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.
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.
Oh well. I may have not been blogging here, but I've been blogging elsewhere.
Anyway, my computer is busted so I do not know how regularly I can maintain this. In the few times that I could surf the net, I found a list of the candidates I will support/vote for in 2010. I am basing it on my own principles, party affiliation, priority issue, character, integrity, track record, platform and all other qualifications that I deem worthy of the position. Those with asterisk may still be changed, otherwise, I am almost 100% sure of everyone else :)
Btw, if you know where I could get the list of councilors running in the 1st district of Quezon City, please let me know. Thanks :D
President: Noynoy Aquino
Vice President: Mar Roxas
Senators:
Neric Acosta
Serge Osmena III
Alex Lacson
Risa Hontiveros
Ralph Recto
TG Guingona *
Sonia Roco *
Ruffy Biazon *
Satur Ocampo
Franklin Drilon
Liza Maza
(none yet, although I wish Jessie Robredo had vied for a position. Oh well.)
I love this song on so many levels. Change Mr. into Mrs. and this song is relevant to the country already. Here are the lyrics. :)
"Dear Mr. President" ( Pinkfeat. Indigo Girls)
Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?
Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?
When I was a bit younger, I took pride in being a third-generation Chinese immigrant by virtue of my mother. I also loved the idea that my father is of mixed descent. Somehow, I did not pay attention to the fact that I was born and raised as a Filipino. I could not care less about the things going on. I did not realize that somehow, I owe my sense of being to this hallowed land in which God has chosen to place me. I did not think that being a Filipino was a blessing and that no matter what I do, my birth certificate will always say that I am a Filipino.
It was later on in life that I wondered whatever possessed me to think that having a mixed background would be an advantage. It's not as if I'm gonna be able to go to China for free or have unlimited plates of Tapas in Spain. Being a Filipino is an imprint that we could never remove without a scar like a tattoo or draining all your blood and finding someone of the same blood type who is French or Spanish. No matter how much we rely on cosmetic surgery, we could never deny that we were born Filipino.
Much of my pride in being a Filipino lies in the fact that I know my history (maybe not as well as before) and that there are a lot of things that I could be truly proud of. My favorite moment in Philippine history would be the People Power Revolution. I love the fact that it was such a peaceful, bloodless revolution. I love the fact that it has inspired several movements around the world. I love the fact that the Philippines will never be the same since that momentous event in history. I love the fact that whatever the legacy of Edsa was is still engraved in the hearts of every Filipino. But at a certain point, I started doubting the importance of such an event.
Before Cory Aquino died in August, Edsa seemed like a thing of the past -- that people have spat on the sacrifices made by those who lined up. Or maybe those who lined up along Edsa grew tired of the same old politics which caused the revolution in the first place. I am no political expert and I will never claim to be one despite taking my masters in a program of the political science department, but I found that somehow the popularity of Edsa waned maybe because people thought that no matter how many times they rallied against the forces of evil in the government, it doesn't change the fact that corruption exists in the system. They are tired of waiting for the messianic figure who makes promises and breaks them eventually. But just as we thought that hoping for the reversal of our fate started to dwindle, the loss of the symbol of democracy has reawaken the dormant spirit of Edsa in our hearts. We started to believe again. Now that our 'people power saint' has gone to meet her creator, we knew that we could only affect change if we worked together.
As a result, scripts made by playwrights have been torn and history books are being rewritten. We have summoned the scion of the heroes of our democracy to lead us, and in what seems to be an unprecedented feat in the recent history of Philippine politics, a long-time presidentiable gave up his chances at the presidency (or at least delayed it for another six years). I thought, maybe for the first time since 1986, we will have a president by the people, and not just anyone who had his or her eyes on the position for a very long time only to advance his or her own political agenda. Noynoy Aquino may have never thought that after his mother's death, he would be called upon to lead our land. As I see it, the country needs an inspirational leader over an experienced one. Why?
