THE FIL-AM PERSPECTIVE

QUO VADIS, FILIPINOS?

By Gel Santos Relos

              

                        
        

                           Ngayong tapos na ang eleksyon, saan na tayo patungo?

                            Change for the better or change for the worse? 

                 Will you be a part of the problem, or part of the the solution?

                   

It's only a month away before the 15th President of the Philippines will be sworn into office.

 ANG SABI PA RIN NG IBA:

“Bakit si Noynoy, wala namang nagawa yan!”

 “Basta Gibo pa rin kami!”

"Di dapat nagconcede agad si Villar!"

"Dapat si Erap uli, kung hindi lang dinaya sa hocus-pcos!”

 “Dick Gordon should have won—he has the track record, the results to prove his leadership and ability to transform this country!”

 “The results of the May 10 elections just prove that Filipinos are idiots! Hindi nag-iisip at mga bobo ang bumoto kay Noynoy!"

 

 These were the sentiments that I heard from people after Benigno Aquino III  topped the presidential race and has become the President-Apparent, winning  the 2010 Presidential election by an impressive landslide victory of about 40% of overall votes.

                               

 

 Who are these Filipinos who voted for Noynoy to become the next President? What drove them to vote for him?

 

For many, it was for sentimental reasons --- had Cory not died, Noynoy wouldn’t have been pushed by the people to run for President. It was like a narrative made in heaven--- his father Ninoy died a hero, while his mother unified the opposition  and inspired people to put an end to the reign of  the Marcoses by running for the presidency. For them, Ninoy and Cory's only son would be able to continue his parents' legacy -- saving the country from moral decadence, bondage and poverty. 

 

His victory is a testament to the value of family -- “kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga.”  Many of our kababayans have put Ninoy and Cory on pedestals, as our icons of democracy. Many Filipinos, therefore,  earnestly believe and trust Noynoy would embody the same virtues of love for country, honesty, courage and faithfulness that his parents possessed. Naniniwala ang mga bumoto kay Noynoy na hindi niya sisirain ang malinis na pangalan ng kanyang mga magulang. On his part, Noynoy has proven his moral authority and integrity when he did not enrich himself through his position  nor abuse his power during the time his mother was President  and as a legislator for nine years.

Other Noynoy voters present a “lesser evil” explanation for their choice. They distrust  all the other candidates running for office, and see Noynoy as the option that would incur minimal losses. To them, trusting the other candidates to become president would be too risky —lalo lang daw magiging corrupt ang bansa, lalo lang daw yuyurakan ang mga karapatang pantao. They trust and believe that Noynoy's heart is in the right place. Ni hindi nga raw gusto ni Noynoy maging Presidente---hindi siya gahaman sa kapangyarihan at iniisip lang ang kapakanan ng bayan.

                                



Contrary to what Noynoy’s detractors believe, those who voted for him are not  ignorante, bobo or estupido.  In fact, many of them are professionals, intelligent and highly-educated people. They do not seek appointments in any office nor are they waiting for Noynoy to return their favors.

They voted for Noynoy for strategic and pragmatic  reasons. They know the strength of the Ninoy and Cory “brand” and its ability  to unite Filipinos of different social and economic backgrounds. As Ninoy and Cory's successor, Noynoy was given the unique position to fight against the status quo and to be unassailable and fair in giving President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo what she deserves, for all the scandals and anomalies that she has been embroiled in. For some, it meant giving up on another highly viable candidate, Gibo Teodoro, who was the standard-bearer for GMA's party, Lakas Kampi CMD. 

 

They also voted for Noynoy to avoid the possibility of another Estrada presidency, who was ousted from the highest post and convicted of plunder.  With so many  running for office, they chose the candidate who will have the highest probability of getting the plurality of votes, —and that candidate is Noynoy.

 
 

 

To many Aquino supporters, though, the vote for Noynoy goes beyond the candidate. Noynoy symbolizes a very intangible but powerful force—that of faith and hope. He may not be perceived  to be as articulate  as Gibo, as accomplished as Gordon, as pious as Villanueva, as charismatic as Erap, or as poor/pang-masa as Villar, but Noynoy undoubtedly has the faith of the people because of all the reasons stated in the aforementioned paragraphs. This faith, beyond issues and resumes, has worked miracles to get him elected.  It is also this faith that needs to be re-ignited among Filipinos, within ourselves, as well as from and on the government.

                                     

 The rest of the electorate who did not vote for Noynoy are not happy about the results of  the election and continue to voice out their disappointments and concerns.  This reaction is understandable and natural, given their passionate advocacy for the candidates that they support.  The mere fact that people have actually actively participated, despite  differences in political stands and preferences for candidates is actually a good sign,  -- it means that Filipinos have given up their apathy and helplessness.

 

But  as in all elections, not all candidates can become president. And the people have spoken, loud and clear. 

 

On June 30, 2010, Benigno Aquino III will take his oath as the 15^th President of the Philippines. He may not be the one you rooted for, he may not be the best candidate for you. But he was the choice of the biggest number of Filipinos.

                                         
 

Quo vadis, Filipinos? To those who did not vote for Noynoy, would you choose to continue rant about Noynoy getting the presidency for the next six years? Would you choose to look at the efforts that will be made by the new administration with a mindset of doubt, failure and defeat? Would you let your disappointment and exasperation keep you from doing your share in nation-building  for the betterment of the Philippines, just so Noynoy's administration would fail and prove you were right not to vote for him after all?  With your lack of participation, failure is imminent for the new government. But remember, their failure will be our collective failure as a nation. 

