Untitled

I'm done being silent. I'm done suppressing sentiments about the current state of Philippine politics just to avoid being criticized or lectured by older family members and friends. I'm done reserving my thoughts about murderers and plunderers in this country because of fear that my church leaders would see it and talk to me about it. I'm done.

Honestly, shame on everyone who voted for murderers and plunderers. They don't deserve a seat in the Senate. They never will. Don't give the "pwede pa silang magbago" (They can still change) argument to me because hello they should have changed before they ran for the Senate. I'm so angry at everything that's happening to my country.

This is the first time in so long that the Filipinos have candidates like Chel Diokno, a Human Rights lawyer, Samira Gutoc, a civic leader in Marawi, Leody De Guzman, a representative of the labor force that actually knows what's going on and cares about this sector. Neri Colmenares, zero accounts of corruption in his 3 years of service. And yet...

Every single one of the current Top 12 Senators are either supporters of our murderer of a President, a land grabber, a plunderer, or just plain dumb. Bong Revilla has 16 accounts of graft, while he was stead. Imee Marcos is the daughter of a dictator and has current cases in Ilocos for misuse of tobacco funds. Lito Lapid is,,, a fucking,,, actor. I could go on and on, but you could do your research. It's a Google inquiry away. With this said, none of these people deserve a seat in the Senate. None of them are representative of the Filipinos who want real change. But here they are. With millions of votes.

And I don't blame the masses. I'm fortunate enough to receive the education I have. I'm so lucky to have a roof over my head and food on the table. I'm fortunate to not have to sell my vote in order to get my allowance for the week. The misinformed masses are not the culprits. They are all victims as well.

The government knows that when they educate the people, they can no longer scheme, lie, and cheat to them. So they don't educate them. They blatantly lie and cheat these people. Thousands of Vote Counting Machines malfunctioned during the election, there were hundred of reports that their ballots didn't reflect the choices on their receipts, and there were people who weren't even allowed to see their receipts! This is the dirtiest elections I have ever witnessed. The masses are offered large amounts of money for their votes. Their needs are exploited by these power hungry officials who could care less about the masses. And don't tell me I don't know anything about the masses because I'm not part of it. I'm neither a Jew nor a German but I know what Hitler did was terrible, so just don't get me started on that. I can see what's happening. Don't try to tell me otherwise.

Don't also tell me na mag-aral na lang (just study) because I am studying. Which is why I'm fighting. Sayang yung mga pinag-aralan ko kung hindi ko naman kayang i-apply (My education will be put to waste if I don't use it). UP doesn't only teach me the hard sciences, but also the morals and responsibilities that come with being an Iskolar ng Bayan. This is my country as much as it is yours. And I'm willing to fight for it.

And to people who genuinely support our president, to that church leader who posted about Duterte ending political dynasties and the drug war eliminating the barangay captains and kapitans who seemed impossible to be unseated, honestly, check your privilege. Honestly, how can you praise Duterte for his "achievements" during his drug war when there were so many casualties? More than 20,000 people dead. Most of those are people from the slums. People who couldn't defend themselves. People who were also just victims.

How can you praise Duterte for all of this? You look at the good side and fail to recognize that there are so many bad sides. Drug addiction is a sickness. There are countless studies that support this. It's time we start treating it as what it is. This bloody drug war is anti-poor. Hundreds of news articles show this. And if you think that Duterte ending political dynasties and instigating fear to control people is worth all of these lives, then I don't think we believe in the same God. I don't think we belong in the same church.

I just find it so hard to believe that people I see in church, people I sit through testimonies with, people I watch stake conferences with, can have the guts to watch the poor die and suffer. I know I haven't been as active in the church, but I know this isn't what my leaders taught me. I know this isn't what Jesus and Heavenly Father wanted us to learn. Out of everything I learned in church as I grew older, empathy was one I was always most thankful for.

It's saddening to think that not everyone in church got to learn it.

I know a blog post won't do much. I don't even think I've got an audience here enough to make even the smallest echoes. But I don't care. I'm here to manifest what I believe in, I don't care if nobody is listening. Today, I'm going to be out there, in the streets, with the people. Because you can cheat your way to that Senate seat, but the parliament of the streets will prevail.