Governed by another Aquino

                In 2010, Benigno Aquino Jr. was declared as winner in the Presidential Elections. The then wordy and “of less use” senator has now ascended as my country’s president.

                After 100 days of his reign as president, many Filipinos complained that they could not see his usefulness in Malacañang. However, his loyalists begged them to give the president some more time, for he is just beginning. Now, two years have passed. What happened to his beautiful campaign speech? If we are his boss, what are the accomplishments of our servant? Many people just can’t wait to see his finish products and promises.

The negotiation in the Quirino Grand Stand hostage taking was his failure and also, the negotiation of pardon of the now executed three Filipino drug mules in China. People have commented that he is too slow in his job as president. People have said that he’s done nothing to our government and that he’s a political weakling – only won because of the heroic images of his parents – but I still he, as one who governs us in the national scene, is a dangerous political player to watch out for.

He is wise – probably as wise as his old folks – he stirred the emotions of the youth for his political advantage during his campaign as president. Who knows what his next plans are? He may be cool for you, but if I were you, I wouldn’t entrust my vote OR MY COUNTRY to another Aquino. Of course, it didn’t all begin in Pnoy, so let us trace back everything beginning from the first Aquino political game player, his father Ninoy Aquino and his “foe” Ferdinand Marcos.

Benigno Aquino Sr. fought against the Marcos regime and died during the Marcos regime. He went against Marcos, went to prison but didn’t stop fighting, got sick and went abroad for medical reasons, and planned to go home again to continue his fight. He got shot right after he went out of the plane’s door and died on the spot. Before that incident, he was interviewed inside the plane. When I watched the video(Batas Militar) of everything that happened in the incident, one thing stuck into my mind during his interview inside the plane – he told the interviewers, “You must record everything…  this might be the last time you could ever talk to me.” Did he knew that he was about to get killed? Could it be that it was a planned scene to pave the way for his wife’s reign and to give more rot to the name of Marcos, for desperation?

Of all the regimes, it is the time of Ferdinand Marcos that I appreciate the most. You might wonder why but I have things to back that up. I was not able to live during his reign, but I know well of how he ran this country, as provided by old media paraphernalia. It was during his time when the Philippines had had its wisest president of all times up to date. Defended himself in court, passed the Martial Law, husband to a wife that was well used for political purposes and a father to outstanding politicians – these are only few to the great man that he is. If you lived in Manila, you would know how useful the LRTs and MRTs are as a commuter and you owe it to Marcos. The windmills that produce power supply to many houses in Ilocos Norte is a product of the great mind of Ferdinand Marcos’s offspring. The Martial Law may have brought fear to many citizens, but it has taught many of us discipline and has taught us to fight for our rights – it stirred us. His wife, Imelda Marcos was the one who founded most charities and causes than all of Philippines’ first ladies and first gentlemen.

                However, many people did not see how great of a leader Marcos was, because the media did not allow them to. The media even to this date has blinded us of the goodness of Marcos’s reign, by surfacing to us the goodness of late Senator Benigno Aquino Sr., late president Cory Aquino, and their son President Benigno Aquino Jr.  What the people do not know is that these Aquino’s hide something behind their backs too. It’s just that they were wise enough to buy the media to their side.

                During the Martial Law, only the networks owned by Ferdinand Marcos’s friends were able to operate since they would probably not say harsh things about the government. Those that were privately owned and are known to be anti-government were sequestered and closed including one of the industry “game makers,” (we all know that game makers are bigger than just game players) ABS-CBN, owned by the Lopez family.

                After the Martial Law, when Ferdinand Marcos stoop down, and Cory Aquino was declared as president, she gave back ABS-CBN to the Lopez’s without any single peso spent by the Lopez’s. Therefore, the Lopez family owes the Aquino’s a lot. Paying it forward, ABS-CBN is hesitant to news the scandalous Hacienda Luisita issue and other bad issues about the Aquino’s. ABS-CBN beautifies the name of the Aquino family using the media.

