I started writing when I was 8. My mom got me a journal where I could rant (prob so I won't be an annoying brat). I stopped writing for 8 years until the pen and then later on the keyboard called on me again. I blog because I like writing and that's just about it. Hope you get inspired though... Bite the apple!
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.
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.
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.
The fact that our country is on the precipice of peril is really alarming. That disinformation and proliferation of fake news is a contributor to it is depressing. A neighbor sent me a reminded this morning to be vigilant when I vote next week. The message sent information about how cheating can happen.
BE VIGILANT. Don't take your eyes off your ballot until it is safely inside the ballot box. Make sure no one marks it or makes a tear on it. If your ballot is compromised, your vote will be invalidated. Also make sure to use the pen that Comelec provides to shade your votes. The machine will only read votes made with the Comelec pen. It's already 2022, you'd think the technology would be better for automated elections.
I came across several tweets yesterday from BPO employees sharing the thoughts of their foreign bosses. They said they would consider moving their contracts to India if the dictator's son wins. It's a good discussion point because it's important to understand how the economy is affected by politics.
I went through three Philippine Presidents while working for a foreign company. It didn't have a local office in the Philippines when I was hired as the country representative. My main job was to prove the need to have a local office. I had counterparts in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Pakistan who had the same task.
I did everything I could to "prepare the market". I wore many hats, business development, marketing, community management, sales and I also did work for engineering and product. I was laser focused though on getting an office opened because I knew it would potentially bring a lot of jobs and get budget to run programs. For many years I did not have any budget to run programs.
I watched enviously as Thailand and Malaysia opened their offices (Singapore was organized by my manager). No matter how much good work I did, the political climate just negated all my arguments. The president at that time was GMA and she didn't have a good reputation internationally. I also had to be very careful working with government.
PNoy's win opened the floodgates for me. A year after he took power my goal to open the Philippine office was granted. The Philippines was also included in product launches. The Philippines was also the only emerging market included in the Chrome launch. We were the only market to launch YouTube with a program with the president (YouTube World View with PNoy and RTVMalacanang). I got a lot of support also for crisis response and other projects.
My job as country rep ended when the office was opened. I didn't want to do sales so I had to look for another job and fate brought me to Singapore. I continued to work on projects for the Philippines. The ones I started slowly dwindled when DU30 took over. I tried to work on it, but the political climate was once again bad. My programs for the Philippines once again did not get budgets. I had to be creative and pushy to get support for the programs I was running for the Philippines.
That's the reality of working for a foreign company. I really had a hard time getting funding for my projects for the Philippines when the political climate wasn't good. No matter how you prepare your market to be viable, decisions are influenced by the political situation. So yes, BPOs can easily move their business to other countries if the next president isn't politically respected internationally.
I did not want to entertain "what if" thoughts. It's unthinkable and dangerous to think about losing. The moment of truth is just a week away. It is exciting and scary. We don't really know what will happen. I am hopeful though that the people's campaign wins for all of us to benefit.
The biggest fear I have is for all the atrocities of the previous regime to come back. We've seen this happen in the last 36 years. Graft and corruption, plunder, extrajudicial killings, torture fake news, illegal arrests and many more bad things have been happening.
Those things are still happening because the perpetrators are still in the system. I realized that Enrile's participation in the 1986 EDSA Revolution was all a farce. Did he stay back to ensure that eventually the Marcoses can regain power?
If you look back at what happened post EDSA, President Cory's term was marred with many coup attempts. President Ramos had to contend with the power crisis. Then things went downhill when Erap won, got ousted for plunder, replaced by GMA whose was subsequently charged with plunder but cleared a month after DU30 took power. Progress was only made during PNoy's time. Remember he left 1 trillion budget for the next president. And DU30? He's leaving us with 13 trillion debt and we're still paying for the debt Marcos left.
I was too young to join the EDSA Revolution in 1986. I was able to go to EDSA Dos and was there when GMA was inaugurated. We were all hopeful. We fought for it. We wanted things to get better. Then Oakwood and the Manila Pen rebellion happened. Impeachment complaints were filed 4 times, but the opposition only had 28 seats so it did not flourish. Then she pardoned Estrada.
We deserve so much more than these people who have been abusing their power. I remember during PNoy's time the opposition was very outspoken. It wasn't a perfect presidency, but progress was made. Then budget secretary Butch Abad worked on fiscal transparency, but was later on charged by the Duterte administration. In our country they persecute you if you serve the people the right way. That's why I worry for James.