Let me paint you a picture.
Estrada and Arroyo have dashed the hopes of so many people. In my perspective, it caused a weak sense of national identity. We do not want to be identified as Filipinos simply because those who are in Malacanang broker only their personal interests. Policies are being pushed not only because they're needed but also because it will make them more potent, and in effect, will have positive reviews. They are not selfless at all. Just look at how Malacanang intervenes or reacts to any election-related news. For me, they should not even reserve the right to 1) challenge the opposition because they are not in the running for the presidency anymore and 2) bash the competition because they themselves only have a few (if there are still any) good points left. And besides, with all the wealth they've gathered for themselves vis-a-vis the growing incidence of poverty hounding the country, who wouldn't have such low morale?
That's why my vote is for Noynoy (as president) and Mar (as vice). I do not believe that we need leaders who have such a long list of credentials. I do not want to elect leaders who are only going to steal from the people. Our country needs a morale booster -- an honest leader who can push for policies without having to be recognized too much. We need a humble leader who could reach out to the masses and be the broker of their interest. We need a selfless leader who could fight for our democracy and will not change a constitution that is actually working. Above all, we need a leader who believes in God and will apply his faith in all the things that he will do for this country, just as the La Sallian prayer goes, "I will continue, o my God, to do all my actions for the love of You."
I wouldn't even care about volunteering. I've already started. And yeah, it was fun. Here are the pics from the etonAPOtalaga PiNoy Power concert last Monday, September 21, 2009. :)
yellow ribbons :D
Gomez sisters Kat and Clar. :)
Jenn Lazo was present too. (she's Noynoy's political communications assistant)
Met Bam Aquino too. Starstruck moment, believe me. :)
Aquino grandchildren, Jonty and Jiggy :)
New found friends: Liya, Margaux, Georg and Aaron :)
and to wrap up the night of celebrating freedom and love for the country:
and yes, the song's still stuck on my head up to this day, but in a good way. It's a simple reminder that we should not let anyone seize the freedom that we have achieved and are continuing to achieve as a nation and also to love our country because it is a blessing in itself from God that we could proudly call ourselves Filipinos. Let us dream for our country. Let us dream for a brighter future and put a stake on it. :)
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we celebrate the life and legacy of a person who gave herself to the Philippines as a sacrifice to free its people from the bondage of dictatorship and injustice.
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we mourn for the person who mothered our land during the most trying moments of its history.
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we commemorate the person who served as our model of faith and unyielding love.
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we express our utmost gratitude to the icon who served as the nation's ceaseless hope.
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we carry on the fire and passion of a woman who despite several adversities stood still and led this nation.
Amidst the tide of yellow and black, we stand strong as a nation, knowing that this is now a battle we must fight.
A battle which Corazon C. Aquino started twenty six years ago. a battle for true freedom, a battle to rebuild this nation.
We now dream of an ideal nation, one which Corazon Aquino wished to see.
And now that she has left us here to carry on, we must not cease.
Let us not spit on her sacrifice.
Let us be brave.
Let us stand strong.
Let us be Filipinos.
Filipinos who are worth LIVING FOR.
---
Over the past few days, I was watching several tributes being aired on tv. I was truly inspired by the way Cory Aquino defied the odds and rewrote books. Tomorrow, I hope to be part of her historical funeral. But my one true hope is that when she is laid to rest, her legacy will live on in each Filipino, for we wouldn't have been free if it weren't for people like her who sacrificed herself for the good of all.
Truly, God gave Cory Aquino as a gift to this nation. And just like every special gift, we must put value in whatever she has done for the country and to the world. Her unwavering faith and courage must always be remembered and enlivened by each person who calls him or herself a Filipino.
I was born to witness freedom and democracy in this country. I have not endured a major political upheaval against a tyrant who seized power for two decades and hoarded wealth in the government. I have not seen people being arrested in the middle of the night because they broke curfew. I have not heard of gunshots being randomly fired in the streets by forces of the military.
