May 13, 2019 Philippine elections was a turning point in the politics of Filipinos.

The midterm exercise of voting for national and local leaders was (and I would like to believe, still is), an exercise of the democratic rights of the Filipino people. My political analysis was spot on. In spite of its Herculean efforts, the opposition would not win a national position. Any sitting administration would be rendered a lame duck when they lose a midterm election.

Social media isn’t where the election battles are. It is where the scars of friendship and miscommunication remain. You cannot educate the masses on issues of laws and rights by chastising them. Politics is like a game of chess. You need to think a hundred steps ahead of your opponent. In silence, you defeat your opponent. A great chess player always takes into consideration your next move. He wins by taking the king. Not by taking the other inconsequential pieces on the board.

I will not talk about how this election fared and how it came to a devastating loss for the opposition because in reality, it did not fail us as a people.

That silver lining is seen in more productive, progressive and educated local governments where the once stronghold of the mighty dynasties have fallen. For the first time in decades, the people used their votes wisely to bring down politicians and their relatives who have made a business out of the political arena. When people have the determination to change anything, they will make a concerted effort at achieving that goal on their own.

You see, in this world, the majority will always have a say. The minority will remain a voice to be heard. The process of convincing people to take “sides” will always be a difficult one because we see a devil while they see a savior.

But one thing I am sure and a millennial had proven that in this world, everything is possible.

Everything ends. Every empire, dynasty, regime. Every period has ended.

– Mayor Vico Sotto

In a democracy, we have the opportunity to change history. After all, no one remains king forever. Every story has an ending. It may not be what we want, but yeah, everything ends.

The most important day in the year in the Catholic or Christian Faith is Easter Sunday. The 40 days of penitence, fasting, and abstinence all lead up to the glorious occasion where our Lord Jesus Christ who after suffering and dying for our sins once again rises up from the dead to live forever, fulfilling the prophecy that one day He will rise to be with the Father.

Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal and a new life.

We need to remember that is spite of the Good Fridays in our lives, there will always be Easter Sundays.

Easter teaches us one thing: Life never ends. And Love never dies.

Easter is an affirmation of an underlying love that never ends. No matter how many sins committed, or mistakes made, or how many times we suffer from illness, injustice and persecution – Easter reminds us of hope in the midst of despair.

For every Good Friday of our lives, let us be resilient and hopeful because our Easter Sunday’s will come in due time.

I have one sibling.

Younger than me, she is the epitome of resilience. Widowed at 30, she literally raised two children amidst the challenges of being a single parent.

We grew up like best friends. Shared each other’s secrets, heartaches, successes and failure. One thing for sure that bonds us together is Inang. In the life of my mom, my sister and I form the yin and the yang. During my mom’s last hospital confinement, I probably wouldn’t have lasted the stresses without the help of the other half – my sister. Truth be told, while my mother looks to me in times of need, there are many times that I am jealous that she loves my sister more. I frustrate easier and am less patient on the stressful things life throws our way.

Yes. Sibling rivalry will always be there whether we are 1 or 100 years old.

We’re a small family. We travel together. Celebrate life and love together. Cry together. When one is at his or her lowest point, the other one manages to lift the other up. When we’re all at our emotional high, we’re all celebrating like there’s no tomorrow.

And family is all I can ask for. The other half – my sister – will always be special to me in more ways than one.

And this bonding time with family because of Inang’s illness has made me realize that 60 years later, we’ve always had each other…through thick and thin, through weddings and funerals…through laughter and tears and we will only have each other at our twilight years.

Thank you sis for being self less and being my one of my relative joys in life.

And happy birthday! I’m hoping you like your gift!

We’re back in Tokyo.

One and a half years ago when we were here, my mom had one request. If we did come back, could we see the cherry blossom in full bloom? I replied, of course!

After 12 years of spending our New Year vacations out of the country, we decided to change our travels last New Year.

In Japan, cherry blossoms are called Sakura. A special flower symbolic of spring – time of renewal and the fleeting renewal of life!

Cherry blossoms have been regarded as a symbol of spring since the Heian era (794-1185), and this has been woven into the cultural consciousness of Japan.  Cherry blossoms, otherwise known as Sakura, are a symbol of a new start and are special flowers for the Japanese.