Many avoid politics, but looking at our history the only way to get out of this countrywide hell is to choose the right leaders from top to bottom and hold them accountable. Let's learn from our neighbors who have gone through similar circumstances. It is our duty as citizens to ensure that these elected officials follow through with their promises.
So think about it, you decide what kind of future you want. Do you want progress or do want things to get worse?
A friend told me I should write about what I feel, what I'm thinking about. He said that when I re-shared a post he made. I realized then that I have to do more since I have family and friends who are still deeply embroiled in the lies perpetrated by the dictator's son and his minions. It is exasperating and frustrating.. I cannot understand why they do not believe in facts. They even continue to share pages and sites perpetuating fake news.
The election season just runs for a few months. Our family and friends will still be our family and friends. I must admit, I am not a very patient person. I told myself though it's more important to keep my relationship with my love ones intact than answering back the lies they have been (maybe unknowingly) sharing. It's been really hard.
I just finally watched "The Kingmaker". It an honest third party view of what happened to our country. My heart broke again and again while watching the documentary. From thousands killed during martial law to thousands killed because of the drug war. Not to mention the billions robbed from our coffers. Watch the film and understand why you shouldn't support people who would treat you as mere objects.
I have resolved to keep sharing the truth. It may be that my loved ones are stuck in their echo chamber and only see fake news and lies. I hope they also see why it's important to vote for someone who has the right values and the right qualifications. I wrote about how I would assess candidates in 2016 and it's still useful since the job description hasn't changed.
If you follow the news, you'd see similar activities from martial law happening now. The loans that we are still paying for through our taxes. The debt though has ballooned to 13 trillion and will be paid again by citizens through tax. When I was an OFW, I was only taxed 15% as a foreigner. If I worked here, my employee income would have been taxed at least 32%. Have you ever wondered by Singapore is able to do that even though their population is only 5.86M compared to 109.6M in the Philippines?
I hope we can just focus on what is real and what would really be good for the whole population. Let's not allow just a few families to benefit from all the hardwork we give through our taxes.
Today I learned what VP Leni Robredo meant when she said, "Mas radikal ang magmahal." A friend asked for some support for kakampinks in Davao. SunStar posted an update about the rally in Digos City and there are just so many negative comments.
I liked the Sunstar post with a heart and then skimmed through the comments. Saw someone posting fake news, so I spent a little time getting a screenshot and her profile link. Another one was questioning whether the attendees are really voters and she criticized the many performers who come to these sorties. I suggested for her to attend so she can hear about the platforms. She said she wasn't from the area, so I suggested she could watch online. Then she went on about the rallies being full of anger.
Yesterday with Mommy.
At that point I was getting a bit riled up already, but I told myself I don't want to end up like them. VP Leni said that they are part of who we are fighting for. Tried to explain to her that the anger stems from all the atrocities that have happened. We pay proper taxes, but the funds are misused. She responded by saying she is happy with what government has been doing.
I realized then that her conviction is very deep for the other camp. I disengaged by telling her I had other things to do and suggested she make sure she's getting the correct information. I gave her the link of tsek.ph so she could check there. In my previous life I could have gone on and on. I decided to disengaged because getting worked up will affect my health and I do have a lot to do today.
It was a good way though to understand what VP Leni said about radical love. She's really gone through a lot and I really appreciate the strength and energy she is putting behind her campaign. I've done Luzon- Visayas-Mindanao in one day once. Oh boy, that was so tiring! I never did it again. So you should really appreciate the effort she's putting to fight for us.
Old Memories: Graduation Gift
I got through university (college) with a dot matrix printer. Inkjet printers back then were super expensive. Final copy of my thesis was printed on my thesismate's brother's printer which he brought to my house in the middle of the night. Printing was so slow and we almost did not make the deadline! I was finishing printing at home while Jingo and Alan stayed at our department's door to make sure the department secretary did not leave yet. After printing I rushed to the xerox place across campus to have the thesis bounded. Then rushed to submit it. Things were so cumbersome back then.
Anyway, my Mom found my old printer - an HP Deskjet 400. I think it was their graduation gift for me. I do remember it was a printer, I'm just not sure if it was this or another printer. I did some research and found out it was manufactured around that time. It was very expensive, but I was so pleased they got me a printer for my graduation gift. Mom said she'll clean it up. I don't know though if it'll still work. We also found other old devices and have to figure out how best to retire them (happy to donate to a museum if there's one hehe).
