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We are urged by media and civil society organizations to ‘vote wisely’ without telling us who to vote for and why. I find this a dead statement, an empty appeal.

For me, voting wisely means letting others know how I will vote and my rationale for it. If others agree with me, at least I can find comfort that perhaps I am voting wisely. If they don’t, it could mean that those who oppose my views are themselves exercising suffrage wisely because they too have rationalized their choice.  Either way, I think we owe it to our country to help our political siblings to arrive at an informed choice, or maybe a guided judgment.  It is in this context that I am making public what would appear in my ballot come election day.

For President, my vote goes to NOYNOY AQUINO.

I don’t believe that this election should be judged based on the platform of the candidates or their political parties. Most of these campaign promises are just that anyway, pure motherhood statements. After all, no one can make a valid claim that he or she has the singular solution to our country’s perennial problems, even just on poverty and corruption.

I also remain unconvinced that the people’s vote in the forthcoming polls should be gauged on the basis of the candidates’ track record as former public officials. I do not see anything extraordinary or exemplary in what they did while in office. As public officials they were expected to do their jobs well. It would have been worse if they didn’t.

Even the so-called “rags-to-riches” story failed to impress me especially so that there are indications that this wealth was acqured through some surreptitious means. When there’s smoke there’s fire as they say. It also defies logic and psychology to conclude that a rich man would not steal. Many times in fact, those who cheated on their way up gain public approval because their experience made them perfect the craft.

Having an intelligent and very well-educated president is also not what this country needs right now. Of the past presidents this country had, who can be more intellectually superior than Ferdinand E. Marcos? Cory Aquino, a plain housewife, and Ramon Magsaysay, a simple mechanic, had a special place in our nation’s history not because of their brilliance but because their hearts were genuinely for the people. In a volatile political condition, intelligence without virtue almost always leads to abuse and exploitation.

Our beloved Philippines at this point in her history needs for her next president, a leader whom she can trust, a leader whom she can look up to as an exemplar of accountability and honesty in public governance, a leader who truly listens and assumes full responsibility for his or her actions, a leader with an uncompromising political will, and a leader who truly loves this country and its people next to God. Regrettably, I find that none of the officially declared candidates can satisfy all these qualities.

Every candidate would have their own issues, personal or otherwise. I understand though that we are not electing someone for sainthood. Some say that we just have to choose the lesser evil, and they may be right. But even if we have to do just that, we have no other choice as a people but still to make a choice on election day.

If we take away the persona of the presidential candidates, we will see that the 10 May polls would be a contest among the following elements: ancestral-driven public trust, self-serving claim of success stories, self-proclaimed performance in public office, intellectual superiority, and a nebulous moral platform. Of these, I would bet my chips on ‘trust’.

We all envision a nation whose people rely less on government for their sustenance. We need to evolve a society with a strong stratum of the middle class. And to have this nation move forward in general, I would like to believe that government needs to pursue and implement a viable economic program; which in turn would require a prudent management of scarce public resources in order to put up the infrastructure needed to stimulate economic activity and investments; which in turn would require a state policy of equal opportunity and a consistent and even playing field operating within a national strategy framework; which in turn would require fast, efficient, effective and proactive delivery of government services where the public is king and queen; which in turn would require role models and servant leaders who would uphold decency in public office and would not convulate the law for what it should not be; which in turn would require public support, faith and confidence. And this chain of governance would not hold together if this country does not begin with the basic element of having a leader who is committed to keep public trust vibrant at all times.

Who would argue that even in the ordinary scheme of things, relationship – be it in love, family, friendship or occupation – does not endure unless there is trust, so too between government and the governed.

It is true that Noynoy has to live under the shadows of his great parents, Ninoy and Cory. Obviously, he would not have been a presidential candidate now if not for them. I hold the view that it is the sacred name of his parents that would more or less guarantee that Noynoy would not breach or renege our clamor for a clean, honest and accountable government while in office. It not an absolute assurance but it is good enough. It is certainly Noynoy’s competitive advantage over the rest. Call it destiny but that is the political reality. Personally, I am convinced that Noynoy in his heart and in his mind would take off from the legacy of his parents. I have my own reservation if track record, personal success, platform or even intelligence could precede trust in our choice for the next president.