Turning 82 this year, the diagnosis of colon cancer didn’t come as easy acceptance.  Understandably, who would want to be diagnosed to have a neoplastic disease at the winter of their lives? After all, they’ve lived full lives. My mom is a simple woman.  But a vain one. She values quality of life over quantity.  In spite of her physical and emotional illnesses, here is a woman who will always make sure that her eyebrows are equally lined, her clothes equally match her bags and shoes, her meals served hot and her family happy together.

Over breakfast a week ago, she was looking across the nook and I broke the silence.  I asked her what was on her mind.  She replied.  “How long do I have to live?” I was stunned.  That question had taken me aback. After a few minutes, I replied.  “I don’t know. No one knows when time is up. Only God makes that call.  In His time, mom.  In His time.”

She shed tears and replied. “I am tired. And I’m very sad lately.”

I told her “I understand.  But our life goal isn’t to be happy. It’s to make sure we live a fulfilling one.” I held her hands and added, “you’re a great mother.  I couldn’t ask for more.  You’re a difficult person to live with…but you’re one terrific friend.  When the time comes that we need to say goodbye, I promise to let you go. In the meantime, we have some unfulfilled dreams.  So let’s just try to make great memories while we still can.”

After her surgery last February 4, 2019, I never realised that I would be talking about end of life with my mother.  What I didn’t realise most was that I would be given the chance to walk with her through this new challenge in her life.  And I am grateful.

Hope springs eternal.  And Sakura, the symbol of spring, brings hope to new lives.  I will always remember that after the dead of winter, life like a cycle will always have spring.

So here we are. Back in Tokyo during the Sakura festival.

Hopeful. Grateful.

Loving new beginnings…

Everyone cheats. Or has cheated. Or will cheat. In our lifetime. So, yes, honesty is not part of the core DNA as human beings. In fact, that’s our frailty.

Whether one is being dishonest about love or money, politics or entertainment – life can be one shit bag when it comes to living up to the principles of integrity.

And I get that.  As good people are, and should be, we need to try hard to live a life of honesty, integrity and responsibility. That should be our mission in life.  Otherwise, we end up as turds who try to rationalise every time we lie, steal or kill.  We end up being no better than the devil who offers the world in exchange for our souls.

As a rule of thumb, when a monster is our idol, many may not see the monster because we rationalize our idolatry. We blindly follow and believe false and empty promises. Until the monster invades our values and our lives.

Value formation is essential in every family.  It is the core essence of raising people upright and virtuous. Right-thinking. Principled. Law-abiding. Irreproachable. Lawful. Ethical.

To be a good human being. That should be our goal. No matter how much unkindness there is in this world.

Honesty is a cornerstone of ethics.

While we cannot demand this virtue from each and everyone of us we can try harder to be better people, even if some of us grow up in environments that make us believe that the trait of honesty is a lot of hogwash.

My friends and I may be on separate sides of the political spectrum but honesty, integrity and love of country should always be what we honor. Politics, after all, is a temporary void in the journey of a country.  Only if we learn to be more patriotic can we move on as a proud race. A great nation.

A little bit of scruples goes a long way in healing a divided people.

“ It is not the criminals who arouse the hatred of others, but the men who are honest ….”

– Jose Rizal, Noli Me Tangere

The campaign for the upcoming May election started weeks ago.

The opposition is promoting its platforms through debates. The administration candidates are doing it through entertainment.

From the perspective of an idealist (or they prefer to be called intellectuals), a debate should probably be the way to woo votes. But the strategist will always have the pulse of the people at bay. And the ratings will always tell you that name recall is always best achieved through cavalcades and dole outs.

It is a no-brainer why the people running in the upcoming elections only show the side which they are abreast of. Any form of engagement in a meaningful debate will always be ignored as frequently as possible. After all, in a captured audience, the skills of singing and dancing, laughing and cajoling, will always be recalled by the electorate during Election Day. Regardless of the capability of the politician(s) to govern or not.

Some voters have already made up their mind who to vote for. The sorties will just need to target the undecided. And that’s where the political strategy lies – in making the undecided choose them. Either through an intelligent discourse of issues that matter or a sortie of entertainment numbers so that the unaddressed promises are swept under the rug.

The bottom line here is getting the votes where it matters. Even if it means lying through their teeth.

80% of voters belong to class C, D and E. The marginalized need to realize that they are the stronger majority and that their concerted effort at changing the system lies with them. Many of those who belong to class A and B have affiliations of some sort to the those running for public office. After all, they will have most to gain by supporting a candidate. The well-to-do have the means, connections and machinery to make or break a politician.