Yesterday a friend pinged me for advise. He told me the son of one of our elders in the community has been sharing fake information and exhibiting troll-like behavior. He said he's called his attention several times about it, but he's just been ignored.
Found this fitting photo of the friend who brought up the issue. Behind him is my Dad haha.
While I'm frustrated over the fact that I have friends and family who are fanatics of the dictator's son, they're still a loved one and I respect their decision even though it's exasperating at times. The elections happen only every couple of years and relationships are more important than voting for the same person.
The son of our friend is probably in his early twenties. Miggy told me that it's really hard for their generation to grasp what happened during Martial Law since they weren't around yet and there's really a lot of disinformation on Tiktok and Facebook. I told Miggy that's where parents come in. Told him he's on the right track because we fed him the right information. His grandparents also made sure he knew what went on during Martial Law.
Miggy's already an adult, but I was never anxious about what he does online. I made sure of that when he was younger because I would check what sites he'd go to. We were lucky because everything was still PC based when he was young. It's harder to check what they do on mobile and tablets. I'm not even familiar with Tiktok since I don't use it and don't have the patience to learn it. I tried it for a day and immediately deleted it because it was too noisy for me (#signofoldage).
Since our friend's son hasn't been listening to him I advised him to either step up on calling his attention or bring it up with the elder's sister who is a kakampink. I told him I wasn't sure who the Mom was supporting and I didn't want him to get in a bind. Managing the relationship is key so I thought it would be useful to ask the tita for help first.
With so much disinformation flying around, do check what your kids are getting themselves into. I do take time to read what my family and friends post online since I have the time to do it. I didn't see this one that my friend flagged since I'm not friends with him on FB. I would have immediately brought it up with his mom if I saw it. Hopefully the matter would be rectified and there would be one less troll online.
I was surprised when one of my friends admitted he voted for the dictator's son in 2016 for vice president. He did because he didn't know anything about VP Leni at that time. Now he's voting for VP Leni for president after seeing all her accomplishments. The debated hosted by CNN Philippines last weekend is a good way to get to know the candidates. They invited all the candidates and most showed up. Seeing them side by side for the first time and answering the same questions was a good way to assess them.
2016 presidential elections
It was my first time to hear the other candidates since the other networks did not include them. Here's what I thought about them:
Ernesto Abella - former presidential spokesman of President Duterte. He was eloquent, but I didn't get a good grasp of his platform. I read a bit about him and found out he has a good academic background, was a preacher, got abducted and his release was negotiated by then Mayor Duterte. That's when he started campaigning for him. His government appointments seemed to be due to a favor.
Leody de Guzman - Ka Leody is labor leader. He's very knowledgeable when it comes to labor related issues, but lack experience in other aspects. I hope he can eventually provide inputs for government so that the lives of laborers could be improved.
Norberto Gonzales - he was secretary of national defense for a few months during GMA's time. He seemed to be a troublemaker based on Wikipedia and I didn't see any concrete contributions to government (correct me if I'm wrong, just basing it on what I've read). He was very calm during the event yesterday, but I did not get a good impression that he has enough experience to be president.
Faisal Mangondato - he was introduced as a businessman. In answering the questions he mentioned that the hardships we are going through are due to the abuses of man that's why we are being punished by God. He didn't have a good grasp of the issues and had no solid platforms. Sorry but he struck me as a nuisance candidate.
Jose Montemayor, Jr. - a doctor supposedly with an MBA. I don't think this candidate took the questions seriously. He answered and questioned other candidates more to be noticed than to make sense. He is supposedly a cardiologist... sorry but I wouldn't want him to be my doctor nor president.
I always go back to the post I made on how I will assess presidential candidates. It's been mentioned several times already that they are applying for the job and the 1987 Constitution provides the job description. I went back to my review of Jessica Soho's interview and my thoughts remain the same with regard to the more known candidates. I'm going to need to make time to watch the vice presidential debate of CNN also so I can get to know them better. Those always absent for debates and forums will not be considered by me. When applying for a job, one should show up for the interview noh.
The campaign rally of VP Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan was streamed live last night. I was happy I was finally able to "attend" a rally albeit virtually. It was time well spent since I got to listen also to the senatorial candidates and their platforms. The rally was festive and it reminded me of happier times before the gloom settled in.
I would have loved to be there. Realistically though I won't survive a rally so I'm happy to just live through my friends who were there. One described having goosebumps from start to finish. Another said he felt hope. I felt the same even though I was just streaming it to our TV via Chromecast.
