10 Steps for a Smoother Barangay & SK Elections

James Carlos Yap Unmasked

B-Meg Derby Ace finally barged into the win column last night with an unsatisfactory win over the Meralco Bolts 75-71. Ironically, their first win for the conference came at the expense of their former head coach, the eloquent Ryan Gregorio, who joined the come backing Meralco franchise during the off season. Players from the Llamados and the Bolts were tangled in forty-eight (48) minutes of high octane basketball game to get the much needed victory each of the team has been dearly missing. One significant sign of improvement in the much depleted line up of the Llamados came in the second quarter. As if totally disgusted with the way his face mask has been getting in the way of his game, James Carlos Yap entered the playing court without his mask and finished the game exposed.


Two-time MVP James Carlos Yap had a surgery to remove a polyp in his nose prior to the start of this conference. According to his attending physicians, team doctors and conditioning coach, it will take few more weeks to get back his wind, stamina and groove. The protective mask he has been wearing in their previous games was designed for his to have proper breathing (in spite of the operation) during the game and to reduce chances of aggravating his condition for an immediate healing process. Last night, the man must have chosen winning over healing, putting his team interest over his personal prerequisite and showing his former coach the kind of warrior he has made him of.


The man with the million moves was visible groping in form with the way he executes his shots but the gracefulness in the way he drives to the basket or pumps for a perimeter jumper is a reminiscent of the great Michael Jordan. A basket made is even more immortalized in the innate human memory when it is done in the most amazing fashion only MJ and James Carlos Yap can deliver. One epic moment in last night’s game was in the fourth quarter when James Carlos Yap eluded the defense of Mac Mac Cardona and while in mid-air, Big Game James changes his shot from a jumper into a scoop layup. The ball crawled from the board to the bottom of the net and brought the house down! The shot was ever more amazing on repeated three-angle slow motion replay.


The hard-earned win was even made more possible with the superb performance of sophomore and Rookie of the Year winner Rico Maierhofer. His overall performance particularly on the defensive end of the floor was a nightmare of the Bolts. Maierhofer collared fourteen (14) rebounds and blocked five (5) shots in twenty-six (26) minutes of action. His five (5) block shots are enough to overshadow the two (2) block shots registered by the Bolts. The untiring Maierhofer was practically everywhere last night and his energy on the floor was enough to silence Asi Taulava, gunner Mac Mac Cardona and coaches Ryan Gregorio and Ronnie Magsanoc. And I have to mention that for an Atenean that I am, Maierhofer is thus far the the best La Salle player in the B-Meg Derby Ace franchise. Jun Limpot earned the same citation in the old Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants time.


James Carlos Yap and his team have found ways to win tonight. Xavier was watching the game with me via Solar Sports last night and he was visible ecstatic with the win. It somehow compensated the lost game last Saturday only that we were not at the scene of the live game to savor the victory. Yap top scored for his team with 13 markers on a measly 19% field goal shooting but he managed to pull down six (6) rebounds, dished out two (2) assists and blocked three (3) shots. The shooting woes of James Carlos Yap continue but now that his face mask has been retired, fans and PBA followers alike will be expecting the habitual dominating performance he delivers.

P1,500 for an SK vote. Anyone?

Really?
That was my initial reaction when my friend told me about the cost of a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) vote today. The cash was given two (2) weeks prior to election day and a promise of an additional cash will be given a day prior to the election has also been made by the camp of the candidate. This vote-buying scheme is a BIG slap on the face of today’s youth. A BIGGER slap is likewise intended to the residents of our town, Presentacion, where this reported vote-buying activity has transpired, worst, the involved candidate is part of an influential family who dreamed of installing his own political dynasty in this fifth class municipality.

