Today, we choose new leaders.
May we choose actions over words, accomplishments over promises, genuine track record over fabricated pasts.
May we choose to be guided by hope for things already achieved, instead of cowered in fear of ghosts created for selfish gain.
May we vote with conviction, that we are choosing not only that which looks and sounds good, but more importantly, that which chooses the good of our people over the good of the few.
May we see through clouds of doubt sowed by leaders fearful of retribution, of being brought to justice, of being taken to task to pay for their sins which they deny and never accept.
May we realize that this has never been a battle of good versus evil, of one family against another. May we go beyond dichotomies created to propagate selfish, familial interests and to abscond from accountability. May we accept responsibility that the battle of good and evil is within each of us. That it is for every one of us to fight the evils we may unleash into the world if we let ourselves be filled with pride and fear. That it is for each of us to demand of each other the good things and deeds that we know we can do for our people and for our country.
May we learn from the past, both distant and near. May we hold dear the lessons we learned the hard way when we exercised our power to choose six and fifty-one years ago. May we not so easily forget how we were made to feel helpless, needy, like we were asking too much of our leaders, how our demands were met with sneers, condescension, and arrogant downplaying of epic proportion. May we not forget that up to the last moments leading up to this momentous day, we were spit on, fooled, treated like lowly beings, stripped of dignity because of lies, fabrications, and obvious machinations. May we never again be complacent, ensuring that those who have wronged us will never again be given another opportunity to perpetrate the same wrongs against the Filipino people.
Today, we wield our power to name them who shall inspire us to be the great people that we have always been meant to be, who will ignite the fire in our hearts to think bigger than ourselves, to go beyond the things we see and hear and look deeper into people who have dedicated their lives to make their constituents feel safe, secure and cared for.
Today, we wield this tremendous power. But it does not stop there. Today, we choose. Tomorrow, and in the days to come, we demand. We demand that they do right by us. We demand quality public service, to which we are absolutely entitled.
No, we do not have to be beside our leaders all the way, stand by them and blame ourselves for their wrongs, tell ourselves that we are part of these wrongs, that these wrongs are blood in our hands. No. When our leaders commit wrong, we condemn their actions. We stand up and voice out our grievances. We do not close ranks around them and defend their every move. We do not get blinded by idolatry and hero worship. We will choose them today. And tomorrow, we will exact service and accountability.
May God, Allah, Buddah, Vishnu, the Supreme Being, the cosmos, our logic and our belief systems guide us in choosing our leaders and in holding them to account as public servants.
May peace, understanding and compassion be in abundance today and the rest of our days.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.
May we choose actions over words, accomplishments over promises, genuine track record over fabricated pasts.
May we choose to be guided by hope for things already achieved, instead of cowered in fear of ghosts created for selfish gain.
May we vote with conviction, that we are choosing not only that which looks and sounds good, but more importantly, that which chooses the good of our people over the good of the few.
May we see through clouds of doubt sowed by leaders fearful of retribution, of being brought to justice, of being taken to task to pay for their sins which they deny and never accept.
May we realize that this has never been a battle of good versus evil, of one family against another. May we go beyond dichotomies created to propagate selfish, familial interests and to abscond from accountability. May we accept responsibility that the battle of good and evil is within each of us. That it is for every one of us to fight the evils we may unleash into the world if we let ourselves be filled with pride and fear. That it is for each of us to demand of each other the good things and deeds that we know we can do for our people and for our country.
May we learn from the past, both distant and near. May we hold dear the lessons we learned the hard way when we exercised our power to choose six and fifty-one years ago. May we not so easily forget how we were made to feel helpless, needy, like we were asking too much of our leaders, how our demands were met with sneers, condescension, and arrogant downplaying of epic proportion. May we not forget that up to the last moments leading up to this momentous day, we were spit on, fooled, treated like lowly beings, stripped of dignity because of lies, fabrications, and obvious machinations. May we never again be complacent, ensuring that those who have wronged us will never again be given another opportunity to perpetrate the same wrongs against the Filipino people.
Today, we wield our power to name them who shall inspire us to be the great people that we have always been meant to be, who will ignite the fire in our hearts to think bigger than ourselves, to go beyond the things we see and hear and look deeper into people who have dedicated their lives to make their constituents feel safe, secure and cared for.
Today, we wield this tremendous power. But it does not stop there. Today, we choose. Tomorrow, and in the days to come, we demand. We demand that they do right by us. We demand quality public service, to which we are absolutely entitled.
No, we do not have to be beside our leaders all the way, stand by them and blame ourselves for their wrongs, tell ourselves that we are part of these wrongs, that these wrongs are blood in our hands. No. When our leaders commit wrong, we condemn their actions. We stand up and voice out our grievances. We do not close ranks around them and defend their every move. We do not get blinded by idolatry and hero worship. We will choose them today. And tomorrow, we will exact service and accountability.
May God, Allah, Buddah, Vishnu, the Supreme Being, the cosmos, our logic and our belief systems guide us in choosing our leaders and in holding them to account as public servants.
May peace, understanding and compassion be in abundance today and the rest of our days.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.
