I remember everything as it happened eight long years ago.
It was the middle of February. The nation was in high spirits as the last of the Senate telenovela of that season was about to end. The corrupt leader was close to being implicated as more evidence revealed that his hands were tainted by the money trail that all trace back to him. Finally, the rotten carcass whose alias was Jose Velarde is about to be identified. The Senate demanded to open the sealed envelope and the decision was put into vote.
The allies stood by their master as the opposition and the people tried to force the truth. The allies won, to the jeers of everyone. Who would have thought that a mass walk out would lead to a revolution? A lady senator, unaware of the sentiment of the people shamelessly Salsa-ed in front of the camera. While a distinguished lawmaker shed tears, which won the sympathy of the nation. Her sobs ignited the fire that was already burning in the hearts of many. At 3 in the morning the following day, I sneaked out of the house for a storm was already gathering strength. People from all walks of life - all those - whose sensibilities were trampled by the debauchery at the senate converged at where freedom was found ten years earlier. They wanted their voices to be heard. They wanted the whole world to know that nobody slept while the country was being pillaged by the few.
It took five days of continuous storm surge before the leader stepped down and for change to happen. I bore witness to history as it unfolded right before my eyes. I stood for what was right and at a very young age, my belief was the shift of power will bring a new dawn to these once sunless lands.
But I was wrong.
very wrong at my perception.
Had I known that everything will turn out worse; had I known that the one who will replace the corrupted will rise to become the demon spawn herself; had I known that the powers bestowed will be used against those who granted her the presidency,
I would have never showed up and be one with the nation during Edsa Dos.
---
Today marks the last State of the Nation address of the President of the Republic. No words would lift herself from the slump she is now in.
No swan song nor dramatic entrance would ever change how the nation and history will judge her twisted legacy.
I may not be the most vocal opponent of those in power, but as someone who sees and feels the pulse of the nation. What I look forward to and hopefully see in the coming years
is change.
Sobra na. Tama na. Palitan na.
It was the middle of February. The nation was in high spirits as the last of the Senate telenovela of that season was about to end. The corrupt leader was close to being implicated as more evidence revealed that his hands were tainted by the money trail that all trace back to him. Finally, the rotten carcass whose alias was Jose Velarde is about to be identified. The Senate demanded to open the sealed envelope and the decision was put into vote.
The allies stood by their master as the opposition and the people tried to force the truth. The allies won, to the jeers of everyone. Who would have thought that a mass walk out would lead to a revolution? A lady senator, unaware of the sentiment of the people shamelessly Salsa-ed in front of the camera. While a distinguished lawmaker shed tears, which won the sympathy of the nation. Her sobs ignited the fire that was already burning in the hearts of many. At 3 in the morning the following day, I sneaked out of the house for a storm was already gathering strength. People from all walks of life - all those - whose sensibilities were trampled by the debauchery at the senate converged at where freedom was found ten years earlier. They wanted their voices to be heard. They wanted the whole world to know that nobody slept while the country was being pillaged by the few.
It took five days of continuous storm surge before the leader stepped down and for change to happen. I bore witness to history as it unfolded right before my eyes. I stood for what was right and at a very young age, my belief was the shift of power will bring a new dawn to these once sunless lands.
But I was wrong.
very wrong at my perception.
Had I known that everything will turn out worse; had I known that the one who will replace the corrupted will rise to become the demon spawn herself; had I known that the powers bestowed will be used against those who granted her the presidency,
I would have never showed up and be one with the nation during Edsa Dos.
---
Today marks the last State of the Nation address of the President of the Republic. No words would lift herself from the slump she is now in.
No swan song nor dramatic entrance would ever change how the nation and history will judge her twisted legacy.
I may not be the most vocal opponent of those in power, but as someone who sees and feels the pulse of the nation. What I look forward to and hopefully see in the coming years
is change.
Sobra na. Tama na. Palitan na.