During our time, a vote doesn’t cost a dime but it’s being paid with service, integrity and honor. Ah. That was fourteen (14) years ago and the previous two (2) SK elections must have changed the way how youth casts their votes today. The picture of this political exercise of the youth is gradually emulating the harsh color schemes of our veteran traditional politicians. It will only take a matter of few more elections before we can surely witness the genesis of SK election vote result rigging, massive SK vote-buying and SK candidate killings happening right before our very eyes.

Now I’m beginning to understand where DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo was coming from when he proposed the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan. According to him, there is a need to abolish the SK council since it has not proven itself to be functional and effective in delivering its services under the Local Government Code. Being a former SK Chairman myself, I posed strong objection to this initiative by the good secretary, but now that I have come to know how this fundamental youth right have been largely contaminated by culture and traditional habits, drastic measures need to be implemented to re-align the direction of the youth.

Our accidental national hero was right in saying that the youth is the hope of the fatherland not because we are next in line (in terms of leadership) but because we (the youth) are in the RIGHT and TIMELY position to create and influence change. There’s little we can do about what we have now with our current leaders, the youth, particularly the SK leaders have practically longer time in the world to be the change that the world needs to have. What we have with our current leaders are reflections of their contemporary ideologies when they were teens. Our youth today surely have something better to offer in the future.

I’m calling on the sanity of my fellow kababayan who are running and will be voting this Monday for the barangay election. If you think P1,500 to compensate for the development that we and our community urgently need, then you are equally accountable for the current state our municipality and barangay is in. You are as liable as the one you voted for. When was the last time you felt a certain degree of satisfaction on the service any elected official has given you and the community? I bet you can’t recall any. It’s not amnesia, it’s because you have been bought.

P1,500 for an SK vote. Anyone? Think again.

The Night Naga City Cheered in Silence

The crowd anticipated a blistering spectacle of James Carlos Yap fireworks display inside the packed Big Dome of the South, but Big Game James must have mistakenly loaded his arsenals with blank bullets as he kept shooting bricks all game long from all angles none of which hit the button of the net for a bull’s eye. The B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados suffered their third consecutive loss at the hands of the Air21 Express, in front of the thousands of Bicolano James Carlos Yap fans, me and my son Xavier included.


I decided to cut class (again) in my MBA program this afternoon to catch the PBA On-Tour game between the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados and the Air21 Express at the new Naga City Coliseum. As previously agreed back home, I have to meet my son Xavier at SM City by three (3) in the afternoon then we will proceed to the Big Dome located just across the shopping mall. A big basketball fan that he is, I can feel Xavier’s abounding excitement to finally see his idol live, in flesh, up close and personal. We bought tickets to the game on the first day it was made available in the market and we have chosen the best upper box seat to catch a better glimpse of the players and his basketball hero.


With a Happy Meal tagged around his arms, a twister fries on one hand and a glass of soda on the other; we walked straight to the venue. Each small step taken that lead us closer to the gates are coupled with endless anticipative questions from the height of the players to their jersey numbers and from Kris Aquino’s separation issue to Baby James’ attendance. From the outside of the arena, fans in B-Meg Derby Ace shirts lined the entrances and the shaded corners to catch the arrival of their favorite players.


I was told by the police officer manning the gate that foods and drinks are not allowed to be brought inside the venue. Lighters, cigarettes, ball pens and any pointed objects are likewise left at the entrance. Xavier finished consuming his twister fries and his drink just as we reached the gates and the fatherly police officer advised me to just keep the burgers deep inside my sling bag so inspectors won’t find them. I willfully emptied my pockets of my half-consumed cigarette pack and my mini-lighter but I told the inspector at the gate that I can’t leave my sign pen (a gift given to me by a friend sometime ago) behind. He agreed then there we rushed to find our designated seat.


While waiting for the game to begin, I provided Xavier little insights on how the teams will do their pre-game drills, the number of basketballs in the court all at the same time during routines, the role of the coliseum barker and the number of basketball minutes per quarter. While chatting, players from the Air21 squad gradually entered the basketball court to do just what I have told Xavier what they will do. He was obviously amazed and was tempted to ask how I came to know those things. I told him watching the PBA games live is what I usually do during weekends back in Manila.