ABS-CBN, if you have to be observant to realize it, is bias for the Aquino family. They influenced people that Cory Aquino is a mother to every Filipino and that she would make a good president of the Philippines because she is the wife of a hero. However, more hated Philippine presidents helped our economy in figures than she did. All she did was stir the people to rally against Marcos in the few months before her presidency and the people thought that she is a good person and that rallying against the government was a good thing. She maybe helped causes, but that was it. She is most remembered for her motherliness, but that was the only thing she gave to the country – her love and consent. She never really gave us the more essential things that we needed. Of course, this country during her time had a mother, but at that time, Philippines did not have a father. And what has happened is we became dependent to the kindness of our government that after she went down from power, we expected the same goodness from the following leaders. And when they don’t give us, we rally.

One more thing about her regime is that people do not know, is that when Marcos was leaving for Hawaii after he stepped down the supposed “Yamashita Treasure” held by Marcos for a long time, was brought to Pier 15 Manila to be shipped by Marcos’s men to the place where Marcos is. However, it was blocked, and it was already Cory’s reign. Up to now, nobody knows where it is.

The Filipino people for years have been free under the presidents who reign before Marcos. They were shocked when the disciplinarian leader came to power. They did not know what good it would give them in the long run. They thirst for freedom again, and Cory Aquino was willing to give it. So, they chose a president who would give them their emotional desires over a wise leader who would raise their nation in economic figures and goods. And why shouldn’t they? The previous governing presidents have trained them to. While all the other presidents were busy pleasing the people, Marcos was busy creating disciplined and better individuals in every Filipino.

Now, let’s go back to Cory Aquino taking the giant media industry player, ABS-CBN by her side. She indeed made them owe her something. And indeed, her family benefits a lot from it, because power over the media, is power over the whole nation. Let us not forget how influential media is to those watching – that is – the whole country. The Aquino’s did not only benefit from ABS-CBN beautifying their name, but also from how the ABS-CBN has provided them the censorship that they needed from the public eye.

Can you imagine, ABS-CBN airing news about how President Noynoy Aquino has a cigarette break, and having the people not rage over it? Instead, the people thought it was something showbiz and for entertainment consumption. Philippines is in a limbo and the people have to wake up. Every time Pnoy gives speech about how he’s going to throw away corruption so that these people won’t feel hunger anymore, the poor Filipino people look at him in awe, thinking that he is their “messiah” that would save them from eternal poverty. Dude, COME ON! Don’t sell yourself for this speech. Sadly, it is only what these people hold on to as their hope. They’re not educated as few of us are, and they are taken advantage. But anyway, who could blame them, even the educated allow themselves to be fooled.

The Aquino’s have this incredible tactic of tugging the people’s emotional chord to win them.

In reality, President Noynoy Aquino is busier having the Filipino people look behind the past regimes and go back to all the corruptions and flaws that were made in the Philippine national governance. He’s busy running after the past political sinners sending them to jail than having the Filipinos move forward for success and improvement. He was too stressed out to think about improvement, because he spent almost all of his time firing appointees of ex-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo one by one.

The Filipino people watched closely as the impeachment trial of our once Chief Justice Renato Corona went through. President Noynoy had the people by his side in this move, making ex-Chief Justice Corona looking like the most sinful man in the Philippines. However, the whole process was bias to Corona. His human rights were stepped on by the president we believed was a fair one, the times when the investigations went through. As a common citizen, you would be very happy that Corona is ousted. However, you know that the next thing that would sit as Chief Justice is an appointee of Noynoy. That’s the same thing. The appointee of Arroyo goes down, the appointee of Pnoy goes up. Now, Pnoy can do what he wants. And I bet you don’t realize how shameful it is in the eyes of other nations, that our country was able to impeach a Chief Justice by only an account of a SALN and be judged by people holding lower offices than he is. Can you imagine one of most powerful leaders of your country being judged by an action star?

 Our president has not even functioned well to protect our people here and abroad. Earlier we’ve talked about the Quirino grand stand failure of Pnoy and the Filipinos executed by the Chinese government due to drug trafficking. And what about the Scarborough shoal? Is he going to give it up to the Chinese government?

