By Philip Suzara
Pondering… as I sit here at the edge of my mythical life pond.
One can see many things happening at the edge of life’s pond, as in any pond. Decisions are made there, life changing decisions, defining moments… to get in the pond, or not. The pond is encircled by its edges in different forms and kind: straight, jagged, rough, rocks, pebbles, sand, soil, or mud. Very much like people. No matter the differences we have, we all belong there… around the life pond, inside, outside, at the edge, but there.
The campaign season for national offices beginning with the President, Vice-President, and the senators is now on its peak and the race is heating up on the candidates to win the hearts and minds of the electorate.
My fearless forecast is on a two-way fight for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential post which is between the Leni-Kiko KatRoPa tandem and that of Uniteam’s BBM-Sara. That the fight is a turning out to be a vicious one is on account of the dirty tactics suspected to be employed by Uniteam led by the erstwhile dictator’s son and their cohorts.
Never have we, in the past, seen the prevalence revisionism, of fake news, lies, rigged surveys, character assassination and mudslinging being perpetrated and peddled to unsuspecting individuals and the general public.
Some institutions and cronies of this administration seem to have gotten themselves involved in activities where they otherwise should not; the questionable supply contracts with the Comelec, add to that the equally questionable Comelec decisions on allowing candidates to run with issues raised against moral turpitude, the questionable printing of election ballots without the presence of representatives of the candidates, the turning up of pre-shaded ballots in foreign stations, and the inadequate value of postage stamps for proper mailing of accomplished ballots.
The military and police network has, pardon the pun, gone to painting the town red going by their red-tagging binge, especially accusing the opposition front-runner, VP Leni of collaborating with the reds and other terrorists, these and many, many more.
The enemy has gone below the belt with their tactics -- way below the belt, in their pursuit of fame, power, and fortune.
When malevolent protagonists smell defeat, they resort to all sorts of dirty tactics and black ops in their desperate move to recover their position; they will seek to destroy their enemy. This is very much like the scorched-earth policy used by the Japanese forces upon their retreat; they employ this military strategy hoping to destroy resources and anything that might be useful to the enemy.
The Holy Week quiet was broken as our Easter Sunday came with some sort of a comic relief. Three presidential candidates got together with two of them bringing their vice-presidential candidates in tow and called for a Press Conference to make a special public announcement.
We understand that a fourth presidential candidate was, at that time, still circling the skies, seeking for signs from the heavens and hoping to be able to land on time and catch up with the godforsaken news-breakers.
The rumour mills have been active with speculations and wishful thinking that the “opposition” have joined forces to slide down and just support VP Leni’s presidential bid; that… until the blabbermouths blabbed. They said their patriotism and bright minds drove them to get together, conduct the press conference and ask VP Leni Robredo to withdraw her candidacy from the presidential race to save the country from further destruction.
Hold your horses; that would have been alright if the circumstances were even just slightly different, but you see, VP Leni is currently number two in the running and the ones who are asking her to withdraw, mind you, are those who are trailing way behind her. Imagine, the temerity and audacity of those jokers, in their highly flawed logic, saying that since she is in the number two position, and has stayed on to be there, there might be no chance for her to be number one -- it seems to them that she will not be in the lead because the voting public, most probably, do not like her and that any one of the three of them might be a better alternative to fight the dictator’s son. Great logic, huh?
What a bunch of idiots; one would think they must be high on something like solvent, ground coffee, or powdered detergent. And, if they weren’t tragic, they’d be funny – well, actually, no one is taking them seriously anymore after that blessed Easter Sunday.
Thank God for blessings!
I ask you now to take notice of the phenomenon that had just unfolded before us, before VP Leni had even filed her candidacy and announced that she was gunning for the presidency. It was with much bated breath that we had been awaiting for any signal from her that she was in the running. There was quite a number who became impatient with the waiting game; many thought that she was playing it too cute for comfort – but there was no game, what there was, was honest to goodness discernment – lots of it, plain and simple discernment with lots of listening in the quiet.
Eleventh hour it was, and that’s the way it went.
Lots of chasing to do with the 11th hour decision, it was around this time that the phenomenon was happening. No political party, declaring pink as her campaign color of choice, participative consultations, and lots of paradigm shifts.
People loved the change; people were inspired by the undaunted challenges, people loved what VP Leni was embracing – the people’s and the country’s future. She declared that she was running and campaigning for us, and we embraced it, we embraced her campaign – it was our campaign, we made it our campaign.
VP Leni suddenly became incidental in this campaign, she is a patriot and a servant leader and therefore, the logical conclusion to our political equation – it has to be her and no one else!
The people are now owning the VP Leni presidential campaign, it is our campaign for the country’s future, our children’s future, our future – yours and mine!
This campaign had also began with meagre resources, like a car barely running on fumes, yet, the spirit of volunteerism has kept the campaign going further and farther. Volunteer groups have sprouted like mushrooms with their own organizational structures fending for themselves from resources, creativity, and activity – and the groundswell is, at once, overwhelming and inspiring.
It is You and I, who are engaged in this campaign, while we are rooting for VP Leni, Sen. Kiko, and their whole senatorial line-up for a formidable team, I am reminded of a beautiful song, You and I, from the movie “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse in 1969. Imagine the song being sang about the all the efforts put into this campaign – we will make it happen!
You and I
“You and I will travel far together We'll pursue our little star together We'll be happy as we are together We may never get to heaven
But it's heaven, at least to try You and I are going on together 'Til the time we have is gone together Watch the evening drawing on together
Growing older, growing closer Making memories that light the sky
That only time can make That only love can make That only we can make
You and I You and I are going on together 'Til the time we have is gone together
Watch the evening drawing on together Growing older, growing closer Making memories that light the sky
That only time can make That only love can make That only we can make
You and I You and I, You and I...”
You and I, each one of us, working together with all the others in pursuing our dreams, and with God’s blessings, will make it come to fruition way sooner than we expect it.
Pondering, as I sit here at the edge of life’s pond.
Philip Suzara
Creature of God. Child of the Universe. Global Citizen. Lover of Life. Freedom Fighter. Agent of Change. Lone Wolf. Occasional Consultant for Strategic Communications.
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