Mar Roxas: “Cynicism has already lifted from our hearts”

Today, Sen. Mar Roxas has officially accepted the challenge of being Noynoy Aquino’s running mate. A very interesting tandem, they are going to be the team to beat. While I still am undecided on who to vote, I have to admit that Sen. Roxas has won my heart for the sacrifices he made for the sake, well, at least the Liberal Party. Bu then, even in a smaller think such as that, you can see character.

Here’s the acceptance speech he delivered.

Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Magandang tanghali po. Happy Holidays to our Muslim brothers.

Salamat, Noynoy, sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob mo sa akin. Salamat sa karangalang maging kasama mo sa paglilingkod sa bayan. Thank you for this opportunity to work with you as we raise the banner of reform. Thank you for the privilege of joining you and all our kababayans in the fight for decency and integrity in public service, and for a government that puts the people’s interest first.

Taos-puso ko pong tinatanggap ang hamon na isulong ang tunay na reporma sa ating bansa.

Taos-puso ko pong tinatanggap ang responsibilidad na maging kabalikat ni Noynoy sa kanyang laban para sa pagbabago.

Taos-puso ko pong tinatanggap ang maging katambal ni Noynoy Aquino.

But this fight is not just about Noynoy and me. It’s bigger than the two of us, it is bigger than the Liberal Party. It is about our collective thirst for change.

It is about our thirst for change finally overcoming those who want to continue the tayu-tayo system, the horse-trading, the greed, the self-interest, the transactional politics that has been the biggest roadblock to progress and prosperity for all.

Tungkol ito sa matuwid laban sa baluktot. Tungkol ito sa tapat laban sa tiwali. Tungkol ito sa tama laban sa mali.

Noy, you have raised the banner. Ito ang bandila ng reporma at pag-asa. Ito ang maglalagay ng pagkain sa mesa, dahil hindi na nanakawin ang pondo ng mga magsasaka. Ito ang magbibigay ng trabaho sa taumbayan, dahil hindi na kokotangan ang mga namumuhunan. Ito ang magpapaabot-kaya sa presyo ng gamot, dahil hindi na makikipagsabwatan sa mga abusadong pharmaceutical companies.

My friends, this is going to be a tough battle. We should not be lulled into complacency. We are up against forces who will fight tooth and nail, fair and unfair, legal and illegal, against us. Sa kanila yata, tuloy ang ligaya; sa atin naman, tuloy ang laban.

Kailangan nating isulong ang bandila ni Noy at ng reporma. Mahirap ang laban na ito, pero nasa kamay natin ang ating kapalaran.

Kung bawat araw, ang bawat isa sa atin ay makahimok ng isa pang kasangga natin, tiyak ang ating tagumpay.

Our opponents will exhaust all avenues in order to win. They have been robbing us for so long, and they want to continue robbing us. Pero hindi tayo papayag na manakaw din nila ang ating pag-asa.

Taglay ni Noynoy ang susi ng pagbabago: matapat na puso, malasakit sa kapwa, at pinakamahalaga, pagmamahal sa bayan. Buong-loob kong isinusulong si Noynoy Aquino. I am honored to join him in this field of battle.

To all of us here in this hall and all across this great nation, who are fighting alongside him, make no mistake about it: We will not back down from this fight, not now, not ever.

The fog of cynicism has already lifted from our hearts. Ngayon, puwede na muling mangarap.

Sama-sama tayo. Hindi namin kayo pababayaan. Lalaban tayo!

Corruption on the streets

We have an old joke back in our dormitory. One day, a kotong cop apprehended a clueless, moneyless motorist, and asking for “lagay”.

“Sir, wala po talaga eh,” he said. “Sige 200 nalang.”

“Wala po talaga, eh.”

“100.”

“Boss, pasensya na po, wala talaga.”

“50?”

“Sorry po talaga.”

“SIGE NA NGA, PAPITIK NALANG SA TENGA!”

* * *

Election time is nearing. And each prospective president declares battle against corruption. Well and good. But before we prevent the ZTE Broadband kind of corruption, why don’t we take a look the very basic problem of corruption in our society — kotong cops/MMDA/MAPSA/whatever-their-municality-calls-them. This problem is a reflection of who we are as a people. A people that is willing to feed the corrupt, intimidated by the corrupt, and is willing to be corrupted for a whooping P100 bill. That’s sick.