 

 
To those who voted for Noynoy, he is no Superman. He is no miracle maker. He is just the President. Yes, he is faced with the responsibility of fulfilling what he promised, but change does not happen overnight. And he cannot do it alone.  Yes, the new President needs to clearly, effectively, and decisively  communicate his definition of change and the roadmap to get there--- so that we, the people, may follow and do our role in this partnership. He needs to set measurable goals along the way so that we, the people, will know if we are heading toward the right direction. And as his partners, we, the people,  will have to be vigilant in holding his administration accountable.

                          

Quo vadis, Filipinos? We look forward to the next six years and we have a choice to make. We can carry on with the predictions of  failure for Noynoy's Presidency and let our attitude and behavior make them come true. Or, we can work with this incoming administration  as active, conscientious, goal-oriented participants toward a better Philippines---effecting change by starting amongst ourselves and our sphere of influence,  and moving up to the bigger picture which is our nation. 

 

Quo vadis, Filipinos— where are we going now? What are we going to do moving on and moving  forward? We can either be part of the problem, or be part of the solution. Your decision will help determine what kind of change we will be facing -- for better or for worse. 

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Are We Ready For A President Who Keeps His Promises?

By Gel Santos Relos

                    
                    

                                        

 

Handa na ba kayo? Ayaw na nga ba natin ng katiwalian sa gobyerno? Pero bakit mayroon pa ring pumapalag sa simula ng pagbabago? Bakit may mga tumututol na imbistigahan at pagbayarin ang mga mapapatunayang nagkasala sa bayan, lalo na si Gloria Arroyo?

 

When Noynoy Aquino campaigned for the presidency, his platform banked on the eradication of graft and corruption in the government.  “Kung walang corrupt, Walang mahirap!” was his winning slogan. The latest official poll count from Comelec indicated a landslide victory in the presidential race for Aquino.  Prior to his inauguration, Aquino has already made some statements that make it seem like he is, indeed, going to keep his word. 

 

Two days after the national elections, in the middle of the whole nation's pre-occupation over the automated poll count, outgoing President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Associate Justice Renato Corona as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Aquino has expressed disdain over the Arroyo's decision, saying that it was in violation of the constitutional ban on midnight appointments.   To show his protest, Noynoy said "Mas gugustuhin ko pang manumpa sa harap ng Baranggay Tanod". (Note: he will take his oath before the only Justice who opposed GMA's appointment)

The Supreme Court  has handed down the ruling as "final and executory," saying that  Corona's appointment is necessary to fill up the vacancy that will be left by outgoing SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who retired on May 17. Currently, 14 members of the Supreme Court  are appointees of Pres. Arroyo.   Many believe that Corona's appointment was made by Pres. Arroyo to protect herself from prosecution for acts of graft and corruption.

Many legal analysts and critics, including former President Fidel V. Ramos, agree that Aquino, as the new President-elect  should be afforded the privilege of appointing the new Chief of Justice. They perceive Pres. Arroyo's appointment of Corona as unethical and unjust. They also tried to convince Corona not to accept the appointment. Sana raw ay tinanggihan ni Corona ang alok ni Arroyo sa ngalan ng delicadeza.  This, they said would have been the right way to do to avoid any constitutional crisis.

On the other hand, Malacañang has told Aquino to “stop being a candidate and start being a president” by abiding with tradition and taking his oath with the newly-appointed SC Chief Justice, just as his  predecessors did in the past.  However,  Aquino's decision to defy tradition is not unconstitutional either. Swearing in to office is such a sacred act to do, Aquino would rather take oath before a Barangay Tanod who represents the ordinary Juan dela Cruz, or whoever he chooses other than Corona. 

The Corona issue is already a tangible proof that President-elect Aquino should swim against the tide in order to fulfill his campaign promises, on top of which is ensure that Pres. Arroyo will be investigated and prosecuted for several allegations of graft and corruption and the "Hello, Garci" scandal.

To complicate the  situation, Arroyo has been elected to a congressional seat in her hometown of Pampanga and has stepped up to claim chairmanship of the Lakas-CMD party. She goes down in history as the first president to be elected in Congress after her term ends. 

 Malacanang spokesperson Gary Olivar said it would not be helpful for Aquino to make true his word, “If the number 1, number 2, number 3 of your agenda is to give the chairman of that big party (Lakas) a hard time for the rest of your six years in office, I don’t think you’d be able to put that coalition together.” Olivar has asserted that Pres. Arroyo has the numbers and the clout  from her elected colleagues in Lakas, and that Aquino would be needing Arroyo’s help if he wants his programs supported and his initiatives passed in Congress.

Para bang "trap" ang pahayag na ito ng Malacanang--kailangan bang mimili si Aquino sa dalawang pangako niya sa bayan -- ang pangakong paiimbistigahan at pagbabayarin si Arroyo sa mga sinasabing kasalanan sa bayan,  o ang pangakong maipatupad ang mga programa para mapaunlad ang buhay ng mga mamamayang Pilipino na lumalabas na maaari lamang mangyari kung sasayaw si  Aquino sa saliw ng musika ni Arroyo?

Corollary argument is what I hear from many Filipinos in everyday public discussions and even in a tete’a’tete.    

Some say Noynoy should not waste his energies on investigating and prosecuting Arroyo  and should just focus on alleviating poverty, improving education, health and other basic services. They argue that it seems like Noynoy governance will be out of vengeance! I hear people who, coming from a position of learned helplessness, insist that it would be impossible for Aquino to weed out graft and corruption as this malady has been in our society for decades.  