Seeing the sea of people was what I needed to see to feel hopeful again. We really need to get back on the right track for things to improve. I like the platform presented by VP Leni and Senator Kiko since it will improve the lives of the general population. I also like the fact that they have been reaching out to the marginalized, the people in the laylayan for consultations. The only way to really improve the lives of people is to understand their needs. You can read more about their platforms here.
#IloiloisPink (Photo by Robredo's People Council)
The rally was a fitting celebration of the 36th year anniversary of the EDSA Revolution. The celebration at the People Power Monument was a simple ceremony, not even attended by the president which was disappointing. The rally in Iloilo made up for it and showed that the force is waking up and we are all over the country. We just need to remember that the success of the EDSA Revolution depends on each and every one of us.
Mama Ogs trended last night!
I was sad though to hear about the retirement of Sen. Franklin Drilon. He is the last from his generation and has served us well. He was a senator for a long time, but made sure that his home city progressed. I've been to Iloilo a few times and I did see the improvements. I saw this firsthand in the last 15 years. It flourished from looking like a charming town to a bustling city. That's a good example of what a good leader should do. Thank you Senator Drilon for your service to the nation all these years.
I will continue to pray for the success of the people's campaign and will pray for the protection of the candidates. Let's all do our part :)
My heart is full today after seeing the successful proclamation rally at the Quezon Memorial Circle. I've been going through happy posts by fellow Kakampinks on Twitter. I wish I was there too! Seeing the support of so many people gives me hope that we'll have a better future. The dark forces though are hard at work so we all have to do our part to make sure they don't win.
There's been several bad news this past week. Comelec junking the disqualification petitions. El Shaddai announcing their support (honestly find it strange how they found in their conscience to support he who must not be named). Hope for a better Philippines with the right leader is what we have. We must pray hard for it.
I've been praying for better leadership since last year. I bought a prayer journal last year. It had a prayer guide which I thought would be useful to share. It's a guide that would help you pray for more people.
Thumb - pray for those closest to your heart.
Pointy finger - pray for those who teach and heal. This is where I pray for frontliners, educators and the religious.
Middle finger - pray for leaders. This is where I also pray for good outcome of the elections and I also pray for the protection of the candidates I support and their staff.
Ring finger - pray for the weak and those who need healing.
Pinky finger - pray for your needs. The guide said, praying last for yourself gives you a better perspective of what you need.
Yesterday was the start of the official campaign period. Candidates hosted proclamation rallies in their bailiwicks. I would have loved to be at Plaza Quezon in Naga City to participate. It's the first election in 15 years where I don't need to be impartial (freedom!). Like many other volunteers, I'd like to contribute in my own way.
My Mom was one of the campaign managers of former Senator Jovito Salonga when he ran for president. She managed the campaign office in Makati City. I used to go there after class and contribute what I could. And before that I remember we campaigned hard for President Cory Aquino as well. Back then though campaigning was all done through face to face interaction.
When I woke up this morning, Sweetie asked me, "Do Lazada delivery riders wear uniforms?" I know Shopee riders have uniforms, but I'm not sure about Lazada riders. He said the rider that delivered this morning was wearing a campaign shirt. So it gave me an idea on how I can contribute. Since the only people we encounter nowadays are delivery riders, I could start there by giving away info packs for them.
I found out from the volunteer group that we can purchase flyers and other campaign materials from Lazada or Shopee. I checked out some shops and I'm planning to buy flyers, stickers and fans/masks. I'm planning to add a water bottle and a biscuit as well to the info pack. I realized though that I don't really have a lot of deliveries so I can probably expand this to other areas in my barangay. I can probably get someone to help distribute flyers house to house. I think that's the best way I can contribute for now.
Here's some links to online shops where you can buy campaign materials:
*I'm not connected to any of these shops, I'm just a buyer :)
The threat of bringing back an old regime is real. Seeing politicians dance to get votes is really disturbing. And seeing convicted politicians run again is giving me nightmares. Let's not slide back to these abusers. Progress is not what they have in mind. They're only in it for their own benefit. So let's do what we can to ensure we could have a better future.
Watched the Jessica Soho's interview of presidential candidates last night. It was interesting to watch and gave me a better idea of plans and thoughts of the candidates. Every election is important because it makes and breaks a country. It's not just about addressing local level needs, but also managing how other countries perceive us. Majority of the issues that were tackled were for domestic needs.
Have the skills and network to appoint the right persons in office.