The B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados entered the playing court fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the game. Conspicuously last to enter the floor was Big Game James. Fans surrounded as he emerged from the dugout each wanting to take pictures of and with him. I can see that Xavier was closely watching his every move during the pre-game routine. He would clap every time James Yap makes a basket and would slowly comment words such as “kulang” and “sobra” when he misses. The crowd cheered wildly as the buzzer sounded to signal the formal opening of the basketball extravaganza.


I saw an opportunity to transfer to a much convenient, near the court seat when everyone stood for the opening prayer. The lower box section in front of us had lots of empty chairs and people from our row started some sort of a mass evacuation to occupy the better seat in front. I told Xavier to go with the crowd and find the best spot for us and I will follow shortly. He did just as what I told him and we ended up approximately six (6) rows away from the playing court. What a beautiful spot. At this location, we can see the players better and could probably hear what they are saying if not of the continuous audio being played to add more drama and excitement to the game.


B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados opened up a blistering 9-0 run highlighted by the back-to-back offensive conversions of Rommel Adducul. James Carlos Yap was visibly looking for his rhythm in this quarter as he struggled to convert field goals and has used the benefit of the free throw line to score a basket. The Llamados looked to be heading for a blowout win in the first quarter but point guard Joshua Urbiztondo and shooting guard Ronjay Buenafe towed the Express within striking distance to finish the initial quarter trailing by two (2) 16-18.


Don Allado, Jonas Villanueva, Jondan Salvador and Jerwin Gaco provided the extra muscles for the Llamados in the second quarter. But their efforts were not enough to put the Express away for good. Costly turnovers committed by Roger Yap and James Yap in consecutive stretch allowed the Express to gain needed momentum to cease the lead for good. Making the matter even worst for the Llamados were the judgment lapses committed by the referees officiating the game. An all important game for both squads is threatened to be maligned by obvious officiating errors that can drastically change the complexions and outcome of the game. The Llamados kept the lead for the last time at the end of the second quarter at 33-36.


The shooting woes of James Carlos Yap continued in the second half. The defense thrown at him by alternating defenders, the face mask he is wearing to protect his nose, the air-condition less coliseum temperature and the expectations of his thousands of fans in attendance waiting to erupt in jubilation the moment he connects from beyond the arc must have added significant pressure to his game. By this quarter, the express has taken the lead away from the Llamados and the fans just seat in silence as they watched James Carlos Yap being pulled on and off the court by the coaching staff, hoping that each re-entry would trigger a spectacular scoring run. In the silence of the crowd, Nonoy Baclao, Ronnie Matias and Marcy Arellano of the Air21 Express took the center stage. The third quarter ended with the Air21 Express on top 53-49.


After thirty-six (36) minutes of intense basketball and deafening silence from the Llamado crowd, the James Carlos Yap believers refused to throw the towel down. Each ball possession for the Llamados are still filled with heavenly hopes that at any given moment from now, James Carlos Yap will hit his target and the crowd will go ballistic to welcome the B-Meg firepower. With less than two (2) minutes left in the final quarter, Rico Maierhofer, Niño Canaleta and Peter June Simon conspired to make a final stand by clipping the Express’ lead down to three (3). Wynne Arboleda and Wesley Gonzales each hit timely three-point baskets to extend their lead. After a successful defensive stop in the ensuing possession, B-Meg took a time out to draw a strategic offensive play to cut the lead to a manageable one. Everyone in the arena believed that B-Meg can pull the play off successfully and everyone expected James Carlos Yap to take the long distance shot. The expectations were right except that James Carlos Yap didn’t make the shot that could have put the house down and drive the crowd to ecstasy. There was unspeakable silence as James Carlos Yap’s final shot bounced off the rim into the hands of their mighty opponent. The Express grabbed the game away from the Llamados 77-69 was the final count.


