Shine Your Light

I did not want to get out of bed today. I felt paralyzed yesterday and had to prioritize taking care of myself. The anxiety attack felt like I was having another PE and it's not a good feeling. I had to create a safe space for myself to recover. I still have so many questions and wished my Dad's still around. He would have helped me understand and make sense of what's happening. 

Art by Robert Alejandro

I was in a better headspace last night and asked Kuya if he could do NLP for people in pain. So many people are going through the different stages of grief. I decided to keep silent for now so I could recuperate and think more clearly. I snoozed (and removed) a lot of the enablers and apologists in my stream. I realized their moral values are different and I don't need them in my life.

Last night I realized that the government that is supposed to protect its citizens has been compromised. They worked on it for decades. The whole electoral system is controlled by them. There are many videos of rampant cheating circulating and many stories of vote buying being told. Comelec claims there has been no report submitted. This morning Comelec said that claims of cheating will be hard to prove. It looks like they are not interested at all to investigate even if complaints are submitted. 

I wanted to ask my PolSci professors last night what should we do if the system has been compromised? The answer came even before I asked - 

Professor Danny Arao was one of my favorite professors. He created "Kontra Daya" and has been out in the streets protesting. My other professors have been serving as political analysts. Much as I'd like to join, my health would not allow me to, so I looked for other ways to help. 

I thought about changing my profile photos and the theme of my blog. I realized that's not the right thing to do. The fight is bigger than the candidate I voted for. The fight is to save our country from ruin. VP Leni Robredo stood as our liwanag sa dilim (light in darkness), but each one of us can shine our own light. It's not the time to feel downtrodden. Our option now is to accept or to fight for what is right. 

There are many ways to help, here's a list to check where you can contribute:

PPCRV - FB, website

1Sambayanan - FB, website

Kontra Daya - FB, website

If you are a witness to cheating/vote buying, have information on VCM breakdown etc., do report it. You may also contribute by sending food/drinks where needed. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Election 2022: The Guards have Changed

I had a short chat with Tito Mel while I was in line to vote early this morning. He's now 88 years old and headed the PPCRV in our parish since it's inception. I told him my Mom didn't come out to vote yet. He gave a few tips to get her going and said hope she'll vote this afternoon. I told him I'll try to bring her again if she's feeling better. 

Tito Mel is now retired. His children took over leadership of PPCRV, but they have also retired from it. When I went to the voter assistance tent to get my cluster number I realized I didn't know anyone anymore. All the volunteers were new faces. In 2019 I still knew some of them. Some of my friends who were volunteers of PPCRV decided to be Namfrel pollwatchers which is also very important. 

The guards have changed. My titos and titas in our neighborhood who used to run things have all retired, a lot have passed away too. It's now the time of the younger generation to take the lead. I was gone for a long time and trust that the turnover of duties has been smooth. Growing up I experienced being a volunteer for PPCRV, Namfrel and I was once a pollwatcher too. It is hard work, so be nice to them because they are there to protect your vote. 

The teachers are the heroes of the election. I really appreciated that the teachers in my precinct made sure that no one could see your ballot. They chased voters who did not cover their ballots with the folder. I didn't have any issues feeding my ballot into the VCM. I checked the receipt and the names I voted for were correct. 

Here's some tips if you haven't voted yet:

1. Know your precinct number and cluster. You can check through:

- COMELEC precinct finder

- Listings posted outside the polling center

- Voter assistance center/tent

*Do check your barangay FB group if there are any precincts that have been relocated. 

2. Have a list on hand. Include the number of the candidate and list out their last name in alphabetical order. This will make sure you don't take too much time and you don't overvote.

3.  Bring water and a fan and wear comfortable clothing.  

4. Be patient! 

Good luck and keep the faith!

#BeKind #StaySafe #VoteWisely

Our Generation's Battle

I've been trying to write for any hour already, but it's hard when you are overcome with emotion. Since I woke up I've been listening to campaign songs. I started getting teary eyed when I watched the theater flashmobs posted by Audie Gemora. What we have been experiencing the past few months only happened because all of us obviously want real change and a better Philippines. 

Artwork by Robert Alejandro

I got home late last night from a meetup with friends. I immediately watched the speeches made by Senator Kiko Pangilinan and VP Leni Robredo at the Naga Grand Rally. I must say it's one of the best speeches they have done. 

VP Leni gave her speech in Bicolnon. It was different from all the other speeches she's given because this one was more heartfelt and personal. She spoke about Sec. Jesse Robredo and how got into politics after his death. She was comfortable talking about what her family went through and the odds she faced when she ran for congress. The speech resonated well with me because she showed how an ordinary person who has a genuine heart can topple down dynasties and wrongdoing by doing the right thing through hardwork. It reminded me that there is nothing wrong with our system, the problem lies in the people that are sitting in power. 

Today is the last day to campaign. There are already many people in Makati for the miting de avance. Yesterday, I saw a group of people doing house-to-house. I got teary eyed seeing how they were doing it. May God bless and protect all volunteers working hard to campaign for a better future for all of us. 

The future is in our hands. Please make sure to check if your precinct is in the same location. A number of precincts in my barangay was moved and there's a lot of confusion on the exact location. The address Comelec placed is full of houses and there's no clarification yet. And when you vote, make sure to keep an eye on your ballot until it's properly fed into the ballot box. If you can, make sure that the teachers tear in half unused ballots at the end of the voting day. How I wish I was able-bodied and could still be a poll-watcher. 

Take care everyone. We'll be #TeamBahay later for the MDA. 

#BeKind #StaySafe #VoteWisely

The Pink Movement Brought Out Our Best

It seems just like yesterday when VP Leni Robredo announced that she was running for president. I was overjoyed because I prayed hard for it. I immediately changed my blog colors after the announcement to show my support. It's the first time I've openly supported a candidate since former Senate President Jovito Salonga ran. I was either part of PPCRV or prohibited at work.

A lot of people were hesitant about VP Leni in the beginning. There was a lot of criticism about her chosen color and campaign slogan. She won people over with her track record, integrity and good character. She was simply herself and that convinced people to admire her, even fall in love with her. 

VP Leni shared during her campaign in 2016 how she campaigned for a seat in Congress for the first time. A friend gave her a portable speaker and she'd go house to house.  She had no money to feed supporters and they would just buy bread from the bakery. Her sorties were small, done by family. Her sincerity shown through and she won by landslide.

It's unprecedented to run as an independent for president. People started supporting her by making their own campaign materials. Artists like Robert Alejandro made designs, allowing anyone to use it. Sorties turned into grand rallies organized by volunteers. More and more people showed up and supported house-to-house. Senator Franklin Drilon in a recent interview said he hasn't seen anything like this since the lead up to the EDSA Revolution in 1986. 

I would have also been out there to campaign if my health allowed me. What I couldn't do physically I made up for it by contributing where I can and praying. I'm equally as stressed as everyone else haha. The best thing about this election is seeing how Filipinos still love their country. It brought out the best in us. What that tells me is there is hope.

#BeKind #StaySafe #VoteWisely