Even the question as to whether Noynoy should investigate leading vice-presidential candidate and former Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay for allegedly enriching himself through his position --- some voters told me that Makati residents voted for Binay because he delivered results. Some rationalized that it is this same principle that has sustained former presidents Estrada and Marcos' popularity, despite the charges filed against them.   Okay lang daw ang maging corrupt kung nagagampanan mo naman ang tungkulin mo sa bayan at naaambunan ng biyaya ang mga kababayan mo.

There is also the issue of whether Noynoy Aquino can effectively fight against people in government who may have been his supporters or family friends.  Will he really run after members of his own family if there are graft and corruption scandals against them?  And how many of those who have won positions in his administration through the elections are actually willing to help him in his cause for anti-graft and corruption?  

Surprisingly, despite Aquino’s landslide victory, many  Filipinos  shout out  that he should just forget about the charges, move on and move forward!

 But how can we move on and move forward when justice has not been served to those who have broken the very laws they  have sworn to respect, uphold and follow? How do we break the vicious cycle of corruption in our governance when administration after administration we have the mindset that it is being done out of vengeance and not justice?  Aren’t  we condoning and perpetuating graft, corruption, injustice and impropriety by allowing those who may be proven guilty in the court of law to get away with their crimes? Anong mensahe ang tinuturo nito sa ating mga anak at sa mga susunod pang henerasyon?

This is the dichotomy of the truth about what we want from our President. We rant against corruption and elected a candidate who ran on the platform of fighting against corruption. Now that he is the President-elect and may actually be trying to keep his word --- doing something bold and nontraditional to bring about change, why is there resistance to his action? What are we really  for and what are we against in this case?  

Moving forward --- we, the people, need to ask ourselves some serious questions. Ano ba talaga ang gusto natin bilang isang bayan? Do we really want to eradicate graft and corruption, or would we rather revert back to the same old style of familiar, traditional corrupt politics in our own everyday life and in our bigger Philippine society? If you still believe graft and corruption should be addressed by the incoming administration , what better proposals do you have in mind to achieve this goal? 

Are we are truly ready for a President who may be ready, willing and able to fulfill his campaign promises? Are we truly ready for change?

Pinoy Values: Virtue or Vice During Election?

By Gel Santos Relos

 

 

We learn so many things about ourselves in the way we vote. Pinoy values and belief systems are so very much reflected by the initial results of the election, for the better or for the worse! Values refer to the things that are important to us as a people---many of us look at them on a positive light and say they are the virtues that make Filipinos a great people. However, a growing number of our kababayans have argued otherwise, saying they have indeed become a vice--- our roadblock to change!

 

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The value of forgiveness: madaling magpatawad ang Pinoy! ---Case in point: deposed President Joseph Estrada, convicted of plunder and should have served time in prison all his life, only set free by outgoing President Gloria Arroyo. He is now ranking second in the Presidential race.  Another case: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ---son of  Ferdinand Marcos, the President we ousted through People Power in 1986! Bongbong is now on the  7^th spot of the Senatorial race at the time this column is written.

 

Now, Erap and Bongbong  have vindicated themselves! They have proven to the world that they still enjoy the support of many Filipinos, as evidenced by their impressive performance in the national polls despite their past! I hear this all the time in many discussion threads in support of Erap: “Kung ang Diyos ay nagpapatawad, tayo pa kayang tao lamang na nagkakasala rin! Bigyan natin siya ng isa pang pagkakataon!” .  We love stories of redemption!

 

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Another Pinoy value  is “utang na loob”. If you have been good to the Pinoys, especially during the most difficult trying time of their life, many of them will feel indebted to you forever.

 

In the context of elections, “delivery of action” and “fulfillment of promise” are both defined by many Pinoys based on  how the candidate helped them in their immediate personal needs, or the needs of their town. Tangible “here and now” delivery of goods matter to them more than lofty ideals. After all, man’s need for survival, safety, love and belongingness are more basic than self -respect, esteem and contribution to mankind.

 

I  hear this a lot from those who supported and voted for Erap. People from San Juan or those who were blessed by his programs when he was Senator just adore him, in the same way that many of our kababayans from Ilocos Norte will seem forever to give the Marcoses their loyalty. How about President Arroyo’s victory in Pampanga as congresswoman after all the blessings for Pampanga? Sa maraming Pilipino, parang kasalanan sa Diyos kung hindi ka marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob---ano man ang kapalit,  dahil naroroon ang taong tumulong sa kanila nang sila ang nagigipit!

 

 

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Strong faith in God has helped the Filipinos survive and rise above each and every crisis and challenge that has come our way. We have so much faith that at times, some of our kababayans choose to lift up to God everything---even election results, transgressions, solutions to problems.

 

“Bahala na”…from “Bathala na” mindset reflects the fatalistic attitude of the Filipinos. This has been apparent in comments I get from our kababayans. “ Ipagpasa-Diyos na lang natin ang eleksyon!”.”Ipagpasa-Diyos na lamang natin ang kasalanan nila!”.  “ Nasa guhit ng palad ng tao kung magiging Presidente siya. Kaya sorry na lang yung iba, huwag nang magpilit pa!”

 

 On the proactive call for Comelec to be transparent and to explain issues and procedures regarding automated polls and other election related concerns so they can be addressed prior to voting time, some said, “Bakit ba tayong mga Pinoy, reklamo tayo ng reklamo? Hintayin na lang nating matapos ang eleksyon saka tayo magsalita!”

 

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Another Filipino value: mapagkumbaba or humility. For some Filipinos, this is another key to winning their trust and vote of confidence. Being perceived as “hambog” or “mayabang”  and “mapanglait” is a big turn off for many Pinoys.