Whatever happened 26 years ago, to my young mind, is a momentous event that forever changed the history of the Philippines. I would never be able to comprehend the emotions running through the veins of each Filipino who had to suffer through the dictatorship of Ferdinand V. Marcos. I was never there to see how some Filipinos would go out on the streets with nothing but their rosaries, their hopes and dreams for their country, and a heart filled with courage to fight for this nation's freedom. No, I would never fully understand how hard life was during the time when the most basic of rights were being violated.
When I was a kid, I did not know what the importance of this man whose name is printed on the 500-peso bills issued by the Central Bank was. I did not think how great a sacrifice his life was for the Filipino. But whatever the impetus for my sheer passion to serve and sacrifice for this country is now, I would probably attribute a major part of it to what happened in the tarmac of what was then known as the Manila International Airport. From that point on, I believe that Filipinos have learned to value their nationality. Ninoy Aquino definitely made that event his last major personal statement to the Filipino people -- that we are truly worth dying for.
I do believe that no one would dare die the way Ninoy did for the country. Despite the implications that certain people in government (and even particular citizens) spit on the sacrifice that Ninoy Aquino has made for this country. While we have a constitution that allows us democratic rights that have been robbed of my elders back in the day, we do not maximize them so that we could make this nation better. We let the government officials run this country their way-- tolerating graft and corrupt practices, rallying without contributing to the solution for the problems we face, relying on people to step up before we do small things that could make big differences. We fail to realize the importance of our being Filipino, which is in itself, a blessing from God. We only take pride in the victories, and fall to shame when we are faced with adversities as a people. We choose to be apathetic because we think that these matters do not concern us. We choose to sit on the sidelines and wait to hero-worship someone without realizing that we could be our own heroes.
While we have the option to sit comfortably in our couch at home and care less about the plight of our country, we should remember that we owe it to people such as Ninoy and Cory who have dedicated their lives so that we could enjoy the freedom that they and the millions who lined up along Edsa have fought for.
In commemorating Ninoy Aquino's 26th death anniversary, let us continue fighting for freedom and praying for the change of heart of our leaders -- that they serve with pure hearts. And we, as citizens of this country, should do small things that could affect change: those that could pull our country out of its plight. While it is an act of martyrdom to die for this country, it would only serve our country's best interest if we live lives worthy of being Filipinos. We say: Ipagpapatuloy natin ang laban. But I hope that we don't wait too long because the hero lives in us. This country could boast of so many heroes from the hispanic times up until the contemporary era, and I believe that the same blood runs in this generation of Filipinos. Let's step up for this country and make it great again!
(sent to Inquirer) I am writing in response to the article Pacman’s political agenda, dated May 7, 2009. After having just watched Legally Blonde 2, I was inspired to speak up because I’ve observed that there has been too much hype going on after Pacquiao’s victory, and it really ain’t pretty. Being a symbol of Filipino pride is one thing, running for office to represent the Filipino is another. To me, Manny Pacquiao has always symbolized the Filipino who had to sweat and bleed to rise from poverty; an inspiration to those who had to live with almost nothing to their name; a man who represents the faith and strength of the Filipino. Yet, I still can’t help but dwell on the issue of his political agenda.
After a failed attempt at congress, Pacquiao, after his victory over Hatton stated his intention to run for office again because he supposes that he can help the poor through the Congress. To me, this idea of governance has been the problem why our government is like traffic on a Monday morning – stand-still: people thinking that it is the only avenue for them to affect change in this country.