And so the president has amped his tirades against the opposition for the mid year election. And for a reason. It is without doubt that many administration candidates demonstrate a dire shortage of intelligence and/or have nothing forthright to bring to any form of verbal tussle. Their pure lack of perspicacity have relegated them to simply showing their best foot forward with entertainment numbers and the president leading the circus.

I recall three years ago, on cue, during the presidential debates, Duterte had made magnanimous promises on changing the landscape of this country. Those promises were a tall order, but he stepped up to every debate table thrashing out promises after promises – either in amusement or in sincerity. And change did come.

The mid term election is an opportune time to reflect on the gains and losses of this nation and its people. The kind of leaders who we want to lead us through trying times. The promises made, delivered and the empty promises each campaign period.

The next three years matter.

And it’s not just about singing and dancing. Because aside from death, the only other permanent thing in this world, is change.

If you want to change the way our congress and senate is working, you have to change who you send there.

Let us do what is right. It is time to send the entertainers a clearer message that the circus is over. And that the country is back in business. We need to gain back our dignity. Our power. Even one vote at a time.

I’m trying to choose “better” words to call out the nincompoops who need to go through a thesaurus in order to understand that I am writing about them.

I had an exchange with an informal idiot, otherwise called a troll, on one of the news posts on social media. Obviously, the guy had no idea of what he was posting. And it’s not just him. Like ignominious morons, they come in waves. Posting comments not well thought of, and usually without any fact(s) to back them. Memes without a basis is for the obtuse.

The post was regarding the 33rd Anniversary of EDSA. People Power had brought down the Marcos regime. It was time that the people behind Marcos and his family had stepped aside. History will always be on our side. They stole. They plundered. They were ruthless people who stayed in power for personal agenda. The Filipino people should be proud for achieving a bloodless revolution.

The news was a simple take on remembering the meaning of People Power. Why it happened. How it happened. Most of the key players have crossed over to the other world. Some of us who were there, who lived through the years of Martial Law, who were part of history, will always remember why and how People Power changed our lives.

That halfwit troll who I had an “exchange in conversation” was clueless on every aspect of the EDSA revolution. I did not expect much from the idiot. “It” probably was programmed to respond to those who opposed the Marcoses, who are trying to desperately make a come back into politics, more than three decades after their exile.

That halfwit troll claimed that the “yellows” destroyed the gains of former President Marcos and that the sad plight of the Philippines is because of the “Liberal Party”. The brainless argument of vacuous people like these can only be explained by the fact that they are stupid. Period.

I’ll make it simple for all the cretins out there.

Without the EDSA revolution, there will be no President Rodrigo Duterte. It was the unfulfilled promise of People Power that gave way to the rise of Duterte.

One cannot blame it all on the Aquinos or the “yellowtards”. I have never liked PNoy. But that’s a different story altogether. What is important for the imbeciles to understand is that there were several presidents that came after Cory. I will enumerate them: Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, then PNoy. What the fuck did the rest of them do? So, yes. It’s not about the Aquinos or the Liberal Party. It’s about governance and accountability. So don’t distort the true facts with petty reasonings and give color to politics.

This is my second political post drumming up to the May 13, 2019 mid-term election. And I am writing this to all the empty-headed twerps who don’t have an ounce of patriotism left for the Philippines.

Thomas Sowell is right when he calls out at imbeciles who enjoy a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance. Accountability and moral fortitude is not part of their vocabulary.

I am using the words of Sen. Chiz Escudero when he describes the National Youth Commission chair Ronald Cardema’s view ascribing to the call of the latter to President Duterte to “remove scholarships of ‘anti-government’ students”. The rant of Cardema was all over the news. His battle cry regarding “the duty of every Filipino youth to become our hope, in strengthening our nation, and to fight those who are trying to crush our republic” was, and I will agree with Chiz here, obsequious. Period.

For the unfamiliar ignoramus’s obsequious means being obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. Let me make it simpler – to be a lap dog. Ass licker. Subservient. Submissive. Slavish.

We have a lot of that nowadays. Like an epidemic of zombies from a bad movie, they propagate idiocy to a core. These appointees lacking a moral compass think that government funds from taxpayers are theirs to dictate and control!