When the buzzer sounded at the end game, a warm Bicolano applause echoed inside the walls of the venue in recognition of a hardly fought basketball battle. Then there was silence again as everyone in the stands find their way to the exit with their heads bowed down. The night Naga City cheered in silence was the night James Carlos Yap failed to bring his potent offensive arsenal for his Bicolano fans to witness (come to life) in the very arena that’s made to symbolize the Bicolanos tremendous passion for the game universally called basketball.

The Writings On The Wall

Learnings taught inside the classrooms come in full circle with Industry Immersions Programs which allow the students to observe, validate and experience contemporary theories in real-life applications. This has been the primal objective of the recently concluded Company Visit of Masters in Business Administration (MBA) students of Ateneo de Naga University’s Graduate School Program. Students from the Marketing Management, Development of Enterprise, Management Information Systems, Strategic Management and Management of Change subjects pulled their actions and resources together to come up with the biggest number of united delegations for an integrated industry exposure experience.


The Marketing Management class of Dr. Debbie Adriano acted as the lead proponent of this one-of-a-kind industry exposure activity. Robin Williams Jessup, the class designated leader stayed on top of the coordination activities all throughout and his efforts were replicated with the dedication and eagerness of the rest of the class members and non-formal members to make the activity come to life. Dr. Malu Barcillano and Professor Juan Raul Ll. Relloso’s on-hand and meticulous involvement in the planning process guided everyone from the ideal concepts down to the depth of questions the class would be throwing to speakers from various companies. To show ADNUs commitment to the holistic developments of its MBA students, the Office of the Graduate School under Dr. Alfredo Fabay (Dean) provided additional significant financial resource to ease the burden out from the students and push through with the valuable out-of-class learning experience.


With the communications to the different companies sent, confirmed and approved, the class embarked on an eight (8) hours journey from the famous Four Pillars of Ateneo to the legendary hot springs of Mt. Makiling in Laguna. Four spacious vans were rented to take the group to the different pre-determined companies and at quarter past eight of that starry Thursday evening they passed the gates of ADNU enroute to their destination. The group will rendezvous at a modern resort in Pansol, Laguna before proceeding to their designated company stations at Zenith Corporation (The Commissary of Jollibee), Nestle Philippines Infant Nutrition Center, Gardenia Bakeries Philippines and Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines Incorporated all located in the Province of Laguna.


More than the spiels each speaker will deliver during the scheduled company visit, as an observant and peculiar MBA student that I am (we are), there are other silent factors I am more interested in to find out. The unspoken culture, the unblemished core values, the hushed individual goal-orientations and the writings on the walls of each company and their employees speaks more than what their leaders may be saying. For this trip to be superbly exciting and worthwhile, I have added another objective on top of the class’ objectives, which is to decode the writings on the wall and benchmark the target company’s practices and status with that of my organization for progressive comparison.

You may e-mail the author to request for the full transcript of this document.

Sulat ni Nanay at Tatay

Sa aming pagtanda, unawain at pagpasensyahan mo sana kami, anak. . .

Kung makatapon kami ng sabaw sa hapag kainan
O kaya makabasag ng pinggan
'Wag mo naman sana kaming kagagalitan
Dala lang yun ng kalabuan ng mata at ng namamanhid naming mga daliri. . .
Pinagalitan ka man sa mga baso't pinggang iyong nabasag noon bata ka pa,
Iyon ay dahil ayaw naming masugatan ka.

Kung ang mga sinasabi mo'y 'di maintindihan at madinig
'Wag mo naman sana kaming sabihan ng "Bingi!"
Humihina na talaga ang aming pandinig
Pakiulit lang nang malakas-lakas na 'di naman kailangang sigawan
Upang tayo ay magkaunawaan.

