A Year Ago Today

A  year ago today, I was an evacuee.
Excerpts from my post:(click for full post)

"By 1145AM, as soon as we reached Bulua of Cagayan de Oro City, I considered myself and the rest of our GX Team (71) as evacuees. And although I do not know exactly yet how I'm feeling, I do know it doesn't feel very nice and very peaceful."

"Everything is still so surreal and everything seemed so fast. "

"I've been in a similar situation when the pier was bombed 10 minutes after JVP Batch23's arrival in Davao City. But that was my home and there was nowhere to "evacuate." It's a different case this time around, as we are all not from Iligan. And it wasn't just an isolated bombing of one place - there were series of bombings and exchange of gunfire between the rebels and the military in the nearby town."

"If there's a prevailing sadness, and worry, in me, it's for the people in my area/exact community in Robocon, Linamon, Lanao del Norte. They are, once again, caught in the middle of the crossfire. And we thought in our interviews and visits to them, that after the 2000 major armed conflict - they are finally healed and ready to start thinking about sustainable livelihood plans."

"I am an Evacuee; a helpless individual amidst a major peace crisis."

Last week, while I was with about a hundred PNP head officials, with no opportunity to watch the news as we were working until midnight, more than 20 soldiers were killed in the crossfire in Basilan. And although I am not privy on the story behind the all out "war" there, I remain very skeptic if the said combat was necessary. I remain in my stand that Violence can never lead to Peace.

The sad thing is, I think we all are, in one way or another, still "Evacuees amidst the Crisis we are facing." For this is not the country we deserve to live in; this is not the state of life the young generation deserve to grow up in; most of our current government officials are not the leaders we deserve; the disease of graft and corruption reeks in our nation - like diseases that easily spread in evacuation centers etc. etc.

But like an evacuee, we cannot forever be dependent on dole-out relief and donations if we want genuine restoration. We have to go back to our home, Learn How to Rebuild Our Lives and Really Work Hard On it. We work with what we have plus work hard to get what we need in our restoration efforts. We cannot sit on our backs and expect our homes to be rebuilt for us. It just doesn't work that way, We All Know That. 

Prudence President, Prudence

When in doubt, practice prudence. It's very simple really, you do not need to have a PhD to know this. And if you are in management, I believe this is one of the basic things you must know.

Seriously, and I say this in a calm manner because I do not even have the energy to scream in disgust, first $15,000 (Bobby Vans) in Washington then $20,000 (Le Cirque) when you get to NY? What are you trying to say? And please, please, please tell your office of the Press Secretary, it doesn't matter if you didn't pay for it, it doesn't make it any less evil. Please tell them to stop using that as an excuse. It actually says something about how you simply allow yourself to be dragged by people for free stuff, when isn't it part of our Code of Conduct in Public Service to turn down gifts? Most especially you President, and most especially when you can sense that the gift is lavish.

And again, office of the Press Secretary - you say that when one offers you free supper you don't ask questions anymore, you just go. Really, not even the President whose security you must always think of? What if there's poison in the food that will be served or there is a death threat coming from that area, you don't check? You just go because it's free anyway? (napaka PATAY GUTOM naman ng dating ng Presidente!) And you don't ask anything? You are the President but you are shy to ask because you are not paying?  Shouldn't our president have enough courage to ask simple questions like, "Where are we eating? Would it be too expensive there because I do not want to burden you nor would I want my people to think I'm being too lavish?"  The most powerful person in my country cannot ask simple questions like that yet she feels she can govern us all? And is even thinking of extending her term to govern us all?

You also just told the whole nation that in first world countries most restaurants look alike and look so simple that you wouldn't think that eating in a simple restaurant would cost so much as $15,000. Most of us may not be well traveled, but we are not that stupid. In this internet age and the many foreign movies shown here in the coutry, we know that not all restaurants abroad look alike and EVERYONE knows that a proper STEAK is expensive. Even McDonald's is expensive for the common Filipino who only earns a meager Php142/day (minimum wage in small cities and municipalities).

Lastly Office of the Press Secretary, you had the audacity to ask us during your presscon if we will just allow the President to eat at hotdog stands? Ofcourse we would! And it's part of their culture, it would be nice to allow our president to experience that. And as long as it's clean and the hotdog doesn't cost the same as building 2 classrooms and feeding about 750,000 children. Please resign already and go somewhere where there are no people because your level of intelligence is a further insult to us. Or better yet, since I'm sure you are corrupt yourself, why don't you buy somebody to actually listen to you because you do not deserve any form of conversation with us. If I wasn't so aware of the many things this administration is doing {which I (we) do not agree with} I'd say I'm surprised you haven't been sacked yet.

I no longer doubt that you are evil President, but I guess the educated person that I am felt you still had some ounce of conscience and 'delikadesa.' Now, I think you really don't have any anymore - because you were able to easily digest such an expensive meal without any thought for the hungry back in your country. I probably would have let it slip if you were just an ordinary rich 'kababayan' who simply wanted to treat herself to a 'good' meal (your hard earned money, your call), but you are the HIGHEST LEADER in our nation so I ask  -  Must you really devour that expensive meal while the poverty incidence in your country is so high? And did you by any chance think of those who died and lost their livelihood in the recent typhoons that hit the country  when you drowned yourself in that expensive wine? Perhaps you did, in a celebratory manner, on how NONE of us would be able to taste that steak and that wine because you just doubled your assets by stealing our money.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed your meals, enjoyed it so much that you are still CONSTIPATED up to now and that the Chef was in a bad mood that night and decided to pee on your soup. I sincerely hope so.