This is one of the reasons why Dick Gordon did not fare well nationwide. It seems many Filipinos cannot distinguish between confidence and haughtiness, or straightforwardness and combatant, or discussion and confrontation.

Filipinos love a humble person. Maybe it is because we desire to feel accepted, dread to feel rejected or judged. A person of high stature humbly approaching impoverished Filipinos to their level helps them feel a certain “connection”--- supporting our relationship-oriented and personalistic way of assessing people and  situations. It is almost always more about people and how we feel about them, rather than ideas and cerebral concepts that matter more to many of our kababayans.

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Relentless. Hindi basta nagpapatalo. Sounds good, right? Kaya nalalampasan natin ang lahat ng pagsubok sa ating buhay. Could this also be the reason behind Erap and some other candidates not conceding despite glaring proofs of defeat? Could this also explain why Filipinos would rather create or build a new organization instead of conceding defeat in an election for officers in aorganizations? Kaya sa Pinoy, dalawa lang ang uri ng kandidato makaraan ng eleksyon—yung nanalo at yung nadaya?

The good news in this 2010 Election—we have been inspired by Presidential candidates who conceded early in the game after Sen. Aquino pulled off a wide margin. Could the examples of Sen. Villar, Sen. Gordon, Sen. Teodoro be followed by the rest of the electorate, in this election and in many more to come?

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Filipinos’ belief system shines in the partial  poll results: "Kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga!"---Aquino, Revilla, Estrada, Cayetano, Marcos, Recto, Sotto, Osmena, Guingona--- all second or even third generation politicians! And we are just talking about 9 out of the top 14 posts in this year's national election--expect more in the local posts!

Could it be the  family-oriented nature of the Filipino that makes it easier for us to give our vote of confidence to the descendants of people we already know and have won our trust before? Don’t we hear this a lot from Filipinos even outside political discourse? “Sino ba iyang nanliligaw sa iyo? Galing ba iyan sa mabuting pamilya? Pinalaki ba iyan ng matitinong mga magulang?”

I am not saying this is bad at all. There are also generations of people who have all been good public servants. It is true that children learn what they live. However, not all kids  turn out to be exactly like their over achiever parents. Some  turn out to be the exact opposite, while others  prove to be mediocre in performance because of complacency and security in their perceived “entitled” position in society. But the truth is, in our Filipino society, having a trusted or loved family member is definitely a passport to the express lane toward people’s trust!

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Interviews done by ABS-CBN during the election featured many Pinoys proudly saying they voted for ‘artista”. Even the election results in the Senatorial race prove how enamored Pinoys are with showbiz personalities. Another proof that Filipinos give so much weight on personalities and relationships. Many of them need to feel a ‘connection” with you before they can trust you. That is the advantage of media personalities---other than name recall, Pinoys see them on TV and feel a certain affinity with them like they are part of the family.

Does this give credence to Pilosopo Tasyo’s classic line in our national hero Jose Rizal’s classic novel “El Filibusterismo”---“Mabuti na ang masamang kilala na, kaysa mabuting kikilalanin pa”?  With limited access to  information regarding the high brow intellects running for office whom the ordinaryong masang Pinoy cannot relate to, it seems many of these kababayans of ours would rather give their vote to somebody familiar—whether showbiz people or old timer in politics---than  take a risk in voting for  a new name they do not know or have not had a relationship with.

Of course this election has also proven that name recall or being artista alone will not guarantee victory as there are those celebrities who did not quite make it this time around. Good sign…and we should see more of this situation as we become better informed, as the well meaning highly deserving candidate truly reach out to the broader base—the masang Pinoy?

How do we approach our peoples' value system and make each value a virtue and not a vice? How do we help ourselves and our kababayans make such value system work for our good instead of against us?

The Story of My Mother

 

By Gel Santos Relos

 

 

                                               

 

This is the story of my mother -- my beacon of hope. May you blessed by her amazing journey of faith.

 

We could only truly understand and appreciate our parents, especially our mothers, when we become mothers ourselves. How true could that be! Many of us grew up like the typical rebellious teenagers who were sometimes resentful of our parents, especially our mothers, thinking then we were smarter and would do better as parents someday.

 

God has a way of humbling the arrogant  adolescents in us. The realities and challenges of our own life make us ask ourselves how our parents, especially our mothers, were able to raise us, put up with us, and continue to stand by us up to these days of our adult life.

 

Knowing now what I did not know then, or perhaps never really understood before,  made me look at my mother now with deepened  respect, love and appreciation. Motherhood is already a challenge as it is, but how much more if you are coming from a past that could have scarred you for life?

 

                               

 

 

My mother, Angelita Quintana Concepcion Santos,  was second to the youngest of a brood of nine, born to my Lolo Atty. Jose Concepcion, descendant of Philippine Justice Pedro Concepcion, and my Spanish mestiza Lola, Angelina Quintana, of the distinguished Quintana clan from Santa Cruz, Laguna---also known as  the lady who trained the LVN actress of the 50s, Tita Tessie Quintana.

 

They lived a happy, ideal upper middle class life until that one fateful day. My cousin Itoy, son of my Mom’s late eldest brother shared with me stories that his “Papi”—my Tito Pepito,  used to tell him about what happened that day that changed my Mom’s life forever.

 

 February 6, 1945. MacArthur's forces were entering Manila and were engaged in house-to-house fighting…

 

They were all in the house that day, staying low. There was an unusual amount of artillery fire - they didn't know if it was American or Japanese. For the most part the Japanese had let the Filipinos live peacefully during the occupation, let them continue everyday, ordinary living - assuming you could consider living under enemy occupation "ordinary." Once the Americans were within the walls of Intramuros the Japanese were in full retreat - they had no regard for civilians. They would hide behind houses, lob their shells at the Americans and move quickly to another vantage point. Once the Americans landed the Japanese turned barbaric, used houses and civilians as shields.