I have always believed that good governance is a function of electing brilliant leaders whose sole purpose is to serve their country. To me, good leaders are those who actually know how to argue for themselves, those who have actually learned to research on issues that affect our country, those who have experience in managing people and have immersed themselves enough to know the problem. While Manny has the experience to back his candidacy for Congress up, I think that he does not have enough knowledge to actually be immersed in that kind of politics. Being a congressman is a tough job – he has to propose legislation and decide on very important matters that will affect this country such as to confirm treaties, declare war, impeach a public official, etc. He cannot always rely on his staff to do things for him because in the end he is the one who decides. He will just be used by others to advance their political agenda. I have this observation that he has kept this attitude of the uneducated voter who thinks that those people run really do want to do good. This is the Philippines, and to tell you honestly, not all of them have clean intentions, and to rise from our poverty, we must elect an Obama!
Pacquiao has won over P580M during his match with Hatton. It is just sad to him throw it all away should he really run for office. Heck, even if he gives each Filipino a million pesos each, he still has over P400M left! But if he really wants to help people and to rebuild this nation, why not invest in long term development projects of NGO’s such as Gawad Kalinga, World Vision, and the World Wildlife Fund? Through those organizations he could provide scholarships for those who are smart from the slums but do not have the money to study, help save the environment and most importantly REBUILD THIS NATION! The wisest investment and agenda he could make is to put his money where real solutions lie; nothing political – just pure, genuine, faith-based and principled service. HHat
As the political situation has worsened and the moral ascendancy of our "leaders" has become questionable, the country was relegated to "partially free".
Why wouldn't it be?
The government has freed a criminal who hasn't served his time, the sheer volume of corruption charges has inflated, the number of political killings has risen, and what course of action does the government take? They shrug it all off and act as if nothing is happening. They only prefer to look at the good side of things but that doesn't change the fact that people are suffering and that their rights are being violated. They only care about themselves and their reputation but they do not realize that their followers aren't at all content. If they ever try to act as if they care, it doesn't really manifest (or I'm just apathetic). In extreme cases, it's as if they drugged people and make them blindly follow. With a government such as ours, they only care for what they can reap from their relationship with the greater powers, like the US.
My litelec professor told me yesterday that I should be in the government because I'm more of a dove rather than a hawk. A statement I found, well, hard to take in. I know for one that I'm not the most diplomatic person in the world, nor have I ever attempted to do so. There are just things that I find unacceptable like Catholics (like my family), who discriminate against other religions. I guess that's why I never was firm with my beliefs -- I find my background leaning towards unhealthy fundamentalism which results into various misconceptions about religions that breed chaos (and that is why the Philippines is so damn f-ed up). What I'm trying to say is, we have to see things in different perspectives and that we should learn to respect how they are. We can't always expect them to do some things out of the goodness of their hearts all the time, nor can we expect them to believe in what we believe.
People have convictions that they fight for, and that's something we can never change about human nature. We can never have things go our way.
21. Female. Politically inclined. Progressive. Catholic. YFC Central C. SFC West B-1 Fire. Gawad Kalinga. Theresian. La Sallian. Pink. Hello Kitty. Winnie the Pooh. Spice Girls. Jonas Brothers. Friends. The Nanny. Bedtime: 1AM. Tweep. Facebooker. Plurker. Chocolates. Tiger Biscuits. Pepsi Max. Real Leaf Lychee. 3rd generation Chinese. Laptop: Ryne Philippe. Undergrad - International Studies. Grad School - Development Policy. Bored. Blogger. Pokemon. Hmmm. Hahaha. Social Studies, I love. Bakit = fave shirt. Chick Flicks. Late nights. Zero Alcohol. Sober. No smoke. Hehe. :)
An Important Note.
Our salvation is secure because God's wordis sure. :)
Why oh why?
I really do not know why I had to create another blog. I guess I'm just bored. Anyway, feel free to comment but please be polite. :)
Disclaimer
Everything written on this blog is my own take on things that are happening and do not reflect the ideas or opinions of the organizations/institutions I represent. Should you have any concerns, questions, and comments regarding my blog, feel free to comment but please be nice and polite. Thank you and God bless :)