4 comments:
thank god it's gloria's last year... can't wait for the 2010 elections.
vigilance, we should all be vigilant. kahit sino pa uupo jan na malinis sa umpisa will soon succumb to corruption kung hindi vigilant ang taong bayan. the thing is ang pinoy may walang-paki and parochial mentality, 'bahal ka kahit anong gawin mo wag mo lang kami kantihin.' at 'ok lang yan basta kumakain pamilya ko 3 beses at may 3 merienda kasama midnight snack sa isang araw' or minsan nakita na na-agrbyado ang neighbor pero di nakikialam para maipagtanggol kasi baka madamay pa pano ang pamilya. survival is a human instinct lalo't buhay at kinabukasan ng pamilya nakataya. pero yon na nga yon e, e lack collective action. di natin na iisip na buhay at kinabukasan nating LAHAT ang nakataya sa twing nilalapastangan tayo ng mga taong may kapangyarihan. pero mas ninanais pa rin nating manahimik na lang. every juan and maria na uupo jan sa malacanang is very much aware of the pinoy psyche and they are cunning enough to exploit this attitude to best of their advantage. lalo na pag-naambunan ng kontrata sa gobyerno o balato o simpleng padulas ang pinoy see-no-evil, hear-no-evil na ipagtatanggol ka pa ng patayan!
gawin mong gutom at mangmang ang tao at wala na silang panahon tingan pa ang ginagawa ng mga leader nila dahil sa kanila pa lang kulang na ang oras para maka-survive.
sige na nga sabi naging 'matalino' na raw ang pinoy sa twing elections iilan na lang ang nabibili. that's a positive development. pero ano, after elections balik tulog na naman at nagtutulugan ang mga 'matalinong' pinoy. ayaw maki-alam sa pagpapalakad. ayaw kumibo. it's a vicious cycle of corruption ulit, and some case of good-men-turned-bad. tapos ayaw mag-ingay. ayaw mag lobby.
lahat naman masama pag sumobra at wala sa lugar. may tamang forum at tamang oras. kaso pag makitang nagma-marcha papuntang congress sasabihin bwist nakaka-trapik lang. may nag-ra-rally sa liwasan, laking abala lang. sabihin mo na na ang iba ginagamit lang for some political ends pero kung tama naman ang isyu na pinaglalaban pasalamat tayo may mga taong nag-re-represent sa atin sa ulanan at initan habang tayo ang nagpapalamig sa aircon na sasakya o kaya sa comforts ng bahay natin o sa mga carpeted na opisina. again, vigilance. kung vigilant ang tao hindi sila magagamit ng mga politiko for their personal gains. hay...
sino nga ba dapat sisihin?
kay gloria SONA, sa taong bayan matagal na GONA. pero matatapos na ni ate mole ang term nya despite sa scam and controversies ng kinasasangkutan ng pamilya nya at sya mismo dahil sino magpapababa sa kanya ang isang o dalawang magsasaka na nagha-hunger strike? sampung libong burgis?
the 2010 elections will be for naught again kung hindi magbabantay ang taong bayan and risk their voices to be heard. dadaan lang at masasayang ulit ang pagkakaton na maayos ng pinoy ang pamamalakad sa kanila kung apathy, parochial mentality at fatalistic attitude ang paiiralin lagi.
ooops, nabahaba to...sensya po :)
ewan ko kung bakit pero unlike other youth, eh wala tlga akong pakielam sa ating bayan. sa mga namumuno dito, at kung gaano man kalinis o karumi ito. ang mahalaga sa akin ay ang sarili ko at ang mga taong nakaplaigid sakin.
sila, bahala sila magkagulo. lol
remarkable thoughts. tignan na lang natin how the next regime will fare. titignan ko rin if p'ano na naman ang reaction ng mga tao at media, the same critics of today and past regimes. after all, we are the real government that support those we voted in power to run this nation. divisiveness is very '70s. i prefer to be optimistic than a cynic.
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