 

Suddenly there was a massive explosion - BOOM!!!! Papi was knocked off his feet and was dazed. He looked around and saw that their house had caught a direct hit. "House" being an understatement - there was nothing left, just walls and rubble. He said he noticed on what was left of one wall, pieces of clothing. He distinctly remembers the flower patterns on them - his sister's - whom he had just spoken with a few minutes earlier - with bloody flesh still stuck to it.

 

He looked around for the rest of his family, most of them were gone - literally - vaporized. He looked for Lolo and Lola - couldn't find Lolo. He found Lola laying in the backyard, bleeding from a massive wound in her chest. She was dying. They held each other tightly. She told him to take care of the children, that he was the eldest…they prayed the Our Father together…shortly thereafter she died in his arms. Papi took a few minutes to compose himself. Before he left Lola's body, he took her wedding band from her finger, put it in his pocket. He placed that ring on my Mom's finger on their wedding day - but that's another story!

 

Papi gathered up the remnants of the family: Tito Amag, Tita Menchu - her body was riddled with shrapnel and bleeding everywhere - Tita Lita, and the baby, Tita Paz. He told Tito Amag to "go get the pot of rice."

 

Let’s step back here for a minute: during the occupation Lola insisted on cooking a fresh pot of rice to be left on the stove, for situations such as this, to expect the worst. The drill was to grab the pot of rice and head for cover and look for surviving family members and to stay with them.

 

The next day they would eat that rice and prepare a fresh one - to sit on the stove.

 

Tito Amag grabbed the pot of rice and they all headed out - Papi put Tita Menchu on his back, carried Tita Paz in one arm, and held your Mom’s hand, Tita Lita, with his free hand. This scraggly bunch headed out…

 

He said they walked and walked - aimlessly - for days - looking for relatives. The city was a rubble and nothing looked familiar. They portioned off the rice, made sure everybody got a fair share. It didn’t last long. He was concerned for Tita Menchu, he tried to feed her, she wouldn't eat - she was a mess. At nights they slept out in the open. They were thirsty. There was no drinking water - he said they'd sip water from the open sewers - canals.

 

After several days of walking and moving away from the fighting, he said they turned a street corner and walked right into a scout patrol - soldiers! Papi's heart sank - he thought they were Japanese. He raised his arms in surrender, fearing the worst. They were motioning him to approach them. As he got closer he noticed they were Americans! Imagine going from deep depression to ecstasy in an instant.

 

He said the soldiers gave them food and shelter and they looked after Tita Menchu, ministered to her wounds. They were offered cans of sardines and spam. They were so hungry they ate several cans until they were full. Papi said that was the best meal he’s ever had.

 

                  

 

From the time of liberation, Mom and her younger sister Tita Paz moved from one home to another, with the help of well meaning relatives who were rebuilding their lives themselves after the war. Mom was just four then, and Tita Paz barely two, when they started to live their life not knowing how it was to feel a mother’s warm reassuring embrace when they woke up at night crying, still shaken by the fearful traumatic experience of war…

 

They did not know how it was to have a father to read for them a bedtime story and tuck them to bed at night… There was no mother to nurture them when they were sick, or a father who helped them with their homework everyday.

 

They did not have their mother to run to the first time they had their period, no mother to hear them out the first time they fell in love or have their hearts broken…No father to dote on them and spoil them and give in to their whims and make them feel they were the  most beautiful girls in the world.

 

They did not experience how to be ordinary growing little girls who played and have fun and be crazy and rebellious teenagers---they had to assume responsibilities early on and grew up faster than most girls their age. Mommy did not have her Mom and Dad to be proud of her when she graduated valedictorian in Saint Louis' University grade school, or when she was admitted as scholar in St. Scholastica’s College.

 

 

When she turned 18, Mom entered the convent to be a nun. She joined the Benedictine order in St. Scholastica’s and chose to be called Sister Mary Joseph. However, after a couple of years she became sickly and had to take a rest outside the convent. That was when my Dad, Atty. Jose Maria Santos, then a young lawyer, courted her and asked for her hand in marriage.

 

Maybe Mom was smitten by my Daddy’s charm, or maybe was longing to belong to a family---her own family. And so Dad and Mom got married and had me as their first born, and four more after me. Looking back she said she would have wanted to go back to school and have a career but she had us, her children to take care of. She ran her own beauty parlor and dress shop at home while raising her family.

 

                   

 

If you think Mom has finally found her peace after the war when she married my Dad, that wasn’t quite the end of story. Mom’s faith was tried and tested again and again when Dad had a freak accident when he was teaching me and my siblings how to swim. He bumped his head that caused him to be paralyzed from then on up to now. He never got to walk again.

 

Mom was pregnant with our youngest sibling when this happened. She had no time to cry, no time to complain, no time to be afraid---or so I thought. She had to take care of Daddy, of us her children, and the new baby who was born a few months after Dad's accident. She also had to assume the role of breadwinner as Dad could not work anymore. She was just 31 and Dad was 34---they both were at the peak of their youth when fate stole their dreams away from them. 

 

While dad was going through recovery and physical rehabilitation, Mom ran a fruit stand business, a carinderia, a dry goods and clothes store. As Dad became stronger, he helped out as cashier for the small businesses that provided for our family’s needs. Finally, Dad was given the chance to practice his profession as a lawyer again but due to his quadriplegic condition, he could only do so on a limited capacity as a notary public.