Maybe for some people, public trust can also be derived from a De Los Reyes, Perlas or even a VIllanueva presidency. Unfortunately, they failed during their campaign to captivate the imagination of the personality-oriented character of the Filipino electorate. And from the practical point of view, I would rather throw my hat in favor of someone who would realize the very reason why I am casting my vote. Otherwise, my vote would be an exercise in futility.

I am not expecting a rose garden under a Noynoy presidency. It is a matter that would be six years in the making. All I desire for now is to start from where this nation should begin – public trust in government.

I am also voting for MAR ROXAS as Vice-President not only because it is inevitable with my choice of Noynoy but more importantly because I admire his magnanimity – which he demonstrated when he surrendered his personal ambition over a more compelling interest of political unity.

For Senators, my personal choices are the following: NERIC ACOSTA*, OMPONG PLAZA*, RISA HONTIVEROS BARAQUEL, ARIEL QUERUBIN, DANNY LIM, JUAN PONCE ENRILE, FRANK DRILON, ADEL TAMANO, TEOFISTO GUINGONA III, SERGE OSMENA III, REGALADO MAAMBONG AND SUSAN OPLE. I chose them for varied reasons ranging from personal acquaintance (*and so I could also vouch for personal integrity) to track record, qualifications, and stand on various issues. Most of them are new faces and I personally think that the Senate needs fresh faces. One thing is sure though, I know that they can all competently handle the delicate craft of legislation.

For Mayor of Quezon City, my heart goes for HERBERT BAUTISTA, with whom I became personally acquainted when we were classmates at the National Defense College of the Philippines. I know him personally as a good man with a constant appetite for public service and new ideas.

And so I urge all of you not to squander your vote this coming elections. Vote wisely and make them known.

Judging from the President’s spiritless endorsement of Gibo Teodoro as a presidential candidate and her party’s languid campaign performance, rocked by shifting party loyalties, it would appear that GMA is not keen on, or perhaps has abandoned the idea of, having a partymate succeed her reign. On this premise, I think GMA knows her politics too well.

It will not serve any practical purpose for GMA and her lieutenants to plot electoral cheating in a national scale, or worse a takeover using the armed forces. It would not matter to her who wins, although from many indications she seems to prefer a Villar presidency. It would matter to her though if she can prove and proclaim to one and sundry that the first automated election in this country is perceived as orderly and credible. This is crucial as a last minute attempt to save the sullen image of her presidency once it ends. Yes she will step down – but the credibility of the results of the 10 May 2010 polls is consequential in the pursuit of her post elections agenda.

And what is the agenda?

When GMA filed her certificate of candidacy as a congressional candidate for the 2nd District of Pampanga, she said that “after much contemplation I realized I am not ready to step down completely from public service” – a traditional politician’s favorite tagline as if elective officials have the monopoly of public service.  Obviously, the statement only meant – “I will stay or be back in power“.

She needs to be in the mainstream of political authority, first to avoid a repetition of an Erap-type prosecution for the sins of her administration, and second to take another attempt as Chief Executive of this country working within the limits of the Constitution.

Is it not a source of wonder why GMA did not run as Vice-President or Senator or Governor of Pampanga? The simple answer is that these offices would not serve her hidden but evident agenda. She opted to run for Congress because she wants to control the House of Representative by being its Speaker.

But why the House of Representatives?

We all know that impeachment cases are initiated in the House of Representatives. In case of a GMA prosecution, the case will begin at the Office of the Ombudsman. And there is a public perception that the incumbent is an ally, who cannot be replaced except by impeachment. In the unlikely event that prosecution proceeds, it will surely go all the way up to the Supreme Court, whose members including the Chief Justice would be her appointees by virtue of a recent decision. I would like to believe though that our Supreme Court would assert its independence when confronted with a legal controversy involving the matter. Justices of the Supreme Court cannot also be removed except by impeachment.

We all know also that there is an open constitutional question whether or not amendments to the Constitution may be done by a vote of 3/4 votes of all its members, the members of the House and the Senate voting jointly – which makes the vote of the latter totally insignificant in the process. Again, this issue would eventually fall on the lap of the High Court and its collective judgment would say with finality what the law is.

