Underclass Hero - Sum 41

I, along with millions of other people around the world, joined in the jubilation at the inauguration of America's 44th President, Barack Obama. I could not contain the amazement at watching history unfold before me, as I sat wide awake watching the ceremonies at midnight here in Manila.

I am rather speechless at this historic moment, and I was tearful at the playing of the American national anthem even though I wasn't American. Simply that this is the time when we begin to see the change in the face of modern politics is already enough to amaze me that I am here to witness it on the other side of the world.

But I come back to my reality, the Filipino reality, and the horror that comes after it when old goats open their mouths.

The headline can already make my stomach hurl. I realize I should not take breakfast before reading the news.

Obama can learn from Arroyo

Let's all use this moment to say a silent prayer for our country the Philippines.

Obama can learn from Arroyo, says Palace official

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines may be just a Third World country, but US President Barack Obama could learn a lesson or two about governance from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, her top aide said Wednesday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said while he did not want to think Filipinos were better than anybody else, especially since the political system and environment among countries are different from one another, he thinks Arroyo's assumption of the presidency ahead of Obama gave her enough experience on dealing with challenges that lay ahead.

"First of all, our President is ahead of Obama and probably, I would think that if there's anything to be learned, it should be President Obama learning from President Arroyo. And wouldn't we be proud to say that the Philippines continues to be an 'island of calm' because of the present crunches?" he said, when asked by media what lesson Arroyo could learn from Obama.

Read more here

Being first to arrive in the fray does not make one an expert about the fray. So while Arroyo was first, has she learned enough to make the Philippines a better country than it was before?

I am reminded by what my parents taught me, that while I, being the eldest, should know best as I have been around far longer than my siblings, I am not necessarily the wisest among them, as there are moments when I can learn from them as they can learn from me. It is true that they should learn from me, so I must be able to set the example.

The question begs an answer: has Arroyo been exemplary? (We just hope that this moment of silence means that we are in a prayerful, not blank, state.)

The Philippines remains not an island of calm, but an archipelago in distress. The calm in the countrysides is disrupted by battles for justice and equal rights, battles against poverty and corruption. I cannot help but think that the only calm in this country are the bodies that lie underneath the soil (but their spirits shout for justice), the victims of poverty and injustice and blatant disregard for freedom.

This presidency has not been an exemplary one. The president sits in Malacanang, the people kneel in prayer, and the government lies on just about anything, all while the world stands in to witness it.

Ermita must not have been watching Obama's inauguration address, or his hearing might not have been in check, when Obama said, "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Corruption and deceit, two mighty words that GMA, even with all her education, still does not comprehend. The people do not need to name this very long list of corrupt practices, as it can go on from A to ZTE.

The silencing of dissent and the UN report that says how this government turns a blind eye to the killings of activists, journalists, and the people who fight for truth and freedom. It is in our hope that the silence of their mouths would not silent their truths.

Cling to power. Hello, Garci?

So I finally submitted my thesis proposal.

I have to tell you, it feels so awesome.

There is nothing like it in the world, to finally say, OMG, I've done it.

Of course, there is still the data-gathering and data-processing part. Which is bloody, I might add.

But to be able to pass this one hurdle feels so great. After laboring over it for so long I have done it. Yes.

Now, on to the real world.

I have to do my data-gathering, I have to start this week to be able to catch up with everyone. Of course, this part is not as easy, as I can provide a testament to doing the data-analysis and results with my previous experience in research: it is going to be hell.

Hell, bring it on. I'm ready.

Sorry Na - Muntinlupa Style

Today's headlines can really kill.

Aquino says sorry to Estrada
Concedes Edsa II a mistake
By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:52:00 12/23/2008

MANILA, Philippines—It was her second mea culpa, but this time former President Corazon Aquino said it in his presence.

Ex-President Joseph Estrada said he felt vindicated.

At the star-studded launch Monday of former Speaker Jose de Venecia’s book that gave accounts of scandals that had hounded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino asked Estrada for forgiveness for joining the Edsa II uprising that ousted him.

“I am one of those who plead guilty for the 2001 (uprising). Lahat naman tayo nagkakamali. Patawarin mo na lang ako (All of us make mistakes. Forgive me),” Aquino said in her brief but well-received remarks at the Podium mall in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Read more

By saying that Edsa 2 was a mistake, the fight against corruption in this country has fallen, or thrown down the cliff of politics.

We must remember that we fought in Edsa 2 not simply to depose former President Estrada, but to make a stand that we do not condone corruption, especially when evidence already presents itself to us. We made a stand against corruption and cronyism, two ills of our country that keeps us from progress.

Edsa 2 was a fight, yes, to throw Estrada out of Malacanang, because he is not just the epitome of corruption and cronyism at that time, but because it was our way of saying no to his way of traditional politics. He was convicted out of overwhelming evidence (who can forget Clarissa Ocampo), but eventually pardoned. But his pardon does not erase the fact that he wronged the people by stealing and plundering from the people's money.