               

In between these challenges, as a child, I remember the yummy food Mom prepared for us—I learned a lot from her excellent culinary talents--- favorites were  her crispy pata, lugao-tokwa’t baboy, kare kare, Spanish dishes, pastel, fried chicken, tapioca with fruit cokctail, etc. I  recall  her listening to good old standard music---The Platters, Jo Stafford,  even Nora Aunor--- while making pattern for the dresses she made for her customers. I fondly remember the time when she cooked pancit and baked chocolate cake for me and my friends on my birthday. And she generously and unselfishly opened our house to shelter family  in need of a home---we were always "full house", she was like an adoptive mother to many of my cousins and aunts, and family friends.

 

 I treasure the memories of brown out nights when she would tell stories about the little things she remembered about the war and the family she used to have. I also will never forget how she coached me with my lines as I was preparing for my role in a school play. I appreciate the thought that she was also there to cheer for me when I joined and won elocution and declamation contests, starred in dramas, and got my medal for graduating with honors.

 

              

 

When I became a rebellious teenager, Mom and I had the usual mother-daughter conflict. I resented her for  being too hard on me, for delegating a lot of responsibilities to me, for being cold and distant and angry most of the time, for being too critical and unappreciative. I remember telling my self, I would be a better mother myself when I grow up.

 

And I grew up. And I got married. And I had children. And I went through different challenges in my own life. In each and every one of those times, and up to now, my mother has been there for me. She helped me, as well as the rest of my brothers and sisters, when we were starting our married life, doted on her apos, shelled out her own money to help us financially.

 

       

 

Mom has been my angel and would look after the children when I had to be away. She also left the comfort of  her life in the Philippines to help me with household chores and taking care of her apos for months when we relocated to America. She gave me wise advice and encouragement when my heart ached, respected my feelings and state of being without judgment, lifted me up when I was down, inspired me to be the best I can become.

 

In her senior years when all of us her children were settled, mom went rogue. She pursued what she has always been passionate about. She went to India and studied about holistic healing. She traveled and had fun with her friends. She would go out of her way to visit family members who are now alone and needing some company and comfort. She served God through her ministry of giving love and hope and prayers to the sick in the hospital…and so many many more acts of kindness and generosity.

 

    
 

 

Having known now what I did not know or comprehend before, having raised four children including three teenagers my self, living a far normal, better, more convenient life than she ever did, having confronted my own issues and challenges, I have finally understood and appreciated my mother’s humanity.

 

At the same time, I could not help but wonder how my mother was able to do everything that she has done in her life. Where did she draw out all the love she was able to give when she herself was denied of her parents’ love being orphaned so very early in life? How did she muster unwavering faith and strength during all those extremely challenging times in her life as a wife, mother, and human being?

 

Through the way she lives and celebrates her life, Mother has given me a gift I will forever cherish---a gift I wish I could pass on to my own children. Your past should never be a reason or an excuse not to live your dreams and be happy in life. It does not matter much what you did not have in life…what is more important is to be grateful for whatever little you are blessed with and use them to bless others….and God’s graces will  follow like an eternal spring! 

 

Happy Birthday, Mommy! I love you…and Thank you!

 

 

WANTED: TUNAY NA PUBLIC SERVANT

By Gel Santos Relos

Sa pagpili natin ng mga bagong lider ng ating bansa sa Mayo 10, harinawa ay matagpuan ng mga tumatakbo sa eleksyon ang tunay na diwa ng paglilingkod sa bayan. Bakit nga ba sila pumasok sa politika? Ano ang tunay na nagtutulak sa kanila upang iwan ang pribadong buhay at suungin ang buhay politika?

Ano man ang kahihinatnan ng halalan sa Lunes, sana ay gabayan ang bawat kandidato ng katotohanang nilalaman ng mga salitang ito...

"Maybe there have been times where you asked yourself, why did I ever get involved in politics in the first place? And maybe things can't change after all. And when you do something courageous, it turns out sometimes you may be attacked. And sometimes the very people you thought you were trying to help may be angry at you and shout at you. And you say to yourself, maybe that thing that I started with has been lost.

But you know what? Every once in a while, every once in a while a moment comes where you have a chance to vindicate all those best hopes that you had about yourself, about this country, where you have a chance to make good on those promises that you made in all those town meetings and all those constituency breakfasts and all that traveling through the district, all those people who you looked in the eye and you said, you know what, you’re right, the system is not working for you and I’m going to make it a little bit better.

 And this is one of those moments. This is one of those times where you can honestly say to yourself, doggone it, this is exactly why I came here. This is why I got into politics. This is why I got into public service. This is why I’ve made those sacrifices. Because I believe so deeply in this country and I believe so deeply in this democracy and I’m willing to stand up even when it’s hard, even when it’s tough.

Every single one of you have made that promise not just to your constituents but to yourself. And this is the time to make true on that promise. We are not bound to win, but we are bound to be true. We are not bound to succeed, but we are bound to let whatever light we have shine."

(President Barack Obama)

Tayo ang Simula

By Gel Santos Relos

Ang pagpapalit ng liderato sa isang demokrasya ay nakakamit lamang sa pamamagitan ng malinis na halalan na tunay na nagpapahayag ng tinig at boto ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino. Dahil sa mga katotohanan hinggil sa mga problema sa automated voting machines kamakailan lang, hindi maiaalis sa taumbayan ang magtanong at magduda. Ilang araw bago ang halalan, hindi pa rin magarantiyahang "within acceptable margin of error" ang mga makina at sistema.