Kung mabagal na kaming maglakad at 'di na makasabay sa mabilis mong paglakad
Pakiantay sana at alalayan—mahihina na ang aming mga tuhod
Alalay na tulad sana nung musmuos ka pa at nag-aaral ka pa lang maglakad
Tuwang tuwa ka naming pinagmamasdan.

Kung minsang makulit at paulit ulit ang aming sinabi na parang sirang plaka,
'Wag mo sana kaming pagtawanan o kainisan
Ganyan ka rin kakulit noong bata ka pa at nag-iiyak pa--
Kapag nagpapabili ng kung anu ano’y di kami tinitigilan
Hangggang ang gusto mo'y di naibibigay.

Kung kinatatamaran namin na maligo at nag-aamoy lupa na
'Wag mo naman sanang pandirihan at piliting maligo. . .
Mahina na kasi ang aming katawan pag nalalamigan.
Natatandaan mo ba noong bata ka pa at kahit anung dungis mo
Ay masayang-masaya ka naming hinahalikan
At mat'yagang hinahabol sa ilalim ng kama upang paliguan?

Kung palagi kaming masungit at nagsisisigaw
Dala na siguro ito ng pagkabagot sa bahay
At pagkadismaya na wala nang magawa at wala nang silbi.
Ipadama mo naman sana na may halaga pa rin kami sa mundo mo
Katulad ng pagpapadama namin noon ng pagpapahalaga
At pagtutuwid sa kamalian at katigasan ng iyong ulo.

Kung may konti ka mang panahon mag kwentuhan naman sana tayo. . .
Alam kong abala ka sa hanapbuhay pero sabik na kaming makausap ka.
Gusto kong malaman mo na interesado pa rin kami sa mga kwento mo
Tulad n'ung pagbibida mo sa eskwela noong bata ka pa.
Na kahit pautal utal pa ang salita mo,
Nakikinig kaming masaya tungkol sa iyong mga laruan.

Kung kami man ay maihi o madumi sa higaaan dahil hindi na makabangon
'Wag mo sanang pagagalitan o pandididrihan.
Katulad ng walang reklamo naming paggising nang kahit anong pagod sa gabi
Upang linisin at palitan ang iyong lampin para maginghawa kang makatulog
Hindi na baling kami ang mapuyat.

Kung kami’y maratay sa banig ng karamdaman
'Wag mo sanan kaming pagsawaang alagaan
Gaya ng mat'yaga naming pag-aalaga noong musmos ka pa.
Bawat daing mo noon ay hirap na dinadala sa aming kalooban
Pagt'yagaan mo naman sana kaming alagaan sa aming mga huling sandali
Kami naman ay di na rin magtatagal.

At kapag dumating na ang takdang panahon ng aming pagharap sa Dakilang Lumikha. . .
Ibubulong at hihilingin ko sa Kanya.
Na pagpalain ka dahil naging mapagmahal at maalaga kang anak sa iyong ama’t ina.

Adopted from Rev. Fr. Ariel F. Robles

Voters Education: Transformative Response to a Societal Challenge

I was forcibly asked to deliver my thoughts on this issue, and for the next three hours, I would be sharing with you insights on Voters Education, Transformative Response and Societal Challenge. This is such a boring issue for people your age, when I was your age, I’d rather talk about girls and the one hundred and one ways to court them, make them fall and leave them stranded. I paid little attention to transformative response and societal challenges back then, so it’s my fear that you feel the same and ignore what I’m saying.

I would like to begin with a true story. Five (5) year ago today, the greatest Philippine President we could ever have died of prostate cancer. His name is Raul S. Roco. He aspired to be our President twice back in 1998 and 2004 Presidential Elections. Prior to these dates, Sen. Raul S. Roco has been consistently topping surveys and was poised to be the next President primarily due to his unblemished track record in public service, landmark legislations and unconventional advocacies. But as what is now written in the history books, he lost on both occasions where he could have won had we, the voters, took full notice of three important aspect of the electoral process. Those are Voters Education, Transformative Response and Societal Challenges.

