Mar Roxas could have been Philippine president. He has the credentials – US educated, Lee Kwan Yu leadership award recipient, has a reputable experience both in Legislative and Executive department, articulate, was very popular once, and has a family name we can all recall.
But the people did not want his service. Im my humble view, this is because he ran a narcissistic and egoistic campaign telling voters: we have been the best administration the Philippines has ever had in recent history. This should be continued and only I can make that happen. Their illusions are grand and there message is out of touch with reality.
Some political analyst call Mar’s defeat and DU30’s victory a protest vote. While that could be inaccurate, it is not entirely false. Six years ago, I was quite hopeful that PNoy can usher in the changes that we all aspire for. The message that change should begin from ourselves isn’t new. Like the rest of responsible Filipinos, I did my share for the past six years.
I followed rules. I paid my taxes. I return excess change. I cross only on designated pedestrian lanes. I used foot bridges. I deliver quality work so that co-workers from India, US, UK, Australia, China, Denmark, etc. would have nice to say about my work ethic in the hopes that it could represent all Filipinos as a whole. I exceeded expectations and got promoted every 12 -18 months. When I pray, I pray to God to make me useful not only to myself or my loved ones but also to society. I am not perfect and I will not enumerate my flaws just to prove it. But believe me when I say that I did my best to be the best version of myself and be useful at least to my community, if not to society at large.
But as I was doing all these, I got stuck in traffic and paid thousands of pesos because of fare surges. I braved knee to waist deep floods. I was victimized by pick pockets. I was compelled to smell an sweaty armpit of a passenger inside MRT. I don’t have anything against that passenger because I myself was sweaty, maybe even smelly too. I had to walk along EDSA because MRT was malfunctioning or traffic was in complete stop. I had to cry while watching eulogies of the wives and families of 44 of our bravest defenders. I had to cringe as I read reports about DAP being used to bribe legislators to remove an opponent in office. I had to see live footages of dead bodies lying in the streets of Tacloban for days. I had to endure all these while trying to be a good citizen of my country. This is the story of millions of Filipinos. And this story is the reason for their frustration.
I was made to believe that If I do my part in society, I will be okay. But I learned that our government was not as reciprocal to its citizens as we had hoped it to be. And I believe that this is the reason why Duterte is a runaway winner in this elections – he represents a leader that will feel for his citizens. And if he genuinely feels both our aspirations and frustrations, maybe he can usher in a government that is more sympathetic, more reciprocal, more dependable.
Duterte is not my choice for president but now that he is clearly our new leader come June 30, I join his 16 million voters and the rest of the Filipinos hoping for real change and pledge my support for him. With all my heart, I hope that the sacrifices of the good Filipinos will be reciprocated.
Weeks from now, I will be leaving my beloved motherland to go on an adventure overseas. But it will not stop me from looking after my country. Only this time, I will be from outside looking in. Though I pledge my support for our new administration, it does not mean that I will rationalize and defend it for its blunders. I will continue to express my views. For the first time, I will have the perspective of an outsider – how administration is portrayed internationally. And as a Filipino overseas, I hope with all my heart to be proud that I am Filipino whoever I am with anywhere.
Duterte, we are giving you six years to be in control. All state funds and powers will be at your disposal. Please, don’t fail this nation.