Ang sabi ni Comelec, bagamat hindi sila bihasa sa teknikal na aspeto ng komputer, umaasa silang tutuparin ng Smartmatic ang pangakong mapaplantsa ang lahat ng gusot bago maghalalan. Magsasagawa sila ng "test" hanggang umaga mismo ng May 10--at ang batayan sa testing ay ang mga mano-manong pagbilang ng boto ng iilang makina. Subalit sapat na ba ito upang matiyak na naresolba nang ganap ang mga "glicthes" sa sistema? Papaano ito matitiyak sa araw mismo ng halalan kung wala na tayong batayan ng katotohanan sa malawakang botohan sa buong bansa?

Alisin na muna natin sa usapan sa ngayon ang mga pinangangambahang malawakang pandaraya at sabihin  nating malinis ang hangarin ng Comelec at ng Smartmatic. Gayunpaman, kung walang tiwala ang tao sa proseso ng halalan dahil sa napatunayang palyadong mga makina at kuwestyonableng teknikal na sistema, kinakailangang gumawa ng hakbang ang Comelec upang higit na maging "transparent" at mapakita sa mga Pilipino na higit sa ano pa man, ang paggalang sa 'will" ng tao ang kanilang tanging hangarin.Kahit sino pa man ang iboboto natin, kahit anong partido man ang sinusuportahan natin, nararapat nating tiyakin na ang boto natin para sa kandidatong iyon ang bibilangin sa halalan. Obligasyon ito ng Comelec sa sambayanan.

Upang makamit ito, naniniwala akong dapat ay pabayaan na ang manual count kaalinsabay ng automated counting, doon man lamang sa Presidente at Bise-Presidente, at kung kakayanin--12 senador. Ito ang magsisilbing batayan at pang-"check" sa ano mang pagkakamali ng automated counting system. Aanhin natin ang isang mabilis na pagbibigay ng resulta kung may bahid dungis at alinlangan sa puso at isipan ng mga botante? Higit na sayang ang perang ginastos sa halalan kung sa paningin ng mga mamamayan ay hindi naisatinig ang kanilang tunay na saloobin.

Kababayan, hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay dapat na manahimik para lang walang ingay o gulo dahil hindi ibig sabihin nito ay mayroon tayong kapayapaan. Walang tunay na kapayapaan kung ang saloobin ng mga tao ay nagtatanong, nababagabag at naghihimagsik sa inaakalang kawalan ng hustisya. At hindi rin iniaasa sa Diyos lamang ang pagbabago ng sistema. Obligasyon natin sa Diyos na itama ang mali. Obligasyon natin sa Bayang Pilipinas na ipahayag ang ating tunay na tinig dahil ito ay isinasaad ng Saligang Batas.

Kung hindi natin gagampanan ang mga tungkuling ito, hindi natin makakamit ang pagbabagong inaasam-asam. Nasa atin po ang pagbabago---nakasalalay ito sa kakayahan at kagustuhan nating ipaglaban ang ating dangal bilang mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng isang tapat at malinis, walang bahid alinlangan na halalan. Kung sa ngalan ng isang balatakayong "peace' ay hahayaan nating yurakan ang katotohanan at abusuhin ang ating karapatan, walang magbabago sa kalakaran ng ating buhay.

Ang pananaw na ito ay akma hindi lamang sa eleksyon kung hindi sa ating pang-araw -araw na buhay at pakikitungo sa ating pamilya, kaibigan at lipunan. Galangin natin ang dangal ng ating sarili at gagalangin din tayo ng ating asawa, anak, kaibigan at kasama sa hanapbuhay. Galangin natin ang ating sarili, at gagalangin din tayo ng pamahalaang pinagkakatiwalaan natin sa pamamalakad ng ating lipunan.

Tayo ang simula ng katotohanan. Tayo ang simula ng pagbabago. Gabay ang basbas, awa at tulong ng Diyos, nasa ating mga kamay ang katuparan ng tunay na diwa ng demokrasya---mahirap at masalimuot man ang daan.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino!

Who Should Be the Next President of the Philippines?

By Gel Santos Relos

 

SALI NA PO KAYO SA DEBATE!

Read on and add your own insights to support your candidate of choice.

Isyu lang po, walang personalan!

 

Countdown! We only have a few days left before the May 10, 2010 election. We are once again at a turning point in history. How do we know which path to take at the crossroads? Who do we choose to be the next President of the Philippines, who can hopefully lead the Philippines to change for the better, and not for  the worse?
Allow me to share some comments and impressions of our kababayans  on the top candidates running for the highest position of the nation.

 

Dick Gordon: his followers argue that he is the transformational leader this country desperately needs. His official website says, “his claim to fame was his work to turnaround  Subic Base after Mount Pinatubo's eruption… his stint as tourism secretary was equally spectacular… He was an energetic, combative administrator who delivered results”. Dick likewise has proven he can make the “pasaway” Pinoys disciplined as evidenced by how Filipinos in Subic adhere to their laws for fear of “American style” repercussion to anyone who breaks the law. His supporters believe Dick Gordon as the favorite among many educated thinking voters who subscribe to his pragmatic approach to governance.

However, some people say  Gordon is way too arrogant who projects a “know it all” persona. They say his  brutal frankness and hot tempered nature makes him unpopular with his peers, and his non-followers contend that he talks down to the masang Pinoy who are averse to people who are perceived as “mayabang at mapanglait”. Unless he  humbly reaches out to the masang Pinoy, his detractors believe he will never be elected President.

 

Eddie Villanueva: His followers hold on to the faith that Brother Eddie’s solid pro-God platform will be the answer to the core  problems that pulls down our country—moral corruption from top to bottom. Brother Eddie’s background as a former political activist gives him the perspective of being grounded with the poor, understanding the real issues of the disenfranchised people.