And what would you expect from those holding lower offices when the ones holding bigger offices don’t do their jobs best? Officials holding lower offices start reconstructing still beautiful infrastructures for renovations even if it’s not needed. Why? Is it for the kickbacks that would supply them the funds they need in running for the 2013 elections?

The Philippine national governance indeed needs to go to the hospital – heal itself. Well, if at least it has something to pay for its rehabilitation amidst all the credits it has to its neighbors. Good thing, we’re still friends with US. They’re a great help. However, there’s nothing we’re sure of. They owe something from our enemy too – China. Admit it, we’re foes with China. They’re acclaiming the Scarborough shoal and disrespectfully navigate through Philippine waters without permission.  They feel their power over us, and we become inferior. They’re killing us one by one from all the cheap poisonous goods they sell here in the Philippines that we patronize.

You can see how much these foreign investors fool us. Other countries would invest in our country, putting up factories. What happens is they protect their land and natural resources, while ours is destroyed and Philippines become more polluted. And we, because it’s money, we welcome them with open arms, because we hardly think about the long run when the present situation is overwhelming. It shouldn’t be the case. Michelle Obama said in the Reader’s Digest February 2012 issue, “Everything we do must be for our children.” We should always make our resources sustainable. The Philippine government should make a focus on this. These are some issues we think are “too little to mind” but it’s where we get our food, our living.

                The Philippine government must impose a law implementing that the Philippines must only import goods that Philippine producers cannot provide according to the demands of the public. That way, our products would become more patronized by our own citizens. When a product is patronized, the ones producing would probably have more experience in manufacturing the product thus improving it as time passes. It would also raise the demand for Philippine products in our country, which would lead to demanding more jobs for us here in the Philippines.

                The Philippine government must raise its taxes to foreign investors, especially those that would put up factories. It is hazardous for our health and for our natural resources as well. We should implement more laws that would protect our environment.

                President Noynoy must stop running after the appointees of ex-president Arroyo and begin to establish stronger alliance with other countries.

                Also, there must always be an annual national auditing that is shown to the public, so we would see where our money go. It should also be itemized.

                President Aquino should also stop his cigarette break, those are just minutes he steals from our country. And believe it or not, smokers use his activity as their excuse for their smoking habits.

                The Filipinos must be encouraged to look forward and stop looking behind them. Our eyes must be on our goal, not to the things that we’ve failed to do.

One More Mistake, at cardiac na!

For sometime siguro puputulin ko muna connection ko with some people...


How can we be so insensitive at times when people need us to feel they need us? Sana man lang may makaisip, 'Ay, nasasaktan na pala siya.' However people still go on with their lives, afraid of handling things, allowing all the  disasters to happen. Hindi ka ba maaawa na all those pains will collide with one single person? Yun yung mahirap sa mga tao(/e) ngayon eh. Para okay lang na may nasasaktan sila OR ayaw nilang maniwala na may nasasaktan sila. Iniisip nila, 'Ah, siguro may pinagdadaanan lang siya. Magiging okay din naman yan eh. Hmm... Hindi ko na siya tatanungin kung ano'ng problema niya, hindi naman ako ang may kasalanan.' Gahss!

Ang sakit-sakit na nagdaramdam ka pero wala kang mapagsabihan. Grabe. Pero mas masakit yung nasasaktan ka na nga, hindi mo para maincorporate sa actions mo at sa words mo yung feelings mo dahil wala kang karapatan. Yung bawal kang mag-inarte. Wala ako karapatang mag-inarte, dahil wala akong kakampi. Oo, may mga kaibigan ako, pero they're not the kind of friends that take sides(which may be a good thing), pero disadvantage yun at times diba, at times like this.

Life has been so hard for me even since I was a child. Yung side ng family ko where I grew up, hindi kami napapansin ng mga kapatid ko kasi nga ang mga pinapansin ng mga lola ko eh yung mga apo nila sa mga anak at pamangking manager ng company, businesswoman, nagtatrabaho sa banko...yung mga anak ng 'mayayaman.' Kung sabagay, magpakabait sila sa mga anak ng mga yun dahil for sure, pag naghirap sila, may mauutangan sila. Naramdaman ko yung feeling na hindi ako kasama sa ankan. Mabuti nalang yung other side ng family ko, eh welcome na welcome kami ng mga kapatid ko. Nararamdaman ko na mahal nila kami. Tuwang-tuwa nga ako pag nagkikita kami ng mga relatives ko sa side na 'to.

