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 hate to break it to you, but it won't be the first time you will be disappointed. I have been voting for almost 3 decades now and only one presidential and vice presidential candidate I've voted for won, PNoy and VP Leni. I've had so many TOTGAs, but it never stopped me from hoping and praying that someday the right leader comes along and gets elected.
As Bishop Rey, Diocese of Imus said, "I am beginning to think that God never meant for Leni to win. Here mission was to waken us up... God showed us that if we get together and worked together, things happen. And maybe that brief moment was actually a glimpse of heaven." You may have been too young during PNoy's time, but we had good governance and that translated to a better economic environment which brought in a lot of investors. Corrupt officials were caught (pork barrel scam) and our debt was reduced which gave us good marks for credit.[more here] Of course, the administration had it's ups and downs, but I was so inspired and contributed back to the country where I could.
The past six years was full of disappointment. I couldn't even continue the crisis response projects I started during the previous administration. I let things stew for awhile and then had the opportunity to contribute again. It was harder, but I pushed hard until I succeeded (read here). It was challenging, but I told myself to focus on the students and what was needed. That was what helped me have the strength to fight for what was right.
I know it hurts. I have friends both older and younger than me who are still having a hard time. Embrace the pain, but learn for it. Allow it to make you stronger. In time you will be able to use it to help others and contribute back to your country. We're lucky now because VP Leni and Senator Kiko are there to lead us and hone us to be better citizens.
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.
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 :)
Darkness is creeping in. This past week there's been incidents that's very alarming. There's Dr. Naty Castro who was forcibly taken from her home (read more about it here). A VP Leni supporter was harassed at Camp Crame for having a pink ribbon tied to his car's side mirror (news here). Comelec painting over a mural painted on private property. Several supporters were also harassed by rivals (news here). If we're not vigilant we'll soon be living in fear.
I'm a martial law baby and my parents protected me during that time. They were very strict though and the only times I got to play outside was when I would go over the bakod to play with my neighbors. Everyone was required to be in the house before sunset. No one was allowed out at night. Speaking about the government anomalies was done in whispers.
Even though I was still very young during Martial Law I understood that there was danger. I understood that displeasing the regime would be disastrous for you and your family. I remember Tito Ben would call my Mom whenever there was unrest. When that happened my parents would get stricter. My siblings probably did not enjoy their teenage years so I'm still kinda lucky. I was ten when the EDSA Revolution happened.
The last three and half decades wasn't easy, but at least we did not live in fear. I got to enjoy my teenage years and I got to live a normal life when I eventually joined the workforce. I never feared about what I blogged about. I was also able to work with government on some projects. Things started to change though since 2016 so I focused on other countries and other things.
If we're not careful, darkness will come back. The behavior of government agencies and the police is starting to lean towards what it was during ML. Proverbs 13:3 says, “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything”. At this time we need to foil the plans of evil from coming back. We have to be vigilant and do what we can to stop them from coming back. The past should remain in the past.
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.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau said that "human nature is essentially good".
I went to sleep last night with a bad taste in my mouth. I had just seen a post promoting a candidate's virtual session. There's nothing wrong about promoting an event, but this one was really unethical. It was done on a city mayor's page and the official public information page of the city. Of course, the admin immediately deleted the posts, but the damage was done already. It disappointed me a lot because I really appreciated the efforts of my city government to provide updates. Now I'm questioning whether they should be trusted.
It's not new to me. I've had a lot of firsthand bad experiences. I even picked up a call that was a death threat for my Dad when he and Tito Ed were cleaning up PNCC. I was in high school then and we were immediately sent away. The first time I asked about corruption was in sixth grade. I asked my parents how come a classmate was getting PhP200 as her daily allowance and I was just getting PhP5. When I grew up I saw the grown-up version, even in other countries.
It always makes my stomach churn whenever I encounter these things. My Dad though taught us to do what's right. I remember asking my Kuya during our last Japanese buffet dinner before the pandemic, "How come I always encounter these things?" He said it happens because Papa God knows I can help make things right. While some would be skittish about righting things I always pushed to make things right even though it oftentimes got me in trouble. That was the only way to stop my stomach from churning.
The election fever is upon us. I realized last night that I probably need to lay off from reading too much stuff online. It's giving me a lot of stress and has been affecting my health. I also realized there's so much fake news and it's adding to unwanted stress.
Some of the purveyors of fake news and trolls are probably in it because of need. I do hope and pray that they realize that what they are doing is wrong. There are other means to earn a living. And for the mastermind to grow a conscience. What good is power if you acquire it in the wrong manner? What good is wealth if you steal it? What good does it do if you don't have peace in your heart? And for the fanatics, what good does it do for you to support someone who doesn't have a conscience?
I taught for a term in 2008. I was friendly to my students, but I was strict. I was tasked to teach the last class before thesis. Knowing that my students would soon join the workforce, I thought the best thing I could teach them was to always set the bar high. I pushed them to the limit by having them experience work life. I was also tasked by the university to integrate the use of GSuite (called Google Apps back then) in class. This meant I had to be unconventional in the way I taught.