Most if not all of you might not have enough knowledge on the life and works of the Great Bicolano, Raul S. Roco, but your older folks would agree with me when I say that he indeed could have the greatest Bicolano President we could ever have but will never be. In a season where winning is largely dictated by political machinery and widespread vote-buying, the youth then have watched in silence and regretted as the eventual winners, Erap and GMA, squandered millions of pesos in midnight deals, brought down the standards of our political system and damaged the perception of neighboring countries of our once proud race. In a season where we could have avoided it all by electing a genuine leader in Raul S. Roco, we chose to be fooled by the organized political system whose main intention is to keep themselves and their party in authority for the longest period of time.

Now a new era has dawn before us. We have been witnesses to the evolution of our electoral process as it embraced technology and brought us the first ever automated election in the country. And this month, a new breed of public servants are about to get their first taste of politics at their tender age. This coming Barangay and SK Election offer both HOPE and CAUTION to all candidates and electorates as one. Hope that a new breed of leaders would eventually come alive having enough courage to question the system and caution that these new leaders will eventually succumbed to the corrupt majority taking full control of the legislative and executive process.

Let me formally begin my talk with Voters Education. Voters’ education is absolute, non-negotiable, and essential to the elimination of “trapo” politics. “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Knowing that different issues resonate with different people, efforts should be made – preferably by nonpartisan groups – to present “the big picture” to as many voters as possible. We need a place that provides that information without the candidates’ spin. Something like this forum. With the advent of the Internet, it becomes increasingly obvious that an impartial website that provides information about candidates’ stands and track records will be crucial to the credible election of a credible Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Leaders.

Voters education is always essential and doing so in this modern age should never be difficult than doing the teaching 10 years ago. Today, with the advent of new technologies easily accessible to both young and old, the playing field to define the authentic change flat forms from those traditional once have been fairly flattened. Mediums such as the internet and social networking sites have become powerful tools to advance once agenda. Now, more than ever, education and learning entered into a new dimension, all of us, candidates and the electorates must take full use of these to ensure that the next three (3) years of Barangay Leadership falls into the right hands, persons with wisdom, integrity and accountability.

Integrity in government begins with personal integrity. Values begin at home, and if we continue to remain apathetic to our country’s situation, as far as I’m concerned, that speaks volumes about where we are headed as a nation. If we watch out only for ourselves, we can expect the same kind of fragmented disillusionment to remain in our mindsets for generations to come. For the Philippines to move forward, the Philippine political system must adopt, as US President Barack Obama puts it, a “politics of common sense, of common purpose, of shared sacrifice and shared prosperity.” A public servant whose heart is in the right place will not tolerate corruption; a private citizen cannot afford to turn the other cheek when something wrong is being committed right before his or her eyes. S/He will not bribe his way to convenience; s/he values her/his name so much that s/he will not allow corruption or tolerance to take place. No to moderated greed and tolerated corruption!

Just what are the challenges facing our country today that needs to be properly addressed in Voters Education? Is Voters Education enough to spark transformation in society face with various challenges? How ready are we as a society to embark on a change that can ultimately dictate the shift of power from the elite to the common “tao” which President Aquino calls his “Boss”.

Below are few Societal Challenges that can spur Societal Transformation but only if substantial amount of political will is exercised not just by our leaders but by the people they (leaders) are accountable for:

1. Middling of the Church in affairs of the state
The impending passage of the RH Bill is an example of this affair. While it is true that poverty is not caused by over population alone but more so by corruption, the church must have misread the bible when it says “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it.” According to a Senate Report published July of 2009, it stated that In the Philippines, maternal mortality rate (MMR) remains high at 162 per 100,000 live births while infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) are 24 and 32 per 1,000 live births, respectively(FPS 2006).