I don't know where my life would take me. Puro heartaches eh. Inggit na inggit ako sa mga bata. Hanggang crush2x lang. Iba na kapag pinasok mo ang mundo ng matatanda. Kainis. Sabi ko magsyosyota ako ng matanda dahil ayaw ko ng isip bata. Yung pala magsyosyota sila ng bata(ako), dahil yung isip bata hinahanap nila. Man, kaloka. Nakakabaliww. Hindi kami nagkaintindihan? Hehehe. Buhay nga naman. Joke lang ng joke, go lang ng go! Bibili nalang ako ng magandang damit, matutuwa pa ako. Kaysa, magkaroon ng lalaki sa buhay ko na idedrain lahat ng emotion na capable ang body ko of producing and in the end icacardiac lang din ako. I hate boys like that! Well, all boys are like that. Walang dakila. Hero2x lang. Si superman? Tanga naman yun eh. Isa siyang malaking pagkakamali. H'wag kayong magpapaniwala dun! Baliw yun eh.

Sa lahat ng mga naging boyfriend ako, iisa lang ang pumasa, pasang awa pa. Pan'o, lahat quinualify nila, pero yung pinakaimportanteng bagay(yung mafeel mong mas importante ka sa kahit ano), hindi nila magawa. Ang galing pa magpaconsensya. Ito ay napakaimportanteng babala: HUWAG NA HUWAG PUMATOL SA MAY ...... alam mo na. Alipunga? Hahaha. Kala mo ha. Oo, tama ang iniisip mo. Dun ka na sa walang sabit, alam mo na, hindi busy. Grabe talaga ako, low IQ, owf EQ. Ano nalang ako? Hindi ako maipagmamalaki ng future ex-boyfriend ko! Pero kung may maipagmamalaki ako sa kanya, 'pag nagmahal ako, MATINDI na may kaakibat na isang libong exclamation points, at sa iisang(walang kapares, walanng kaagaw, walang kahati) lalaki lang! Mahirap na. Kapag nadivide ang tinapay, ano nalang matitira? Okay lang kung ang napunta sa'yo yung maraming palaman. Boom! Gets mo yun! Kung hindi, ibig sabihin hindi ka pa nagkaboyfriend! Sorry ka. Hahahaha

10 TRUE Things That I'll Never Tell My Man

1. It really feels good to see you jealous, when I talk about my Ex.
2. I hate it when you don't talk when I'm mad.
3. I want you to look decent in front of my friends. It's not like I don't know you're rugged, but please? For me?
4. I want you to tell me that I look a lot better than your Ex.
5. You smell like old oil, but I'll still kiss you.
6. I want you to stand for me, when your mother doesn't want me.
7. I want you to ask for a second chance each time I break up with you.
8. It kills me when we're talking over the phone and somebody on your side interrupts (and you don't tell him to stop).
9. I don't care where on earth you'd take me, but don't date me in the same restaurant where you used to take your Ex to.
10. Your friends must know better than to ask you to hang out, when you're hanging out with me.

Elle Collado ghost love story script 1

Anim na henerasyon na ng pamilya Collado ang nagdusa sa lagim na pagiging aswang. Anim na henerasyon na ang nagtatago at hindi matahimik para sa susunod pang magiging kabilang ng pamilya at magdudusa ng gaya sa kanila. Gano’n na lamang ang paghahanda nila para sa pagdating na takdang aswang sa ika-anim na henerasyon dahil siya ang inaasahan nila puputol at magpapasa sa ibang pamilya ng kamalasang matagal nang pinagdusahan ng mga Collado.

