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I owe my more relaxed and less passionate position with regards to the recent election developments to the avoidance of any form of media. Now I have succumbed, and again, I am weary. I have said my piece and apprehensions about another Arroyo administration so I won’t say much anymore. Journalists have been referring to a time reminiscent of the Marcos era. The suppression of the freedom of speech, fueled by Comelec’s ruling to halt ABC 5’s polls. One thing the administration overlooked is the fact that media are wolves. They attack in packs. Kill one and be sure to kill everyone or everyone will be after your throat. One opinion I have in common with them is, this presidency does not look good.
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Opposition candidates have been throwing allegations left and right while the government takes on the defensive and resorts to threats and suppression. Both civic and renegade groups have thrown in a word or two, hinting at an uprise should push come to shove. Tension has been building now that the canvassing is drawing to a close. I feel an insurmountable anger start to build-up inside me. I want to go up that stage in Edsa and speak so loud that the entire nation will hear. I am going to gather all of my courage and with a loud and clear voice, shout so all these people will hear; ”RELAX! SEE A MOVIE!” Sus, grabe na. People have been threatening to take to the streets, but Edsa is already too much of an overkill, really.
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Edsa is not so bad, given the right reasons. But the problem with our society lies in the presence of opportunists. Many are only looking after their own welfares and not of the country's. Selfishness can be easily disguised under the robe of selflessness. Indeed, we have to crawl before we learn to walk. But hasn’t the country crawled long enough? And until there are hungry mouths who are willing to sell their dignities for food, and aristocrats, intellectuals and opportunists who have the guts to take advantage of them, our dear maiden, Pilipinas’ knees are doomed to bleed for a very long time.
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And many still, are too lazy to have an opinion of their own. Their voice is the voice of the other more popular voices. We are created as individuals, blessed with our own unique personalities. Blessed with the right to have our own judgement. We all have eyes. We all have ears. We all have hearts. We cannot be blind or deaf; we cannot deny our identities. We are Filipinos and we have a right to stand up and be brave. Not having a popular opinion does not matter, what does matter is that we had an opinion at all.
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I thought this wasn’t going to be political. Oh well, I had better lay-off the ‘opinions’ column for a while before I start shouting EDSA!
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Here is a cute conversation between my three-year old nephew, Joshua and I:
Joshua: Tita, what are stars?
Angel: Stars are those pointed things you are coloring right now.
Joshua: Oo. But what are stars?
Angel: Hmmm. You know when it’s night?
Joshua: Yes?
Angel: You see the moon?
Joshua: Yes?
Angel: The stars are the little, shiny things that go out with it. So it won’t be too dark when night comes. (smiles knowingly)
Joshua: Tsk. Oo tita, I know. But what are stars?
Angel: Hmmm. (thinks: Damn kid!)
Joshua: Tita?
Angel: You see the sun? that’s a star. (smiles hopefully)
Joshua: Eh, tita why nga? What are stars?
Angel: hey, would you like to play pirates?
Joshua: Later. But what are stars?
Angel: (mumbles) Ask your mom.
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Funny how I can have all these opinions about politics and business trends but I cannot answer a three-year old's question. Deym.
