We are in tumultous times. CDs, wiretapped conversations, jueteng, opportunists in lawmakers' clothing. These have been dragging on for a good one month now at least. It's funny how many political scenarios reflect personal events in my life. Lemme see... 1986, at the height of the EDSA I revolt, my family and I were still in Sanfo, contemplating on making the big move to the Philippines. I was about to turn 7 then, just started primary school. My parents weren't quite sure if it was wise bringing back all nine children (yeah, there are nine of us!) to a country whose future was largely in question. Unlike my other siblings, a big move also meant I would have to stop schooling for a year as most of my records would not have been available by the next Philippine school year. Good thing my folks decided to postpone our return to the country until political conditions had stabilized.
1989: the year that my folks again planned on returning to the Philippines, in time for Christmas. We would have finally had our taste of Philippine Christmas after a very long time! Then the bloodiest coup d 'etat broke out in Manila just as my dad was calling the airline company to confirm our ticket reservation. I was 10, struggling as I entered my awkward phase. I was an Amboy, down to the mannerisms and speech. And to top it all, I was also struggling with the physical changes that puberty brought along, from the voice that hovered between tenor and bass and would constantly switch pitch at the most embarrassing moments, to the gangly arms and legs, to the pathetic patch of hair in my pits, and to the sparse growth, uhm, down there (you get my drift), I was a wreck. I didn't belong any where, much less in a country I barely knew. But we finally did get to go back to the land of my parents' birth the following month.
2001: the jueteng controversy and the impeachment trial that ended in a sham and brought down a fledgling presidency. That was the political scene. Academically, I wasn't in a much better position than Estrada's. Fortunately for me, my academic future didn't end up in the calabooze as he did. Haha!
And now: 2012. The whole week, our country has been dodging the "arrows of outrageous fortune" flung by people whose main interests were personal and whose only concern was how to grab what they want at the expense of the gullible people who buy into what they, the shameless politicans, peddle. Friday was the worst day of all politically, with people shifting allegiance and shamelessly calling on the President to resign on moral grounds. I say shamelessly because the pot doesn't have any right whatsoever to call the kettle "black". The President has no moral ascendancy? Gimme a break! You, shameless saboteurs have no moral ascendancy nor intellectual integrity to even ask the sitting president to give up on moral grounds! We have a scarred culture, and cleansing starts from within. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!
Thursday night, I reached out to you. It ended in a stalemate. And Friday wasn't a better day. The opportunists demanded something from the President which she would never accede to. You demanded something from me which I could not give at that time. The President wanted more time. I only asked for a little consideration. The opportunists are now figuratively burning the president at the stake. And you are emotionally flogging me.
In a world of changes and questionable allegiance and shifting loyalties, I shall remain true to you. I am yours and yours alone. Mob rule might make the President give up her seat. Only time will tell. But your stubborness endears you to me more. I will hold on to you. I love you so much...
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