Si Elena Collado, ang pinakaunang naging aswang sa mga Collado. Ipanasa ito sa kanya ni Phil, and kano na kanyang inibig noong 1880s. Hindi niya alam noon na nasa ilalim ng isang sumpa si Phil, sumpa ng pagiging aswang. Ang sumpang iyon ang tatakbo sa isang tao lamang hanggang sa ikaanim na henerasyon, kung saan dapat na itong maputol at maipasa sa iba. Ang pagiging aswang ay naipapasa sa pinakabagong pinanganak ng sumunod na henerasyon matapos mamatay ang may dala ng sumpa. Pagdating sa ikaanim na henerasyon, kailangang ipasa ng napiling magdala ang sumpa sa bagong silang na sanggol sa pamamagitan ng pagkagat sa pusod nito. Matapos lumabas ang dugo sa pusod ng sanggol na pinagpasahan, ay gumagaling ulit ito ngunit nawawala ang pusod. Kapalit ng pusod ay lumilitaw ang marka ng bilang na isa na ang ibig sabihin ay una sa anim na henerasyon ng pagiging aswang. Kapag namamatay ang mga aswang sa anim na henerasyong iyon, matapos silang ilibing sa lupa, isa sa mga anak nila o pamangkin, ay mangingisay habang namumuo ang marka ng sumunod na numero na ang ibig sabihin ay sa kanila naipamana ang pagiging aswang.

Isa sa mga nagagawa ng mga aswang na ito ay makita din ang mga kapwa nila aswang kahit nasa anyo ng karaniwang tao. Iba kasi ang kulay ng dugo ng mga aswang, kulay abo, at may lumilitaw na anyong tila kaluluwa sa pagitan ng katawan ng tao. Ito naman ay nakikita lang nila kung gusto nila.

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Nag-aayos na ng gamit si Elle, mamaya kasi ay flight na niya papuntang Manila. Pupunta siya doon upang mag-aral ng kolehiyo. Tinupi na niya ang kanyang mga damit at ipinasok sa maleta. Pati ang mga sapatos niya ay ipinasok sa kanya-kanyang plastic bago i-empake. Nakalagay din sa maleta niya ang isang envelope kung saan ang nilalaman ay ang mga magagandang iginuhit niya mula pagkabata, ang serenang nakalitaw sa dagat, ang flower vase na maraming bulaklak na hango sa flower vase nila sa bahay… Ang flower vase na iyon ay talagang nakakatulog kay Elle kapag may bisita sila sa bahay. Naamoy kasi niya ang sarap ng dugo nito, kaya’t ibinabaling na lamang niya ang pagsinghot sa mga bulaklak. Baka kasi hindi niya mapigilan ang kanyang sarili at bigla niyang sunggaban at kagatin ang kanilang bisita.

Mabel (ina ni Elle) : Anak,  ano’ng petsa na? Kanina ka pa diyan! Malelate ka na sa flight mo.

Elle: Sandali nalang po Nay! Inaayos ko nalang po ang mga libro ko.

Mabel: Grabe ka, pati ba naman yan dadalhin mo pa sa Manila. At teka, iniwan mo pa ditto ang aparador mo. Wala nang laman o! Dalhin mo na rin kaya ‘to!

Elle: Nay, talaga. Siyempre, dapat bitbit ko lahat ng gamit ko, lahat ng dresses ko. Hindi natin alam kung gaano karaming party ang aattenan ko. Alam mo naman ang mga tagaManila pagdating sa pakikipagsocialize. Gusto mo bang jologs ang dating ng unica hija mo, Mother?

Mabel: Nako, anak ha. Baka puro naman party ang atupagin mo doon. Ang pag-aaral mo’ng isipin mo. Maliban doon, marami ka pang ibang mga bagay na dapat pag-ingatan. Walang ibang dapat makaalam. Baka mamaya, mapakawalan mo, ano na ang mangyayari? Anak, mahirap –

Biglang lumungkot ang mukha ni Elle.

Elle: Alam ko po yun, Nay.

Mabel: Anak naman… huwag mo naming ipakita yang malungkot mong mukha sa’kin. Lalo lang ako mag-aalala eh.

Humiga si Elle sa kama at itinabon ang unan sa kanyang mukha.

