I am a Filipino

I am a Filipino
Everywhere I go
I change things
for the better.

I am a Filipino
a child of God, a wonder of Nature
I am blessed with all the beautiful things
and treasure them as my own.

I am a Filipino
I am proud of my race.
I am respecful of other races
and treat them as my kin.

I am a Filipino
I pray every single day
I bless those who come my way
I thank God for the wonderful things
that He gives me,
my life, my family, my country.

I am a Filipino
those who know me
tells of wonderful things about me
how industrious I am at work
how patient I am at home
how I love peace
and how I defend democracy at all costs.

I am a Filipino
everywhere I go
I change things for the better.

The world is astounded by my works
I create beautiful things and I share them to the world.

I am a Filipino
look at me and I am a wonderful creature of the Universe.
I shape every single landscape into beautiful pieces of art
I astound the world with my knowledge in science.
I even dominate the world of sports

Feast your eyes at my beauty
Tickle your imagination with my fancy
I am a Filipino, a being of beauty
No one is like me.
and I thank God for giving me such a wondrous legacy.

Be proud of our country. Share the good things about the Philippines

Lacson's Appeal Resonates Today

While Hongkong rages, this is the opportune time for us, Filipinos, to unite as one.

While we rage within and really are angry against our present administration, let us not forget that these Hongkongers are getting to be unreasonable.

Yes, there should be justice for their fellow Hongkongers killed last August 23 hostage crisis. Yes, our government bungled the job. And yes, the Philippine government has already apologized for the incident.

What more can anyone do at this point?

Eight Hongkongers are dead. There is an ongoing probe. The Philippine government has already agreed on a parallel investigation. The government promised to come up with a result by two weeks. What more can these people demand from us?

Let us all wait for the results of the probe.

I appeal to our government to sack high government officials involved in the mishandled crisis situation.

I also want to appeal to our fellow Filipinos---despite this incident, all the more that we unite and show our solidarity as a people.

Let us be proud of our race. Let us do what Atty. Alex Lacson suggested in his 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can do for our country.

Let us continue to share the beautiful things about our country to foreigners. Let us not forget that we continue to live in a country blessed by God by a bounty of natural splendour.

Be proud of this. Forget about what happened last August 23.

A New Day will dawn

On July 5, a very significant event will happen to each and every one of us. In this day, the planet Uranus will have its retrogade. It will affect all the movements of the planets. It will also usher in a new way of thinking, newer perspectives and new relationships. Some say, it will be totally revolutionary.

Two days from now, expect to witness another revolutionary event--with the inauguration of president-elect Senator Benigno Aquino III. As the 16th president of the Philippines, many expect Aquino to perform far better than his predecessor, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Two things why this event is revolutionary: first, Aquino's "lean and mean" team of Cabinet members is composed of young and old faces. His Executive secretary, Atty. Ochoa, is a young and highly efficient man. He represents the incoming successor generation, composed of people in their early forties and fifties. Ochoa is expected to perform better than his predecessors, and I will say it forthrightly, he deserves to be called a better version of Eduardo Ermita, who served for three administrations.

Ermita, to the minds of many, represent stability and continuity of whatever is good in this republic. Ochoa, to my mind, deserves to give us a service better than what Ermita did in three generations.

Second, people expect relevant changes in their lives. People expect prices of basic commodities lower or at least reflecting their true values. People expect at least a lowered electricity bill in the coming month of July and probably, even lower water rates. Of course, who would not want lower gasoline and diesel prices?

For this to happen, Aquino should marshall his energy secretary to hammer out a respectable compromise with these giant oil companies. Or, better, ask Congress to totally scarp the Oil deregulation law and replace it with a better version. Order his trade secretary to ask unscrupulous companies under pain of punishment, to give the correct prices of their goods and not resort to cartelism or other harmful trade practices. Order the security forces to go after smugglers, slap charges against them, and put them behind bars. Or, even better, revive the death penalty and make examples of these economic saboteurs.

The minimum that the people expect Aquino to do is simply give them a chance to live respectably and with dignity. And what do I mean by this?

If there is a clamour to improve the business environment, more than this, improve the quality of life of the people. What many of our people demand of government is simply give them the chance to eat at least three times a day, make their salaries enough for their kids to study, have some money for transportation and at least a few pesos in their savings account. Filipinos are easy to please. Just make them enjoy the finer things in life and all is well.

Revolutionary this will be if Aquino sticks to his campaign promises---eradicate graft to improve the economic life of the people. The people is sick and tired of promises of change especially coming from politicos. They want concrete solutions to their problems. They expect government to do its part and make life easier for everyone.

