentality that because others are so trapo, somehow the less trapo or good ones should join the bandwagon. But see, this is the problem; we do not solve it by being part & parcel of the system we are trying to change.

To those who will run this coming elections, please think. Who are you doing this for and why? How much are you spending on ads vs sustainable devt programs?

To those who will vote, pls think about this: if our leaders spend a lot of money for the greater good, it would’ve made a bigger difference than seeing their faces and greetings everywhere.

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