Around the world, 1,500 women die every day from complications of pregnancy or childbirth, while 10,000 babies die daily within the first month of life. Most of these deaths occur in developing countries and most are avoidable. The RH bill is more than just managing population, it offers a solution to all families properly be accountable for the welfare of their children. Besides, the Bishops and the Priests are in no possession to give us lectures on family, family planning and sexuality for they themselves haven’t raised a single family and by prohibition, have never engaged in any sexuality. Unless they admit they are, then we could probably re-align our outlook in favor of our church leaders.

2. Tolerated Corruption
Vote buying is the primary manifestation of tolerated corruption. If we allow our votes to be bought then we open the doors for our leaders to be corrupt. A corruption not only emanates from us ordinary citizens, the church from where we belong has some cleaning to do to be able to curve the corrupt ways of our leaders. The church being the primal beneficiary of large political dole outs have exposed our leaders to avenues where they can venture into extraordinary deals just to please the few and powerful religious leaders.

In early 2000, the World Bank estimated that corruption was costing the Philippines government $47M a year - or a massive $48 B over the 20-year period to 1997. Corruption, said the hard-hitting World Bank report, undermines development, hurts the poor, diminishes the quality of public services and raises the price of goods and services. The report said private industry shared a responsibility for this state of affairs by its attempts to bribe politicians.

To this day, the battle to end corruption is still tops the governments priority programs. The only way for us to win this battle is for everyone to STOP begging for unnecessary help from politicians and START asking whatever happened to our taxes to make them feel accountable for every centavo spent. After all, it’s not their money, it’s our money.

3. Moderated Greed
At the height of the ZTE Scandal, Bicolano whistleblower Jun Lozada admitted to have received an instruction from the infamous NEDA Director Romulo Neri to moderate the greed of Mike Arroyo and Benjamin Abalos. Today, as we begin the journey of these young leaders set test the political waters of their Barangays, we dare them to say NO to greed. While still young and beaming with bright ideas, let us not allow this new generation of leaders to be exposed to occasions where there is call to be greedy. Let us all be vigilant for them and our society. Greed is the highest form desire. When there is greed there is always corruption and where there is corruption there are always people below the line who are essentially short-changed either of service or product. There is no way people can moderate their greed, as human nature dictates one to have the most.

Greed and Corruption are two deadly combinations for they breed poverty. One way to eliminate the latter is to put an end to these two menacing cultures. Greed and corruption looked at human suffering and oppressions with a blind eye. What’s even worst it the fact that these two knows no master, the next victim could be you, me or the person seating next to you. We won’t know until it has stricken us and we can’t tell if it is striking us already. Only time will tell, but if we act now, then we can still save our future.

4. Political dynasty
One of the most ambitious policies of the present Constitution is expressed in its Art. II, Sec. 26, which says, “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” It is also the most ignored by Congress for obvious reasons. Across the country, the same political clans are winning. Reports and allegations of fraud and violence, often meant to prevent people from voting and to disrupt the counting of votes, also show that their methods of holding on to power remained the same.

5. Passivity of the voting populace
The real challenge for the candidates and the voting populace begins not in the Election Day, in fact it is after the winners have been declared. How can we do our part to ensure that the country is kept in the right tract? How little or how much do we react to the misgivings of the winning candidates? How do we involve ourselves in the transformation process. We should dare to ask and ask to dare our leaders.

Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people. This being said, there is a call for everyone inside this room to exercise the true meaning of democracy starting today until the rest of our lives. Let us now allow another Raul S. Roco to slip by without having the chance to stir the country into greater heights when we could have done so. Democracy is knowing what is best for our people without the threat of coercion, oppression or power of money. Democracy resides in us, democracy is us. What we intend to do with ourselves and our future today will reflect the kind of democracy will be enjoy or despise tomorrow.

Created for Glen de Mateo in exchange of a kinalas bowl and lunch.