New Hope

One generation plants the tress and another gets the shade, says a Chinese proverb. In the last couple of months leading to the elections, I really did try to plant those trees. The generation after us should never stop planting, sure, but they deserve that shade.

Thank you, Gilbert Teodoro, for teaching me to give a damn. For giving me hope. For getting my usually-politically-lazy butt out there and attempt to make a difference. For inspiring me to be positive. For making me fall in like with this country all over again. And for giving me a glimpse of what we could all be one day.

They say a leader like him comes once in twenty five years, maybe even fifty. Others say he will be the best President we never had. Possible. But eye on the ball as there is work to be done. Right this minute. Lots of healing. Lots of helping. All those colors put together would make a very pretty rainbow, I'm sure of it. Let's get started. Our children could use a rainbow. And the shade of course.

Who Are You Voting For?

Bear is often afflicted by Last Song Syndrome. Lately, he keeps singing Manny Villar's campaign jingle which he hears a lot on the car radio -- particularly that one sang by a bevy of your Everyday-Pinoy-Kids who earnestly ask, nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura? The campaign ad parodied here by the funny folks at Bubble Gang...

Over dinner last night Bear was singing the jingle again, prompting me to ask him, do you know who I'm voting for?

Bear: Gibo.

Me: Who would you vote for?

Bear: Manny Villar.

Me: (incredulously) Why?

Bear: I like his song. And he helps children.

Me: How do you know he helps children?

Bear: (with utter conviction) I saw it in his commercial.

So that's how, at our very own dinner table, Money Manny Villar's campaign cashola manifested itself. Notice how his ads are everywhere? I was on you tube enjoying Peter Gabriel's cover of Vampire Weekend's Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa and his banner ad appeared! Anywaaay...

I do have to hand it to Bear for having his own opinion about things. While I appreciate that, I had to tell him, Gibo can help kids too. He has good plans for education. Pappy then whispers to me, that's a bit too much to discuss for his age. Okay, fine. So Bear had his final word on the dinner topic: I haven't seen him (Gibo) help kids. Oh well... At age 6, he's still a few years away from discussions on media literacy and campaign-spin analysis.

Not to be discounted for having her own thoughts on the matter, Chicha tells me: Mama, I'm going to vote for Gibo because you and Daddy are voting for him. Sweetie pie. As they say, girls are made up of sugar and spice and everything nice. Boys are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails AS WELL AS CONFLICTING OPINIONS. But I'll always love you Bear, even if you're not rooting for my chosen candidate...

So there we have it, our household presidential survey: Gibo - 3 votes, Johnny Bilyar - 1 vote. Oh and... I hear that someone who knows he's too young to vote is trying to convince his yaya to cast her ballot for Johnny.

Standing Up

In four months we all get to go out, vote and get ourselves a leader we all deserve. This post isn't about who you should vote for. It isn't even about who is best for the job. We all have our own thoughts, our own ideas and I love that I can sit down and have a laugh with someone who isn't going to vote for the same guy I'm rooting for. Its a free country after all. Read: Respect, Respect.

Props to MacDaddy. Up until a month ago, he had never even met the presidential candidate. He had heard him months before, scrutinized his take on many issues and knew he found "the one". He was certain he had to get up and do something. With a lot of MacDaddy's sweat (fortunately no blood or tears ) and together with an equally young and persevering bunch, thousands were up at the crack of dawn last Saturday to stage a fun run to show their support. I wish I was there to see it. I would have been beaming with pride, for sure.

MacDaddy speaking to a crowd of over 3,000.

Because no Filipino event is complete without its own share of characters.

Meet Manny Paksiw and Freddy Root

Standing behind and beside what he believes in

Which is why I am grateful the Mak-Tatos have the chance to witness first hand what it means to go out and go after something you truly believe in. Never mind if it goes against the grain. Never mind that it isn't a very popular choice. And never mind that after all of MacDaddy's hard work Tato declares "I want my Mama to be the President of the country. The President of Manila!"