This, however, does not say that other officials are not without sins too, just that some are more cunning and scheming than others, and this "some" includes both the current President and the First Gentleman.

The news that Aquino apologized already irked me the first time I read about it before, and I quote myself, again, in an old post:

and what irked me more than what erap said is what cory said to erap. as i recall from what i read, "edsa dos was a big mistake."

what was the mistake in removing a corrupt president from office? what was the mistake of showing outrage at the kind of blatant corruption that goes in his presidency, a conviction of plunder which he still so denies to this day? but more importantly, what is the mistake of the people expressing themselves, going out to the streets to make the administration know that they are no longer taking their crap?

Aquino said that she thought Arroyo to be a better alternative to Estrada, which was why they joined the Edsa 2 rally.

I have news for you, Madame former President: we fought not to put Arroyo in power, but to throw Erap out of Malacanang and his kind of politics. We threw out corruption in Malacanang through Edsa 2, with fervent hope at that time that things will turn out for the better. We knew not then that Arroyo would be just as bad or even worse, but what we did when we took to the streets we were not ashamed of doing, because what we stood for was not simply against the person, but against the very system that runs deep in the heart of our country's governance and politics.

Edsa 1 was fought for democracy. Edsa 2 was fought for good governance. Both virtues of the public have not yet been attained fully by our people, but it was a cry that this was what we wanted, this was what we should strive for.

And I am not sorry at all for Edsa 2, because I am not sorry that this country stood for virtues that our government certainly does not have.

...even when you are already speaking in plain English.

Just a conversation I had on Skype. Read on (edits are mine).

[01:07:48] ahmed: i open cam
[01:08:20] mariel: i'm not interested.
[01:07:48] ahmed: and mic
[01:07:53] … see me
[01:08:00] … plea(se)
[01:09:06] … im ahmed
[01:09:16] … i open my cam
[01:09:27] … im in qater
[01:09:30] … ok(a)y
[01:10:45] mariel: i'm not interested in seeing you on cam or talking. i can chat, but that's it.
[01:11:13] ahmed: see me on cam
[01:11:46] mariel: i don't want to.
[01:12:04] ahmed: open mic
[01:12:18] … and im open cam
[01:12:47] … (heart emoticon)
[01:12:56] mariel: yeah but i'm not at all interested in a video call.
[01:13:27] ahmed: open after im open cam
[01:14:43] mariel: wtf. i just said i'm not interested.
[01:14:52] ahmed: open and wait
[01:15:26] … hi
[01:15:33] … im ahmed
[01:15:43] … y(ou) can open cam
[01:15:51] … i want (to) see y(ou)
[01:16:00] … open cam
[01:16:09] mariel: i don't want to. i just don't want to, can't it be left at that?
[01:16:14] ahmed: hi
[01:16:26] … open cam
[01:16:31] mariel: you can't make me
[01:16:44] ahmed: y(ou) open cam
[01:16:59] … open y(our) cam
[01:17:20] … y(ou) have cam
[01:17:45] … open y(our) cam
[01:18:02] … y(ou) have cam
[01:18:06] … hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
[01:18:12] … (heart emoticon)
[01:18:25] mariel: i just told you i don't want to.
[01:18:26] ahmed: (handshake emoticon)
[01:19:15] … i want see y(our)
[01:19:21] … photo
[01:19:33] … i work in qater
[01:19:52] … y(ou) send one photo

And besides the fact that he called me eight times. Eight effin times. I hung up on six. When I finally answered just to shut him up, I didn't even talk or show my video. I thought, maybe he'll just quit. But wtf, he kept saying and saying "open cam, open cam, open cam" to me. Wtf?!

Guys, you want us girls to speak plainly and not beat around when we want to get something across. But please don't be when we give the straight talk. No means no.

Christmas Shoes - Bob Carlysle

I'm posting this beautiful song to remind us that Christmas isn't simply the festivities, but the heart of sharing and family.

Whenever I hear this song it never ceases to bring tears to my eyes.

It is always the simple things that matter in our lives. It's not the gifts, really, but the love of family and friends. The simple joy of the boy in wanting to make his mother beautiful is enough to remind us that it is love that makes the season, and our lives, meaningful.

We are all like the person who has witnessed the boy--we look too much in the unimportant things in our lives that it amazes us to see the simple ones that matter.

We work too much to enjoy the simple things, when we can have the simple things without working too much.

In poverty, the boy still knows what is important to him.

Young children do not really understand much about the world, but they know enough about the world to live in its simplicity and awe-filled splendor. The young boy in the song does not understand that shoes are not really brought to heaven with us, but he still bought his mother a pair of shoes just so she can be pretty even in her deathbed.

It's not about the shoes, but the thought that the boy wanted his mother to be look beautiful in a new pair of shoes when she meets Jesus. The little boy believed that one should be looking his own best when facing the Lord.

When we face Jesus, will we be looking our best?

I hope we look at life, the world, and our loved ones the way the little boy did, as with this innocence comes the boundless view of the world and the ways we can share our lives with others.