If GMA and her colleagues in the House succeed in this effort, we might have a parliamentary government with her as Prime Minister holding office side by side with the elected President depending on the quid pro quo and the terms of the charter amendments. The only remaining stumbling block for this is the ratification of the people in a plebiscite. Here, GMA needs to restore the trust of the people. But how?

The key is to make the 10 May polls credible as she gracefully exits the presidency come noon of 30 June 2010. Equally important to realize her political agenda is to ensure the election of her stalwarts in local elective posts for governors, mayors and congressmen, regardless of their party tag.

GMA’s intent is evident when she started releasing the pork barrel of allied solons during the campaign period; was reported to be supporting sympathetic party-list groups; insisted on appointing the Chief Justice and even the Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan; tolerated shift of party affiliations if that’s the practical way to ensure that her candidates would win in their localities. This maybe the reason also for the reported scarcity of campaign funds for national candidates but not necessarily for local candidates, particularly her congressional aspirants.

While many sectors of society are worried about fraud in the national results of the automated polls. They could be barking at the wrong tree because at the end of the day GMA might have her last laugh and stand taller over the issue. It could also be a diversionary tactic to cover up for a possible retail electronic cheating in the poll results for local candidates. This could be the reason why Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales found out for himself that “some people were already trying to bribe polling officials“. Offhand, this seems to be a modus operandi confined at the local level.

Needless to say, there is no pre-proclamation controversy in congressional posts and it is no longer a viable legal option when a winning candidate for other local position is already proclaimed. The sooner GMA’s congressional allies are proclaimed the better for her – and this can be facilitated by the unparalleled speed of electronic transmission.

I hope that this political insight is totally amiss because if it is true I do not see how the results of the coming polls will bring about change and a better life for our people. It would still be the business of politicking as usual.

I do not want to be a pessismist. Thus, I welcome your comment and tell me why I could be wrong.

Latest:

20 April 2010, the Supreme Court en banc in a Resolution upheld its 17 March 2010 Decision and denied all motions for reconsideration filed.

6 April 2010 Inquirer.net breaking news on my motion for reconsideration – click here

On 31 March 2010, I filed a motion for reconsideration of the 17 March 2010 Decision and for a full court deliberation sans recluse. Read the copy of the motion by clicking here.

On 17 March 2010, the Supreme Court en banc promulgated its Decision upholding the power of the President to appoint the Chief Justice vice Chief Justice Reynato Puno during the prohibited period against midnight appointments.

On 10 February 2010, I filed a petition for prohibition with prayer for injunctive relief docketed as G. R. No. 191032 against the Judicial and Bar Council before the Supreme Court docketed as G. R. No. 191032.

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There is no provision in the 1987 Constitution that says that the President should appoint the Chief Justice.

All the Constitution provides is that “Members of the Supreme Court x x x” shall be appointed by the President from a list of nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council” (Sec. 9, Art. VIII).

But the Constitution also says that the Supreme Court has the power ”to appoint all officials x x x of the judiciary” (Sec. 5 [6], Art. VIII). And there is no iota of doubt here that the Chief Justice is an “official” of the judiciary, in fact the highest official thereof.

In short, the appointing power of the President extends only to the associate justices (or members) of the Supreme Court, not necessarily to the post of Chief Justice, which the Supreme Court En Banc may legally designate.  Thus, the selection and nominating powers of the Judicial and Bar Council under the Constitution and the consequent appointing power of the President may be exercised only in this case if the person sought to be appointed Chief Justice is not coming from among the incumbent justices of the Supreme Court.

This interpretation is in keeping with the principles of separation of powers and would best serve the independence of our judiciary, free from all political and vested interest.

This is the gist of my letter dated 11 January 2010 to the Chief Justice copy furnished all the associate justices of the Supreme Court. In reply, I received a letter from the Judicial and Bar Council dated 19 January 2010 stating that my constitutional view was duly noted during its en banc meeting of 18 January 2010.

I pray that the Supreme Court asserts its constitutional power to select its own leader upon the retirement of Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno on 17 May 2010 to put to rest all the current debate and constitutional controversy about his replacement that continue to undermine or taint judicial independence.