One of my most famous blog post is “Swerving is NOT a violation, and other petty MMDA abuses”. It’s so popular that after I shared my experience with MMDA operatives, a bunch of other people shared theirs. And they found this entry through the search engines. People are looking for ways to vent their ugly emotions against this simple yet profound act of corruption in the government and its people.

Take for instance this poster’s experience:

I just changed lane, and i’m very sure of that. An officer apprehended me… swerving daw. After minutes of discussion, we ended up “kotong”. The worst is… ang sabi sa akin ng officer, ma’am wag po dito… escortan kita hanggang dun sa chino roces, marami kasing nakatingin dito, dun mo iabot, ibalot mo sa tissue”. Wow, grabe… kapalmuks.

That was in south superhighway buendia. Nagkalat ang mga talamak na officers dun.

Whenever I see MMDAs on the street, I would jokingly tell my wife, “I want to run these people off”. I know that’s wrong. WWJD, eh! But hey, mine is angst towards the very simple corruption in our society. And because I am frequent in the streets, I can feel the pain every single day.

You can help fight corruption in the streets.

1. Know your rights. Don’t let MMDA/Cops/MAPSA intimidate you

2. Don’t bribe. Even if it’s really tempting. (I’m preaching to myself).

3. I know this may be wrong, but I have decided not to give my license to them especially if I know I am right. I noticed that your driver’s license has become their “bargaining tool”. If they have your license, the next question would be “Pano natin aayusin to, Sir.” Defend your right with dignity and grace. Don’t give in.

And finally, rejoice! Bayani Fernando’s day is nearing to an end. (On the side note, I wonder why Bayani Fernando keeps pushing himself to run for president. Eh, yung mga bata nya hindi nya masuheto. Pano pa yung mga Chinese ZTE officials pag naging presidente sya?)

Legacy: what will be yours is up to you

By now, we already know that the Filipinos are mourning with the death of our former President Cory Aquino. Let me add my thoughts on top of the thousand bloggers that already expressed theirs.

Let’s talk about legacy, shall we.

Legacy, in my opinion, is so powerful it can affect the lives of others even after we die. And legacy is something that we normally don’t plan. For most people, legacy is not a one shot deal, it’s not created by a single event in their life. A lasting legacy is created by the kind of life you live. It is the series of decisions we made, right or wrong, that form part of our legacy.

Good or bad, our legacy affects our love ones, our community, or even a whole generation. Think about Jose Rizal and Hitler and Billy Graham (still alive) and Michael Jackson. Each of them left (or will leave) a legacy that has affected us.

President Cory was not the best president that we had. She’s not extra ordinary. Not a brilliant economist or a strong military leader.

Rather, she is known for her love for peace, her passion for democracy.

We did not become a tiger economy during her term, but because of her determination and right choices, we were able to grow the economy from being at its worse after the dictatorship.

She was known to be the “least corrupt” president. No hidden bank accounts, no AMARI scandals, no jueteng scandals, no ZTE scandals. Money maybe important, but it wasn’t her god.

She was honest. She know where she stands. She knows her weaknesses and admits it.

She was humble and didn’t even know it. I hate to make this blog a political one, but I can’t help but compare her to our sitting president. Yesterday, I watched her last SONA on YouTube and there was some very significant differences with GMA’s “last”. Let me share some:

Cory: “I accept the criticisms poured on me painful as they are as part and parcel of the hazards of public service.”
GMA (current president):  “To my critics… don’t pussy foot”

Cory: “Next year, I will step down… Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat, at paalam”
GMA: “After I step down from this platform, I’M STILL THE PRESIDENT” (As if we don’t know that!)

Legacy. What will be Cory’s? What will be Gloria’s? What will be yours?

The kind of legacy that we will leave when we die is the choice that we can make while we’re still alive.

Iglesia ni Cristo Day? What the…!

Before I piss off some really good friends of mine, let me first say that while I’m not an Iglesia ni Cristo, I respect them as a religious sect. I have several friends who are members of this organization. The point of this blog is not about them, it’s about how this government is treating our intelligence.

Update: It gets even worse: It was actually a law signed by congress. Magalit na ang magagalit sa akin, but don’t we have better laws to pass these days?

I’m saying NO TO CONASS!

You can also say no!