When the campaign period started, all the dogs were released from the kennels. Seriously, I’m trying to weigh in on who to endorse (and vote) this upcoming May 13, 2019 elections. So yes, this is one of a few of my political posts.

The local elections will always be a battle with the uneducated and the poor. That’s the reason why every city “maintains” a large poor population. They are useful every three years. Like a bad cancer that needs to go through chemotherapy every so often, the local elections is an exercise in prolonging the lifespan – of the sitting politician (and his/her family). These informal settlers are the lifeline of local politicians. They propagate like malignant neoplasms and engulf on even the rights of legitimate city dwellers. They deliver the votes to a never ending dynasty. It takes more than moral fortitude to change a local leader.

The national election on the other hand is a different story. Just like electing the president and vice-president, local voters will have more difficulty in swaying the outcome. And this is where it gets tricky.

Many are elected not out of merit but out of popularity. The polls (if we were to believe in them) offer a paltry reflection of the pulse of the “nation” for the senatorial posts.

It isn’t surprising that you get plunderers, liars, and actors at the top of the heap in the surveys. Blame it on Ricardo Dalisay and that pathetic series “Ang Probinsyano” to even push candidates to the realm of political comebacks. I have nothing against anyone who wants to run for public office. It is, after all, a free country.

But the criteria why someone is voted into office because he is “handsome” even though he has plundered millions in taxpayer’s money behooves me! It is fine if we get one or two of these idiots every 100,000 voters. Unfortunately, like minions, they multiply disproportionately. Thanks to the teleseryes and other brain draining shows that transform the multisynaptic neuronal discharges of Filipinos to monosynaptic ones.

Others turn a blind eye to acts of atrocities committed by previous regimes. The writing is all over the wall. Yet even educated nincompoops don’t see through it. Why? Because they all fulfill the criteria for being sycophantic. Like leeches feeding on each other, these political animals will suck on anything that promotes their lifestyles. Yes, Mr. Juan de la Cruz, at the end of the day, it is about money and their political survival. It is never about the Filipino people.

I am writing this as a prelude to the upcoming election. Only we can change our destiny as a nation. And if we still have enough pride left as Filipinos, we will not let these unctuous selfish bastards get their way. We need to collectively work harder at educating our fellow Filipinos. To make everyone understand why it is more important to watch the senatorial debates rather than “World of Dance Philippines” because the nation’s future stands to benefit more from an insightful and perspicacious electorate rather than an armchair judge of entertainment.

Only we can write history. And write it well we should because many generations depend on it.

My mother was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.

It was not a diagnosis we were all prepared for. Even as doctors, most of us shrug off dealing with the Big C, until it hits close to home. In this case, the woman who gives my relative joys in life.

We spent 10 days in the hospital. Surgery was imperative. At her age though, recovery – both psychologically and physically – would be challenging.

From a first person perspective, I cannot tell you how gruellingly stressful those 10 days were. The tension and lack of sleep were expected. The anxiety was the icing on the cake. Many things race through your mind. Many questions fill your quest for answers. The most important one is WHY…

I chose to write this on Valentine’s Day, in order to remember how much love she has unconditionally shared in her lifetime. I will always be grateful to the woman who has taught me resilience and strength, honesty and kindness, love and gratitude, forgiveness and faith.

The Big C is a family affair.

It is a life changing moment.

A realisation of our mortality.

When you are diagnosed, it’s like having a stopwatch automatically turned on. Time is ticking. Often times, I tell myself how quickly the day has passed. Another morning. Another evening. Another week. Another month. Another year. Most (if not all) of us fail to appreciate life in full until the countdown.

I thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and well-wishes. It is different when someone dearest to you is afflicted with the emperor of all maladies. It becomes a waiting game.

Medical science has no concrete answer to cancer. Chances, odds, risks and benefits suddenly flood your mind. To heal often. To comfort always. Where does one find an answer to anxiety in the midst of depression? Even with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy and how medical science has remarkably changed the landscape of survival, like a thief in the night, cancers will always fight their way back. It is, after all, their survival as well.

No one gives up without a fight. Yet it is difficult to accept our mortality but it is there. Laid upon us on a silver platter.

There is no easy acceptance of fate and how the story turns out or ends. But we will make moments where our relative joys in life will be most cherished. And each day now matters more than ever. Because the light at the end of the tunnel can now be seen…

I’ve always said, we’re all going to die one day. The only difference is when and how…