  However, Bro. Eddie’s religious connection also works against him as some question, how can he possibly separate church from state? Other not so religious Filipinos are likewise easily turned off when a candidate starts invoking the name of God in a political discourse. "His platform: transparency sa transactions ng gobyerno. The problem: he won't give his net worth. He won't give details kung magkano assets niya."

Gilberto Teodoro: Gibo is also said to appeal to the educated electorate, and has likewise been very popular among the youth voters. His dignified “presence” and excellent communication skills  reflect  a very impressive educational background--- Law degree at University of the Philippines, where he received the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence in 1989—the same year he topped the Philippine Bar exams. Subsequently, he passed the New York State Bar examinations in 1997 and  completed his masters degree at the Harvard Law School in Massachusetts. Before running for President, he was Arroyo’s Department of National Defense Secretary and Chairman of National Disaster Coordinating Council.  

Despite the admiration of his colleagues, many people say Gibo failed in one very critical test of his  sense of judgment---he allowed himself to be associated with the unpopular President Gloria Arroyo as her “anointed one”---the candidate  believed to perpetuate Arroyo’s broken system. This has been perceived as Gibo compromising his principles and integrity for political expediency.

Joseph Estrada: Surprise! Surprised? He was already elected President in 1998, but was deposed in 2001 for many charges of abuse of power. He served time in prison, and in 2007, he was sentenced by a "special court" to reclusion perpetua for plunder, but was later granted pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Sa kabila ng lahat, narito pa rin si Erap at lumalabang muli upang maging pangulo, at ngayon nga ay sinasabing nalampasan na niya si Villar sa survey! This endless “love affair” of Erap with the masang Pinoy is explained by how much he is perceived as genuinely caring and concerned about the plight of the poor. “Erap sa mahirap” has been his winning slogan, not to mention his debonair movie star attraction. The masang Pinoy appreciate his humility and those who have been blessed by his projects when he was mayor, Senator and President, will seem to forever be indebted.

For Erap to run again for President was initially thought of as a joke. Yet his loyal followers seemed to have followed what his critics say as his cinematic telenovela narrative—that he is back to continue his unfinished business of helping the poor Filipinos. His opponents ask, what would this deposed president’s victory the second time around say about who we are as an electorate and as a people?

Manny Villar: His supporters look up to him as the embodiment of hope among the poor Filipinos. His message resonates among the masang Pinoy---Never stop dreaming, because even if you are born poor you do not have to be poor all your life. He presented him self as “galing sa hirap”, a once upon a time “squatter” who, through his own blood, sweat and tears, has now emerged to be one of  the most powerful billionaires of the country. His website states, “Hard work, persistence, and perseverance became his guiding principles in life. This earned him the title “Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga.” His followers believe Manny Villar will represent their best interest when elected President because he was once poor like them. They trust that his tried and tested  management skills in business and politics will be the key to solving the problems of the Philippines.

His opponents, however, contend this is all political stagecraft, and alleged that the real Manny Villar is a scheming politician who will do anything and everything to be President, including vote buying, spending millions and millions of pesos in political ads and endorsement of popular figures to win sympathy and trust of the masang Pinoy. His is accused of using his official position to give undue advantage to his business interests--- including the recent issue with SEC where he allegedly earned billions of pesos as the value OFW’s hard earned investments in his company’s stocks took a nose dive. His detractors use this to cast a dark shadow of doubt on his integrity and moral authority to be President. 

Noynoy Aquino: He was the reluctant candidate. The death of his mother Cory Aquino prompted his supporters to clamor for him to run for President to continue the legacy of his parents Ninoy and Cory, the icons of democracy, virtues and heroism. However, his detractors have been criticizing  Noynoy for allegedly using his parents’ name for his political victory. They have been arguing that he has not accomplished anything significant to prove his own worth to be President. He may have authored bills as legislator but has not had the success to have them enacted into law. He has been  portrayed as the villain for his alleged  inaction on the issue of the poor farmers who had been victims of  their family-owned Hacienda Luisita. His opponents have been challenging him to undergo psychiatric tests to dispel his rumored “topak” or questionable mental health,  and prove he is  fit to assume the role of president.

His followers, on the other hand, see in Noynoy Aquino his quiet strength when he assumed the  role of “padre de familia” and took care of Cory and his siblings when  Ninoy was assassinated. To them he is an incorruptible man who did not enrich himself and abuse his stature as the President’s son then,  and even now as legislator. They say he has proven he is  his own man when  he went against the wishes of the Catholic Church to fight for his bill on responsible parenthood. He may not be as loquacious as other candidates, his stage presence not as commanding, but they counter-argue that this is because Noynoy is just not the "traditional politician". They believe Noynoy embodies the values of the leader the country needs to incite real change in this very important chapter of our history.

Learn more about the candidates for President, including Vetallano Acosta, Nicanor Perlas, John Carlos delos Reyes, and Jamby Madrigal, and those running for Vice President, Senator, and local posts. You may want to visit the nonpartisan website www.politicalarena.com for more information.

We cannot afford to rely solely on name recall or on favors and instant gratification. Pagbabayaran din po natin ito ng malaki sa mahabang panahon! Let us not  vote blindly based on just what the survey says--let us choose the candidate whom we really think will best run the country.

We cannot do the same old ways and expect change. Not this time. Not ever.  It is time for us to make informed and conscientious decision. Let us exercise our right to vote, our sacred duty to let our voices be heard in this democracy. We deserve the leaders we elect, for better or for worse.