so today marks the first day of a new era in philippine governance. i watched p-noy’s inauguration yesterday, and like millions of filipinos, i was awed, inspired, broke into goosebumps and became even more hopeful than i’ve been during the campaign and elections. like many skeptics, i know he’s not going to deliver all of his promises. i know he’s going to disappoint many, perhaps even himself. afterall, elected by the people or not, he’s not a superhero, and it will take heroic efforts, and then some, to banish the countries woes. and it will definitely take more than six years to fix decades of wrongs.
but, hope, that’s what noy-noy has given us. and for a country already in the dumps and have lost trust in the government, hope is not insignificant. hope is a spark, an ember. whether that flares to roaring flames, that doesn’t depend wholly on noynoy. for what is one man, to the nearly a hundred million (current estimate) filipinos that make up a country?
the leader is committed to implementing change in governance. pero ikaw, as bmpm asks, ano ang sisimulan mo para sa pagbabago?
it reminds me of my dad when he was in hospital receiving treatment for lung cancer. the nurse was interviewing him and asked whether he smokes. he said, “ah, hindi na. matagal na akong tumigil.”
“kelan po?”
“nung mabaril ni ninoy.”
at the time, i found it strange how that one event had provided my father the impetus to make such a personal change. but now, i’m just starting to understand. this is the change that noynoy is now summoning us all for.
ikaw, ano ang sisimulan mo para sa pagbabago?
