A Night of Sinigang

Now there are claims about massive vote-buying. And this is not an isolated case. The news have been reporting about it everyday. And I heard that our town, this happened, too.

Again, good bloggers and writers are writing about it everywhere. So, I leave it up to them to send their messages to these politicians that are allegedly guilty of this act.

I, again, will talk to Juan. Because I believe that every person will have to be the change he's looking for, as Mother Teresa said. This is also why I started this blog. Because I believe that Filipinos are one of the best people in the world. We only have to get our acts together for a better Philippines.

Anyway, this might be the wrong channel to say what I wanted to say to Juan. Because the Juan I am trying to talk to this time barely knows how to read. He starts and ends his day trying to find money to feed him and his family, even just for today. So, how can he even access the internet?

This Juan chose to sell his vote for about Php 300. Just enough to buy him and his family one meal. I imagine that he's going to buy a kilo of pork and vegetables for sinigang, which is one of the most delicious Filipino dishes we have.

He chose a night of sinigang over six years of what? You know the answer.

Yeah, yeah. You can always say get the money and don't vote for him. But there are claims that these people get their fingers dotted with indelible ink after getting the money. So, how else can he vote? Again, I leave this charge to those who are best in this field.

Vote-buying has been and will always be there.

But not if there's someone who's not selling his vote. It's like the worldwide campaign they have for the products that come from sharks.

No one will shop for Juan's vote if Juan isn't selling.

Rated

A few weeks ago, they released this video on the internet as part of the campaign AmBisyon 2010.

Then there was a showcase of Filipino directors like Brilliante Mendoza and Jeffrey Jeturian. They both have videos featured.

Yesterday, on twitter, I read that these video, along with Jeturian's were given an X rating by the MTRCB. So, I went to back-read my FB (and discovered I posted it March 5) and searched for the video to see it again. I actually did post it on my FB with some kind of excitement because I find the video on a positive light. I know it shows poverty. But just like Brillante said, it's what he sees and that's the reality.

I don't see anything wrong about the video. The scenes are true and as real as they can be. The music? Full of hope. FULL OF HOPE. It is actually inviting the youth (and all of us) to start the change.

The board said that video is injurious to the image of our country. I don't see how.

The song is not actually about the scene. But as Brillante puts it, if you will just simply interpret the song, it is somewhat elementary. He was (oh so) right about that.

Perhaps, the board saw it this way: since the song was in the Filipino language, the whole world will not understand, so they'd probably just rely on the scenes. I think it would be good to put subtitle and review it and pass it.

Orange and Lemon

They're on top of the surveys.

Others follow.

We get to choose.

For the future of our country. Our people.

*Orange image copied from here and the lemon from here.