Mabel: Aba, masyado kang literal ah! (napatawa si mabel)

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Nang dumating si Elle sa airport, windang na windang siya. First time niya kasi. Ang lamig, ang sarap sa lugar na ‘toh. Sinunod niya ang mga pasaherong nauna kaya hindi naman siya nahalatang promdi at ignorante.

Nang nasa eroplano na siya, mas lalo siyang nawindang. Ang ganda pala sa loob nito. Ang lambot ng upuan, at mas malamig. Kaya lang noong nagsimula nang umandar, nininerbyos siya na para bang hindi niya alam kung ang mga kilos ng eroplano ay normal. At nung nagsimula na itong lumipad, sinabi niya,

Elle: Sana pala, pinagpaabot ko nalang ang gabi. Nalibre pa ako ng pamasahe.

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Sa wakas, lumapag na rin ang eroplanong sinasakyan ni Elle. Kaunting hintay pa, at nakalabas na rin siya dito. Medyo matagl-tagal lang bago niya nakuha ang mga bagahe niya. Matapos ang ilang hakbang, bumukas ang dalawang higante mga sensor na salamin at nadama niya ang mainit at malagkit na ihip ng hangin. Nakarating na sa Manila si Elle Collado.

Sumakay agad siya ng taxi at ibinagay ang address na paghahatirang sa kanya. Titira si Elle sa tiyang Marina niya. Mabait naman ang tiyang na, yung nga lang madalas na wala sa bahay dahil sa Batangas naman siya lagi. Bihira lang niya bisitahin ang bahay niya sa Sampaloc, Manila kaya malamang madalas mag-iisa lang si Elle habang nag-aaral.

Madilim nan g dumating si Elle sa bahay ng tiyang na. Ang katulong ang nagbukas ng pinto, sabay sabi,

Inday: Ate! Andito na si pamangkin mo!

Marina: Inday, ang ingay mo. Ano pang hinihintay mo, kunin mo na ag maleta ng pamangkin ko at iakyat mo na sa magiging kwarto nya! Elle! Pamangkin, napagod k aba? May miryenda sa taas, kumain ka muna. O, di kaya maghapunan na tayo. Inday! Ihanda mo na ang hapunan. Nagugutom na ang pamangkin ko.

Inday: Ate, ano ba talaga ang gusto mong gawin ko? Dalhin ko mga gamit niya sa kwarto o ipaghanda siya ng pagkain?

Marina: Sumasagot k aba?

Inday: Ate, ikaw dapat ang sumagot. Nagtanong ako eh.

Marina: Inday, pwede ba? Ang kulit mo.

Inday: Opo… Ilalagay ko na po muna mga gamit niya sa taas.

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Marina: O hija, kamusta naman ang nanay mo sa probinsya?

Elle: Okay lang po siya tiyang. Ayun, naiiyak nang ihatid ako sa airport.

Marina: Mabel talaga… kahit kailan, emo. Tagal ko nang hindi nakikita ang kapatid kong ‘yon. Miss na miss ko na nga siya eh.

Elle: Malamang miss na miss na rin po niya kayo.

Marina: Elle, lagi kang mag-iingat dito sa Manila. Ibang-iba ang Manila sa probinsya. Hindi moa lam kung sino ang pagkakatiwalaan mo. Kamakailan lang eh may nasaksak diyan sa kanto. Pa’no idinidisplay ang iPhone, tapos nung hiningi ng snatcher, ayaw ibigay. Sinaksak!

Elle: Kawawa naman yun tiyang.

Marina: Eh, talaga! Kaya ikaw, huwag mong ipapakita sa mga maaaring magka-interes, ang mga bagay na hindi mo kayang agawin sa’yo. 

Ryan wait for me

 I was only fifteen years old when I fell in love with Ryan. He is a tall, lean, and charming man with his warm hazel eyes. He is eight years senior from my age. Every afternoon I would look from the window of my room from the second floor to the street. I patiently wait for Ryan to pass by our front yard from his work. He would look at me from the street and we would smile at each other. I know why he always knew I was just right there watching. Back when I was younger and no feelings emerged, I already have the habit of watching from my window every afternoon. Every time I would see Ryan, I would yell his name and he’d look and smile, and that made my day.