The Supreme Court En Banc declared unconstitutional in Quinto vs. COMELEC (G. R. No. 189698, 1 December 2009) the second proviso in the third paragraph of Sec. 13 of RA 9369, Sec. 66 of the Omnibus Election Code and Section 4 (a) of COMELEC Resolution No. 8678. Consequently, appointive public officials are no longer ipso facto resigned when they file their certificate of candidacy for an elective post.

With the ruling, justices, judges, election officials, military and police officers, members of the cabinet and all appointed civil servants may continue to exercise the functions of, and hold on to, their appointive office while campaigning to get elected for an elective position.

If they lose, they just continue occupying their appointive posts without even violating Sec. 6, Art. IX (B) of the Constitution that says “No candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such election, be appointed to any office in the Government of any government-owned or controlled corporations or in any of its subsidiaries”.  Why? It is because they have already been appointed before they lost the elections.

The decision does not seem to prevent the evil that the Constitution, in so many words, seeks to prevent. Next elections, should the Filipino people be wary that the Chief Justice, the Chairman of the COMELEC or the Chief of Staff of the AFP becoming a candidate for President, Vice-President or Senator while serving the office to which they were appointed?

Just asking, in the meantime that this decision is not yet final and executory.

NOTE – In a Resolution of the Supreme Court en banc dated 22 February 2010, it granted the motion for reconsideration of the COMELEC and set aside the foregoing Decision. Thus, the constitutionality of Section 4 (a) of COMELEC Resolution No. 8678, the second proviso in the third paragraph of Section 13 of Republic Act No. 9369, and Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code were upheld.

I join our countrymen and the world in mourning the passing of Tita Cory. I learned about her death while I was in Naga City. And when I came back last night after a grueling land trip to Manila, I and my son, Jimbo, did not waste any time in paying our last respect for her at La Salle Greenhills.

Many great things have been said about Tita Cory and she truly deserves all the accolade.

But I love Tita Cory because she made us believe that what it takes to be a great leader and human being is neither education nor experience nor brilliance, just plain and simple sincerity, honesty, integrity, modesty, faith and the fortitude to rise above difficult circumstances – qualities that are rare these days and you can hardly find in any of our present day leaders.

I love Tita Cory because she made sure that we, our children, and hopefully the next generation enjoy the blessings of freedom under a regime of democracy. They say that absolute power corrupts but Tita Cory did not succumb to the temptation, when it was very convenient for her to do so. Her presidency had its own share of weaknesses but no one can deny that she served us well by making sure that every Filipino enjoy the fruits of liberty.

And I love Tita Cory because she distinctly made me proud to be a Filipino. The phenomenal and world-acclaimed People Power of 1986 was bloodless and peaceful simply because Tita Cory was its icon, its inspiration, its moving spirit. And I now reminisce that part of my life circa 1983-1986 with great pleasure which I want my children to cherish and understand well.

I dare say that Ninoy’s life and death was actually meant by God to prepare Tita Cory to be our own Joan of Arc. God must be on our side for giving us Tita Cory.

“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life”, Tita Cory once said.  You did, Tita Cory.

“I hope that history will judge me as favorably as our people still regard me, because, as God is my witness, I honestly did the best I could. No more can be asked of any man”, Tita Cory said in her last SONA.  We know you did, Tita Cory.

With your death, may the hopes of the Filipino people live again by tying that yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree.

Thank you Tita Cory. Thank you. Farewell.

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Below is a song composed by my best friend, Corazon Guidote, arranged by Roy Del Valle, performed by Lisa Del Valle and photoshow assembled by Mike Reyes.

This is under  CC-BY-NC-ND Philippine License 3.0

For me, to live life sensibly means having to act in a manner that would sustain our well-being and spending our lifetime without having to regret about anything, its ups and downs notwithstanding.

For instance, we eat to live.  Ironically, the root causes of many of our physiological maladies today (i.e. high blood pressure, blood sugar swing, intolerable uric acid, arterial block, malignant growth, and the like) are also brought about by the food we eat. It’s either we eat less of what we need to eat for better nourishment or we indulge more on what our body should take less.  Some even seem to live to eat, in fact.