I probably shocked the students, but they told me later on that they appreciated the way I taught. Most of them ended up in digital marketing. Some came to me begging to increase their grades, but I said no. I explained to them that grades are meant to recognize the efforts you gave as a student to learn and if you got a lower grade than expected, then that meant there are things you need to improve on.
Set the bar high with anything you do. Don't settle for less because you'll just end up disappointed. Through the years I learned to be more selective and discriminating. When making decisions, it's important to set a clear goal and determine your targets. Don't rush into things. Stick to your values and make sure your decisions would reach or exceed your goal.
I thought about this point after watching the Jessica Soho interview. I've also started going through the interviews of Boy Abunda. I think one thing we also need to do as we choose leaders is to set the bar high. If we had better leaders the response to the pandemic would've been better, we wouldn't have been deep in debt, the budget would have been put to better use and not just go to corruption etc. We're all disappointed and that's happened because the bar was set so low.
For myself, I'll make sure to keep the bar high and I hope you do the same.
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.
Yesterday I asked a friend when she plans to go back home. She said she hopes her contract gets renewed because what she earns here she can never earn in her province. Her daughter also works here. She convinced her to come here also to earn enough for her children. She said she had to be smart about making a living to pull them out of poverty.
I met Tita eight years ago. She was hired for a short time to be my caregiver. She's one of those typical OFWs who went abroad for her family. In the many years I've known her I saw how she's really worked hard for her family. She's really smart about it though because she told me yesterday she just bought a farm!
I kidded her and told her that Sweetie and me can just build a small nipa hut and live with her. She actually said "Pwede naman!". Of course we won't impose on her, but I'd want to visit her someday when she goes back home. Tita is a true fighter, she calls me anak and I can't help but admire her spirit. I also learned through the years that she was widowed early and was one of the reasons why she left the country.
Tita's story is probably common across many Filipinos who left our country to earn a living. I had a similar reason, but it was more because the opportunity presented itself to me. I think though the experience of being far away from family is a similar pain I share with all OFWs. I know that OFWs contribute a lot back to our economy, but why do we allow Filipinos to leave and be away from their families?
I had this thought because of what Tita told me yesterday, "I can never earn the same in my province." It's really a sad, sad thought. I took a look at some stats this morning to take a look at how the different regions in the Philippines are doing. The 2020 report of the Philippine Statistics Authority said there was negative growth across the country, so I took a look at the 2019 report. In 2019, "All economies of 17 regions grew in 2019 with Bicol Region as the fastest growing region at 7.4 percent." (Source: PSA). It was interesting to see the list of regions that grew a lot for services and industry.
Whenever the elections come up I think we always naturally look at how leaders respond to crisis, the easy things like cleaning up your city, road repairs, building new infrastructures, but we never really assess them on economic gain. In my travels I've seen how strong leaders are able to change their cities/provinces, but I'll reserve that for another post. My point today is just to think about how our current leaders have improved our economy, both national and local. It would be interesting to see what kind of programs they've done that improved the lives of citizens.
P.S. I'm happy for Tita's future plan to settle in her farm. That's a solid financial freedom strategy!
I couldn't sleep last night. I was trying to understand and make sense of why PNoy died at such a young age. I admired him as a leader. He had the heart of service and he lived his life with integrity. These were principles my Dad kept teaching us growing up.
There was one post that really bothered me yesterday. It read, "Everytime the Philippines needs saving, an Aquino dies." There's been three in my lifetime, Ninoy (1983), Cory (2010) and PNoy (2021). I remember my parents bringing me to Ninoy's wake at Fort Bonifacio. I was 8 years old and my parents explained to me what was happening to our country. This was followed by tumultuous years in the country. It was not an easy transition to a democratic government.
I think all of us yearn for a good life. We all want to live in a harmonious society. One thing I learned in the past year is the value of the community. When they made calls here to stay home they reinforced it with the need to do it as a community member. People complied because they knew that they had to do it for the whole population.
In my sleepless state last night I thought about what I could do as an individual to help make my country better. I know life is hard and we tend to keep to ourselves when we struggle. Seeing the sprouting of community pantries in the past few months warmed my heart. It tells me there are a lot of Filipinos with a heart for service. It's just a matter of finding and encouraging them to serve. Can you think of selfless people in your community who'd be good leaders?
If you think about it, the good mayor (itago na lang natin sa initials) VS ran because he was fed up with how things were being done in his city. He's young, just a bit experienced, but he had a heart of gold. Voters took a chance on him because they wanted change. I heard he's still been having a hard time overturning old policies in his city hall, but that hasn't stopped him from making changes. We probably have someone like him lurking in each of our communities (barangays). We need to find these change makers so we don't just keep falling back to the old system.
What do we need to do to spark this kind of real change?