--Postscript--
I am beginning to think that the people working closely (Office of the Press Secretary is one)  for the President are either Extremely Stupid (because I already know that they are stupid) or are secretly plotting to Destroy her (not that she is not yet destroyed in the eyes of the many) with these mistakes. But there you go Ms. President, atleast with some of your staff, YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE - Basura! 

Teddy Boy Locsin's Eulogy for President Cory Aquino

I caught the replay of the late President Cory Aquino's necrological service last night. I had to shed a tear when Mayor Lim gave his last salute by her coffin. I finally broke down during her bodyguard's (Mel Mamarin) eulogy and when he gave his last and quite long salute to Cory Aquino. I also couldn't fight back the tears during Peping Cojuangco and Ninoy's Sister Maur's eulogies. But the last one, TEDDY BOY LOCSIN left me in awe, in great sadness and again in tears.

Since President Aquino's death last Saturday, people have been quoting her speeches when she was President. I quickly researched who her speech writer was and realised it was Teddy Boy Locsin. Admittedly I find him "pogi" and when he used to be more active in the media before, find his writings really good. Although much credit ought to be given to Tita Cory for delivering her speeches really well, with such generosity and passion, I believe we ought to give a hand to Teddy who wrote those words and allowed for Tita Cory to deliver them and inspire us Filipino people.

I found the transcript of his eulogy in Jessica Zafra's blog and would want to share this to people as well. There's a tinge of jealousy I believe for I hope that when I die someone can write and share a beautifully written eulogy such as this.

Rest in Peace Tita Cory. May you bring us ever closer to Mama Mary - to God.

---

Teddy Boy Locsin's Eulogy

Throughout thirteen years of martial law, until I laid eyes on her again, I never thought that I would ever see the end of it. Least of all that my father would survive it. I am not much given to prayer or pious reflection but when I could set aside my anger, I prayed my father would see democracy again.

Late one afternoon, in San Francisco, I got a call. It was from Cory Aquino, for whom I had written one speech after her husband’s assassination. She said she had accepted Marcos’s challenge in a Snap Presidential Election. I put down the phone, and packed my bags, and reported to her at the Cojuangco Building.

I knew then she was the answer to my prayers. What I did not notice was that the closer we came to victory, which is to say the farther the prospect receded that the Marcos regime would survive, the less I felt the anger inside me. As each day passed, bringing me closer to the day I could get even, the less I felt the need for it as I spent more time with the woman who alone could make it possible.

I did not notice, but I was no longer looking back in anger, or looking forward even, to victory and vindication. Only now do I see. I had lived with my anger so long, only for the day to come when it no longer mattered to me. The only thing that counted was that I was living every day to the fullest, bringing out the best in me—for someone else. A dream I hadn’t had since I was a boy, feeding on stories of chivalry, had been achieved. I was serving a woman who was every inch a sovereign, all the more for scorning the slightest pretension to the role.

I did not realize it, even when I was already in the Palace, by the side of the President—among all her advisers, I like to think, the one who loved her most.

It never again occurred to me that I had scores to settle. And not until today, that I had passed up every chance to get even.

From the moment I came in from the airport and reported for duty, and she gave me in return the same smile she gave me on her deathbed, I never noticed… Not when I was with her in the campaign when she corrected me for not looking at the people I was waving at… Nor when I was with her in the presidential limousine looking intently, for her benefit, at the crowds at whom I waved… I never noticed anything. Except that I was with the only person that I would ever want to be with.

I certainly never noticed that I had left my anger behind. I don’t know how it happened. Except that Cory Aquino ennobled everyone who came near her. I have tried to say it publicly but never could finish. If you saw me as I felt myself to be, anyone would fall in love with me. I saw myself in that hospital room, a knight at the bedside of his dying sovereign, on the eve of a new Crusade, oblivious to the weight of the armor on his shoulders for the weight of the grief in his heart.

And because she always doubted my ability to be good for very long… Indeed, when my wife told Ballsy that I prayed the rosary at Lourdes for her mother’s recovery, Cory said, “Teddy Boy prayed the rosary? A miracle! I feel better already.” Because she doubted my capacity for self-reformation, she made it effortless for me by being herself. I did not notice that I was doing right by serving a woman who never did wrong. I am not sure how to take this moral self-discovery. It is so unlike myself. But if it will bring me before her again, I am happy.

Of This Year's Deaths (so far)

It seems the weather is in mourning too.

The sun came out a bit this morning but the skies are once again gray. The rain is pouring and the wind is blowing, although not so strong. The sun is peeking a bit, perhaps telling people it's okay. She lived a full and good life.

Heaven must be rejoicing though, as it seemed to be filled with many good and interesting people lately. I wonder if FrancisM , Susan Fernandez and MJ are leading a welcome party for Tita Cory? And if they are finally making her , Tara (traffic accident victim last year who died recently after almost a year in comma) and Mrs. Buntag (A friend's mother who died recently of cancer) feel comfortable and painless. Joel (ate maita's brother) must also be happy having these people around. I feel a bit jealous of the wonderful conversations he'll be having with them,especially with Francis M and Cory Aquino. And finally, I wonder if Fr. Joey is still celebrating masses there or if he is just rapping and dancing with the crowd.