                I was young, and immature, and in love. I always dreamed that Ryan would become my husband someday, and that he’d take me as his wife. I always dream about us two, that one day we’ll get married at church and I’ll be walking down the aisle in my white princess wedding gown, and at the altar he’d be standing like he can’t wait to be my husband. We’ll say “I do.” He would kiss me as his bride. We’ll have three kids. One named after him, Ryan. One named after me, Charlet. And the youngest, we’ll name him Jacob.

                And then our kids would grow and we’ll see ourselves in them. We’ll cry at their weddings, not just because we’re giving them away, but that because we see ourselves years back. And then we’d grow old together, rocking our chairs and sitting in the terrace every afternoon, having tea and talking about our younger days. How sweet it is to fancy the life with Ryan, and I’m nothing but a fifteen-year-old.

                Ryan works at the same lumberyard where my Dad works at. My Dad is Ryan’s boss.  Sometimes from school, I would ride my bike to get to daddy’s office, just so I could see Ryan closer. Anyway, Ryan has this pesky 17-year-old best friend who also works at the lumberyard. He’s name’s John. He’s so pesky, he bugs me so well that time is wasted dealing with him instead of being able to flirt Ryan. Yes, John’s vocal about liking me. I bet he’s told Ryan that he likes me. He’s even told my Dad that he would marry me when we grow up. John never fails to give me the nerve.

                Valentine’s Day came and I long await this. I rode my bike to town to buy  the prettiest Valentine’s Day card I’ve been eyeing for since January. I earned for it so I could give it to Ryan. I wrote a letter to it saying,

“Dear Ryan,

                                I love you. When I grow up I want to marry you. Please wait for me.

                                                                                                                                                                Love, Charlet.”

When I arrived at the lumberyard, I  saw Ryan leaving my father’s office and I drove my bike towards him. “Hey, Ryan! I got you something,” I handed the card to him. He read the card as he walked and I pedaled my bike so we could go on together. After reading, he giggled and closed the card. “Why are you laughing? Everything in the card is true, Ryan. I love you. And one day, I will grow up. Just wait for me please. I want to marry you,” I told him. We stopped. “You don’t understand Charlet. You’re only fifteen. I’m twenty three. You’re too young to know things about love. Someday, when you grow up, you’ll get to meet someone you will love same as your age,” he answered. “But you’re the one I want, Ryan, not anybody else.” “I am leaving the lumberyard, Charlet. I’m moving New Jersey with my fiancé.” My world nearly collapsed upon hearing those words. Ryan wiped my tears and comforted me. He told me that someday I would meet the man who would love me forever.

                Years have passed and I turned twenty-five. I was watching from the same window I was watching from ten years ago. My baby from the cradle cried, so I racked the cradle. Not too long, she was fast asleep again. Then, the doorbell rang. I hurried down the stairs to the door, excited, expecting it was my husband. When I opened the door, I saw sweet Ryan of innocent and immature Charlet years back. In his eyes were filled with joy of seeing me. He held my hand and said, “Charlet, I thought I was happy with my fiancé, but your words that day never left me. It’s been ten years now since the day we last saw each other. I realized that it is you who I love. Now, you have grown, and I want to marry you.” My heart stopped, but I need to tell Ryan something. So, I told him, “Yes, I loved you. However, Ryan, you’ve been far away for so long. I have grown. It’s been ten years since you’ve been gone. So, I married your best friend, John.”

Pre-graduation syndrome

This thing happens a few months or weeks, or days before graduation. Graduating students cry, hug their classmates and teacher, and sometimes even the librarian if ever they hang out at the library. Class pictures are taken for yearbooks, and unlike the past years, the whole class don't share in one page any more, each student owns a half or whole page. - The Pre-graduation Syndrome

This happens to everyone who's graduating, except if you're in waiting list for doing something that'd deprive you from "the diploma march." 