Lacson - he was PNP chief during the Estrada administration, a senator and has served the cabinet. He has a very long list of senate bills filed. His vast experience showed during the interview. I'd like to believe he has a good understanding of how things work and would have good credible contacts by now -- just hopefully not all military men!
Moreno - Isko's political career has mostly been in the local level although he mentioned that he served as DSWD undersecretary for a few months. I did not get a good impression that he has a good grasp on how things run in the national level. Local programs aren't necessarily scalable.
Pacquiao - his sincerity shown through, but I think where he's good at is helping people not running a nation.
Robredo - among the four candidates, she was the one who was able to show that she's been doing things already. Getting an ISO certification is no easy feat. With the many volunteers she's been able to encourage, I think she'd also be able to recruit and appoint the best persons in office.
Good understanding of what the country needs in terms of security.
Lacson - I think among all the candidates he has the most knowledge when it comes to the military. I have no doubt he'd be able to keep the country secure. My question though is, will he be able to develop the relations with other countries to help with the territory issues?
Moreno - he wasn't able to protect the beach in Manila Bay from dolomite, what more about our national security?
Pacquiao - sorry, but I cannot imagine him sitting down with other heads of state to talk about territorial matters. As I mentioned, I think his best asset is his heart in helping people.
Robredo - she is going to push for the recognition of the ruling on WPS. I could see that she's going to be firm on it and won't back down from China.
Will not abuse the ability to suspend the writ of habeas corpus.
Lacson - with the Dacer-Corbito case, Mr. Lacson had been a fugitive for 15 months. It's worse than showing up in court with a neck brace. If he was truly innocent, why did he run away?
Moreno - Isko gave me the impression he'd shadow the things the other mayor who became president did.
Pacquiao - what I'm afraid of with Manny is he'll be used by his "friends".
Robredo - I do not think she'd abuse this power.
Good money manager.
Lacson - he has an anti-pork advocacy and from the interview showed he hates corruption. I think he'd be able to manage the budget well as long as he's able to get a good DBM secretary like Butch Abad.
Moreno - so far he's been able to utilize his city's budget very well, BUT, I'm baffled about how the campaign donations ended up with him? Wasn't that supposed to go to the party? Correct me if I'm wrong..
Pacquiao - I've heard of his legendary bayong-bayong na pera pinamimigay. Not so sure about him managing the nation's money.
Robredo - as VP, she's only had a meager budget, but she's been able to utilize it for good. Just compare her health packs vs. the DOH's.
I just listed out some general guidelines from the 1987 Constitution. It's the job description for a president. I was a program manager for a very long time and being process oriented is important to me, so I looked at that also. I was also a community manager for a long time and I think at this time it's important to get help from volunteers, so I also looked at the ability to enable change.
And as for the one who did not show up in the interview, why consider someone who can't be bothered to show the electorate his plans and platforms? Oh, but I never really considered him anyway.
Go watch the show and keep an open mind. I thought to break down my thoughts based on the JD since it was a job interview after all.
Election period started yesterday. That means more checkpoints around the country (aren't they permanently there already?). This means the official campaign period is just around the corner. I've been seeing a lot of posters around already for those running locally. A lot of them took advantage of the Christmas season with greetings from their families. If you really do well, people will recognize your work and you don't really need to do posters.
I made a list of how I assessed candidates back in 2016 (read here). I based it on the job description as written in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. My candidate lost and sadly the current administration did not do a good job based on the basic JD from the constitution. I will follow that list and thought I'd add a values list.
1. I will not vote for a lame duck. A lame duck is someone who gives a gazillion excuses just to get out of a tight spot. Quack, quack, quack. Usually they just make a lot of noise noh.
2. I will only vote for someone who has a clean record. Our leaders should have integrity and credibility. Palabra de honor.
3. I will only vote for someone who has really made contributions to improve the lives of the people.
4. Definitely not voting for someone who is self-centered and selfish. I want someone who works hard.
5. Definite no-no to those who are pakitang tao.
6. Someone who can enable change and get those who can help to support programs. Bayanihan.
7. Respectful and courteous. I've had enough of vile talk.
8. Someone we can be proud of when representing us internationally. Let's find someone who can be a good role model.
9. Peace loving.
10. Someone who prays.
Halfway while making the list I looked up the list of basic Filipino values. Most of what I was thinking about covered it. Other people have the opinion that we need a strong leader. Someone who has an iron fist. I heard that from a lot of taxi drivers in SG. I disagree. I believe that we can progress better with cooperation and working as a community.