Life is short.  If an average person dies at the age of 70 years old, it means staying in this physical world only for 25,550 days or a total of 613,200 hours.  If we sleep an average of only 6 hours a day during our lifetime, it means that we are only awake for a total 459,900 hours to do everything that we need to do during our existence.  If we take away the time we need to spend for our childhood, or up to 6 years old when we do not have to worry about anything except to eat and play, that leaves us approximately 420,000 hours to make full use of from the moment we start schooling – that is if we would live up to 70 years old. Many would not be as lucky.

As we go through with life, we are enmeshed in a myriad of activities and endeavors involving our family, our neighbors, our friends, our workplace, our faith, our country, ourselves and even the world we all live in.  How much of our time should be devoted to each one of them is of course a matter of personal discretion. How we conduct our lives is often dictated by urgency and our sense of priority. Consequently, there is always the tendency to spend most of our time lopsidedly on one thing while we conveniently take other equally important things for granted.  And when our time is up, we can only look back to blame ourselves for the things that we did not do. But should we?

We are all driven by instant gratification. Gambling, smoking, drinking, nightlife, sensual escapades, shopping spree, addiction and even excessive fellowship are typical examples of guilty pleasures that make us feel good almost instantaneously.  Since personal satisfaction in these cases is always short-lived, there is the natural urge to do them over and over again until they become nasty habits that make a fool out of us. Unfortunately, these bad habits are hard to break. Slowly but surely, they either diminish our well-being or make us consume a good part of our lives for nothing.  Oftentimes, we do break our bad habits only when it is too late to do so.

To do anything excessively therefore, even if it is good or pleasurable, would never contribute to a sensible life. Rest and work for example are both desirable. But too much of either could also jeopardize the way we live.  Life on earth itself is sustained because nature works in perfect harmony and balance. Any extreme condition that disturbs nature’s state of equilibrium could spell the end of this world, or part of it. So it is with life.

To live life is never simple.  If we want to live life sensibly, I am not sure if there is any other sure-fire formula other than to sustain and spend it in moderation, as the first rule.

Obviously, moderation will never guarantee us an easy life. But a keen sense of it could make the way we live life worthwhile.

Like most of us, I could only wish I did.

For as long as we breathe, we will never be spared of human difficulties, troubles and pains along the way. Life is a constant struggle.

Some of our problems are innate, while others just occur without any rational explanation as if we are doomed by fate. But many of our predicaments are actually the result of our erroneous disposition, miscalculations and human frailties.

Some take even the slightest difficulty with a very heavy heart as if it’s the end of the world. Others who are put in a graver and more serious situation take them with a pittance. Ironically, many times our own reaction to our personal difficulties becomes the root of even bigger and deeper difficulties.

During our trying times, it is always best to accept things or situations as they are, first and foremost. If the solution to our problems is within our control, by all means, let’s do our best and put consistent efforts to resolve them. Otherwise or if our best is not enough, let us not forget to live in the thought that nature or fate have always the means of resolving them sooner or later.

Don’t despair. Instead, let us always appreciate what we have and not, what we do not have. Let us count our blessings and be thankful for them because I am pretty sure that there will always be another person whose situation is much more pitiful, unbearable and unfortunate than us, and yet continues to have the fortitude and faith to move on with life. Think about them. Gain inspiration and derive strength from them.

Take every problem as challenge to our human existence because this is what makes life beautiful and meaningful, especially when it is time for us, or others, to reminisce, or even laugh at, what we have been through. But if we opt to fall into the trap and the attitude of defeat and surrender, it is almost certain that we will be buried in oblivion as we dig our own graves.

Our Creator did not promise us a rose garden on earth. All He has given us are our options.

One of the most important faculties of the human mind is its ability to remember.

It is a great source of wonder what this world would be if human beings have no memory of their immediate past. Perhaps, life would be peaceful because every frustration, antagonism and difficulties would be buried immediately after they occur. When everything is forward looking, there is absolutely nothing to keep, no ax to grind, and no excess baggage to worry about.

It sounds utopian but I really don’t think it is. Without memories, good or bad, life also loses its meaning and significance outright. Feelings and our sense of being would also not matter.

During our lifetime, people spend much time recording the past. Development of better tools and technology to perpetuate and preserve human events and interaction is a never ending quest. When people look back, it gives them their sense of being, their sense of belonging, and their sense of humanity.