For this instance, close your eyes. Okay, you won't be able to read, so just pretend you closed your eyes. Realize, that in a few days, you'll be marching towards your diploma. You're gonna have it in your hands. You'r gonna lay it in your chest and show it to the whole congregation. Then, you're gonna bow down your head. And when you look back at them, you feel like 'wow! school's over.' Pretend your graduating in college, and after all these, you'll never gonna need to stay up late with Google, researching for your term paper. Remember the last subject exam you took before graduation. Did you ever really realized that it would be your last exam as a college student? And then remember the times when you skipped breakfast just so you will not be late and be at school at 7a.m sharp. Remember when you were an incoming freshmen at the university. You were sitting on the bench outside the admission office along with the other applicants. You all just took the entrance exam, and all of you were nervous, not knowing if you're gonna pass or not. Also, at that time, you didn't know if those were the persons who you will be classmates with and now, four years have gone. Open your eyes. Graduation is in your fingertips!

No More Honor

All of a sudden, the news world stopped spinning around more important issues like the Ampatuan massacre, ex-president Gloria Arroyo’s pending cases, and Sendong storm victims. All of a sudden, it rotated around an axis called “Chief Justice Renato Corona Impeachment Trial.” All of us, Filipinos, await for one thing – the verdict for this so-called honorable chief justice, whether or not to impeach.

June 16, 2012 marked one of the heaviest days in the history of Philippine governance, because at this day, the Philippines starts to put on trial for impeachment their honorable Chief Justice, Renato Corona. The first day starts when everybody is in their proper places, everybody rises, the Senate President bangs his gavel, and the trial begins. The complaint for impeachment is filed against Corona upon the grounds of Betrayal of Public Trust, Culpable Violation of the Constitution, and Graft and Corruption.

We all hate injustice in the Philippines and for years, we have tried all our best to get rid of it. This is also the same thing that our President Benigno Aquino III is trying to do, aside from removing people appointed by our ex-president Arroyo, left and right. And these appointed people include Chief Justice Corona. Let us try to think about it. Is it maybe, President Benigno Aquino III believes that removing all officials appointed by the alleged injustice ex-president Arroyo, mean also removing the injustice in our country? For the record, even if it means degrading our country by impeaching a chief justice, by means of using movie actors, undergrad politicians, and senators to judge him.

However, of course, let us also examine the other side of the coin. Chief Justice Corona has indeed committed Betrayal of Public Trust and Culpable Violations of the Constitution by merely not declaring some of his wealth in his SALN. One is his 31 million pesos under BPI and PSBank accounts, even if we forgive his 19 million worth of allegedly undeclared wealth which he claims, belongs to his relatives. As chief justice, his monthly salary is only 46,200 pesos including COLA. How on earth can he beget wealth as big as 31 million in just nearly two years of service as chief justice? Chief Justice Corona served at Development Bank of the Philippines and Commercial Bank of Manila before he became chief justice, but even if he accumulated his wealth before he became chief justice, it is still a violation to the law, given that it is not declared.

The fact that ex-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed him just days prior to the presidential election in 2010, will never leave your mind without doubt that there is an anomaly about to come or going on. Who president in his or her right mind is going to appoint an official just days before his or her term ends which is a risk, if he or she will not benefit from it? Some of us may try to deny that is merely imagining our ex-president Arroyo breaking the laws behind our backs, but let us look closely on how she was given consent to travel by the Chief Justice amidst the height of her pending cases.

Everything has been laid out to the public. Some understand, while some do not understand the trial as shown in different television interviews by different networks to the masses that watch the impeachment trial.

However, one heavy thing that we would like to ask the higher officials who handles the trial to do, is that if they impeach Renato Corona, they must make sure that there is enough shown evidence to impeach him. It is because, impeaching a Chief Justice is too big of a deal that by it, our country might be degraded thus it might also lose its credibility, and by losing our credibility let us all expect that other countries that support us, may lose their trust and respect. And if they decide not to impeach Corona, they must also make sure that their decision pays.

Nevertheless, we, the Filipinos are neither ignorants nor fools not to see nor touch nor hear the damage and corruptions made by these so-called honorable high officials. For us, we want them, including Chief Justice Renato Corona down.