Day 128: A Song of Hope

The very first time I heard this song, it moved me to tears. Listening to it awakened the dying embers of my love for country. More than anything, it gave me hope...it gave me reason to believe I can dream again - not for myself but for my children and theirs. 

Before viewing the video, look at the lyrics below first, scan one time. Then play the video while looking at the lyrics. *** I purposely blocked out the lyrics containing names so as you can appreciate the song for its message and not as campaign material.

Regardless of who you're choosing to lead this country, may you find strength, inspiration and hope in this song as I have.

BAGUMBAYAN

Jose Villanueva III

Gumising ka na, buksan ang iyong mata

Sabayan ang pagsikat ng bagong umaga

Bumangon ka na, wag kang mag-alala

Sa biyahe ng buhay kasama kita

Sa hamon ng bukas, sa bawat pagsubok

Abutin ang tagumpay hindi tayo susuko

Ikaw ang pinaka–hihintay mo

Ikaw ang pagbabago, tayo ang pagbabago

CHORUS:

Bagong bayan, bagong puso,

Bagong pag-asa, bagong kamalayan

Pilipinas tulong-tulong, hindi uurong

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…) Repeat 4X

Gising, bangon, tumayo na

Harapin mo ang bagong umaga

Sumabay ka na tatagan ang iyong puso

Manalig, mangarap hindi ka mabibigo

Tayo ang makabagong bayanihan

Tayo ang bayani ng bayan

Ipagmalaki mo ang iyong kulay

Ngayon natin ipakita ang ating husay

Pumiglas sa gapos ng kahapon

Wasakin ang pader ng iyong utak ngayon

Sa pag-asa na bukas taas noo

Matayog ang lipad ng pangarap mo

Sa bawat laban lahat tayo ay bida

Sugpuin ang kalaban, ang tuso, ang siga

Panahon na para buhayin ang pangarap

Tayong lahat magsisilbing liwanag.

CHORUS (REPEAT 2X)

Bagong bayan, bagong puso,

Bagong pag-asa, bagong kamalayan

Pilipinas tulong tulong, hindi uurong.

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

GORDON AT BAYANI (woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

GORDON AT BAYANI(woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

GORDON AT BAYANI(woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

GORDON AT BAYANI(woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang pagbabago

Ngayon na ang pagbabago, Bagong Bayan

Gordon at Bayani. Tayo ang pagbabago

Ngayon na ang pagbabago, Bagong Bayan

Gordon at Bayani.

Day 123: Being an Online Volunteer

Being a full-time and hands-on Mom of three children under the age of eight, I kept on wondering how I can lend a hand in helping out my presidential and vice-presidential candidates in their campaign. I wish I could go out like all the other volunteers and hand out flyers and talk about the credentials of Dick Gordon and Bayani Fernando but I can't since the kids would be left by themselves. 

As my friends and family can attest, I've been doing my share of online campaigning through email, Facebook and blogging. I didn't realize I could be an online volunteer of Bagumbayan-VNP too. So when the opportunity to contribute to the campaign through blogging arose, I didn't hesitate to lend a hand.

The Bagumbayan blog featured my very first election-related entry from this blog and today I wrote my very first post as an online volunteer. It felt great to be able to help in my own little way, even just causing small ripples in a vast body of water. I just hope and pray that by reading these online entries, many more people will be encouraged to think and base their vote decisions on principle and track record.

(Photo above is borrowed from Mr. Roman Po)

Day 120: The TRANSFORMERS have my vote

In ten days, the Philippines will choose its national and local leaders in an election that is said to be unprecedented since this will be the first automated elections in our country's history.  All camps are giving that final push to their campaigns to make their respective candidates known, felt and heard.

As I've mentioned in my earlier blog post, this is the first time in almost twenty years that I've been active and cared about any Philippine elections. It was a case of "once bitten, twice shy" for me. As a young adult, I looked forward to the very first opportunity I had to exercise this right and was really very excited to do it.  However, when subsequent elections didn't bring about competitive choices and some of them wreaked of being rigged, I just lost hope. 

I believe it is motherhood that has led me to be proactive once more about the future of this country.  I have three young children whose future hangs in the balance. As their parent, I have the obligation to make the right choice towards progress of this nation. I don't really care for me anymore, I doubt if I'd still be able to see the Philippines great again in my lifetime but I care about my children and theirs so they may be the ones to enjoy the fruits of my choice. I've been quite vocal about who my choices are for the two top positions in the country.

Having worked in Human Resources, I know the rudiments of job application and hiring. If you distance yourself and really just think about it, the elections is just a nationwide job application exercise. A bunch of people trying to get into a limited number of job slots, right? These are the processes in job hiring and what I think are their equivalent in modern day election process:

1. Job Application/Job Fair = Filing of COC's

2. Testing (Verbal/Non-verbal, Personality/Psych) = don't you think there should be?

3. Preliminary Interview = Forums

4. Comprehensive Interview = Debates

The applicant advances to the next level only if his qualifications and performance deem him fit to do so. A government position is really just that - a job position and Filipinos play the part of HR during elections. If you owned a company and you were hiring to fill in critical and vital positions, would you choose applicants who are merely popular, rich, "well-connected",  or religious/morally-upright? Or would you choose based on credentials, personality, past performance and the ability to blend into your organization? When certain candidates begin to refuse psych tests and turns down invitations for debates, you've got to know that those are 'red flags'. What have they got to hide? In my line of experience, those who got the job were those who really had something to show in terms of ability, talent, personality, leadership and passion.

So when I used the same method dictated by HR practices, I came up with my own choices for the top positions of this country - RICHARD GORDON and BAYANI FERNANDO. Both have proven track records in terms of holding executive positions, have stellar background/foundation (RJG in Law and BF in Engineering), have shown their unique personalities that get the job done, have exhibited passion in whatever endeavor they undergo and can truly be called leaders of our time. They've faced every forum and stood at every debate, standing behind their plans and programs for the country. No other tandem is as ready, prepared and able to put into action their words as these two. Whatever the rest are still promising to do, RJG and BF have already done and can duplicate for the rest of the Philippines. In my mind and in my heart I believe that. Choosing DICK GORDON and BAYANI FERNANDO is a choice I can be proud to tell my children, a choice that I know can change their future.

There are still many who are puzzled and undecided. Spend the remaining days before election time to scrutinize all those who are running. Maybe the best way is to get hold of that side-by-side comparison of achievements and platforms, cover the names and faces and just look at what each one has got to show. Then pray for discernment. Only then will you get your answer.