Now, if the incoming administration will just be hoopla or just act like its doing something good or what people say "paporma lang" or " gaya-gaya kay Obama", then, nothing will happen. Even if , say the entire people support Aquino and do the "12 Little Things Every Filipino Can do to help our Country" (the "rule book" written by Atty. Alex Lacson), but government is unresponsive and adamant against change, then, nothing really will happen. This will justify the earlier models for change advocated by genuine revolutionaries.

This successor generation, as represented by Aquino, Ochoa and Escudero should do its best to prove that they are not the same old dogs with new collars. They are scions of traditional political families. They should do the opposite of what their fathers did. Or, improve what their ancestors did.

I am giving this administration the benefit of the doubt, and people should do the same. Its too early to comment against this administration.

The Spirit of EDSA lives as Inang Bayan: BAGO AKO

During these tumultuous nine years of Mrs. Arroyo's time, her mafia tried to slay the Spirit of EDSA. It has long been dead, says Arroyo, this "spirit" (some even called it "malevolent" like the Marcoses) killed by its own people. When the Oakwood mutiny and the Marines' standoff fizzled out, many people believed that EDSA, as a proposition, is dead. Not many people went to Ayala to support the numerous impeachment attempts. 


Mrs. Arroyo and her factotums do not really know what they're saying. 


Is the Spirit of EDSA, really, dead? 


What died is not the Spirit, oh, no. The Spirit, which emanation we saw in 1986, still lives in all of us because, quite frankly, it has been lurking around for centuries. It was never an invention of Cory Aquino and the Yellow shirts. No. It was not even a creation of the COPA, as what Boy Saycon claims. No. Nor was it a creation of the Ramos' boys. Oh, no. 

The SPIRIT of EDSA existed from the very first time our forebears met in that small shack in Tondo Manila. That very first meeting of the Katipuneros led by Andres Bonifacio was the initial creative moment of the Spirit. Some say the Spirit consisted of three things: the military, the People and the Church. I dare say no.


The spirit is the collective consciousness of a people enslaved and harmed by injustices. 


The Spirit of EDSA is an indigenous concept, a concept which sprang forth from the rich, loam soil of these lands. It rose from the very loins of the Filipino People, a rich collective consciousness of struggle for the good life. 


It was never really a political weapon. It was never really a threat against any dispensation. It was never a toy by this and that group. 

Every soul shares this Spirit. Every soul has a part in this consciousness. Whenever we encounter difficulties, we tap in this Spirit. 


When Typhoons hit this country, the Spirit awakens in each and every one of us. When we see beggars in the streets, the spirit urges us to make a small donation. Whenever we see families hungry, the Spirit asks us to partake our food with them. Whenever we see a house burning, the Spirit nudges our souls to help our fellow brothers and sisters. Whenever we see an injured Filipino in the streets or a Filipino victimized by petty thieves, this same Spirit demands from us our duty to help.


The Spirit also of EDSA asks us to follow traffic rules, to obey the laws, pay our taxes, demand receipts whenever we buy something, respect our parents, and all of the things Alex Lacson wrote in his small orange book, " 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can do to Help our Country."

The Spirit demands for us to do our share in nation-building, however small or big it is. 


This same Spirit, the collective consciousness we all call "Inang Bayan" is calling us, every single Filipino, whatever you may be at this time, to go back and help re-build our country.


Noynoy Aquino won this elections because he tapped into this consciousness. He wants us to join forces with him and create a graft-free environment. And he is right.


EDSA is not about power struggles, nor an adventurist's foray into coup d'etats. EDSA is not coup d'etat nor a revolt. No. There is simply nothing political about EDSA. 


It is about transforming oneself and using one's energies for the benefit of the many. It is about being BAGO (New) and NAGBABAGO (an agent or catalyst for change). It is all about embracing the principles of BAGO AKO, an active affirmation of being a Bagong Tao who thinks of his fellow Filipinos' welfare first before himself. 


Bago ako, bayan muna. Bago ako, ikaw muna. Bago ako, bayan naman. 


From Self to Un-Self. From individual, to collective. From One, to Many. 


How then can we institutionalize this Spirit and make it a part of governance?


Noynoy Aquino should make it his theme---this administration should not be called the Second Aquino administration, no. Let it be called " The People Power" government. 


A government that is of the people, by the People and for the People. 


Noynoy Aquino should make it a point to involve every single Filipino, to engage every single Filipino and make every single one realize that we are all in this together. 


That Aquino is just our shepherd, that he is just a guide, a General, if you will, who leads the charge for a better life. Let his government be one who listens. Let his government realize that its success or failure lies not on Noynoy but on how it engages the people to do their share in nation-building. 


Let the incoming government be measured on how it actively pursues or engages the people and how it then, gives the gains of that engagement back to the People. Let government define what the People want and need and let it be truly responsive of its cries. That is transformative governance which this administration should be measured.