It is our natural gift of mental and emotional faculties that makes us human beings and the real attribute that distinguishes us from other creations. And the human memory rightly serves their purpose.

Inevitably, our entire journey in life is the building block of our own memories in this world for others to keep after our time is up.

In the end, it is not so much whether we lived a life in misery or a life of fortune, a life of constant struggle or a life of ease, or a life of helplessness or a life of strength. It is when people constantly capture a vivid imagination of you at whim just to remember how you made a good difference.

And the best thing about building good and pleasant memories is it does not require a special skill or talent or possessions, all it needs is a sincere and true heart to love and care so that others could keep you in mind till the end of time.

There will always be a better person than each one of us and this truth we must accept. Someone will always run faster, climb faster, and reach their goals earlier than the rest.  But this is not a valid excuse not to reach the destination we have set for ourselves. If others made it, there’s no reason why we can’t.

The achievement of others should serve as an encouragement, inspiration and motivation for all of us to move on. But if for some reasons, we failed to join the finishers at the finish line, don’t despair.

I believe that life is not a race but a journey. It is not a matter of who finishes first. It is not even a matter of whether you finished your own race or not. At the end of the day, it is not really so much about who is good, better or best, particularly if you make others fall just to win. They say that it is lonely to be at the top.  But should it be?

Since life is not a race but a journey, we have to make a good difference in the lives of those people who travel with us. Life is meaningful because we helped others succeed, not if we make others fail to achieve our own success. The success of a person is measured, not when he tells other people that he did, but when other people say he does.

Making a good difference in the lives of others means taking care of those people who are with us in our journey. In the process, we also let these people to take care of us. We don’t feel envious or the angst when others succeed because we know in our hearts that we are a part of that success.  In the same vein, other people feel good of our success because they know that they are part of it. And there is no reason to be lonely at the top in either case.

If we have to treat life then as a race, let it be a contest of how we can make others succeed.

Heroes and champions are never born, they are made — by the unsung heroes and the unknown champions who lived and traveled with them in the course of their lives because they too felt that their heroes and champions also took care of them along the way.

Making a good difference in the lives of others also means making a good difference in our own life.

In the course of my journey in life, I find it almost meaningless to reach my destination but leave behind all those who should have been with me in the first place.  And I am talking about our personal priorities.

We live in a very complicated world under a myriad of human activities that we have to take care of a lot of things. But which and how much of the things that we do day in and day out really matter at the end of our day? Some activities that others find trivial may be important to others and vice-versa.

Understandably, no one else would be able to define what our priorities in life are, except ourselves. Some people would set their priorities according to urgency. Others would act on the basis of relationships. Some would react according to duty while some would on the basis of the things that please them most.  

But regardless how one sets his or her priorities in life, I find it ironical, if not cynical, for some people to strive for fortune at the risk of their own lives or by bringing about the misfortune of others, or seek fame and recognition from others when they could not even command the honor and respect of their own children. Many people engage in charity when charity has not even began in their own homes. Many people make it appear to show so much love for others when it truth and in fact they are only meant to satisfy, or even cover up their own desire for, self-affection.

Some suggests that of the things we do in life, the order of precedence should be for God, country and people. But I do not believe that we should define our priorities in life in this order. On the contrary, we have to measure every decision we make or any action we take whether or not it satisfies what is good for God, country and humanity, concurrently and not successively. Anything less is unacceptable because it brings about a rift in the world we live in.

In the end, I believe that we should take our respective families, especially our progenies, at the center of our priorities in life. Personal success is nothing if we are all alone to relish it; what is worse is when our own family curses us for the neglect they suffer as a consequence. We say that the family is the basic unit of society and so whatever is good for them is also good for the country.  If we all raise our children well, we can rest assured of a better breed of the human race and I am sure our God would be pleased. I believe that we exist to make this world a better place to live in and the easier route to achieve this purpose is to make our own family our own disciple by following our own example.

There is nothing wrong with drive, determination, and ambition to realize our dreams and expectations. But make sure to bring with you your family in your journey. Do not leave them behind. We have to realize that in times of grief, solitude, heavy trials and tribulation, sickness, or even death, no one else would be there to comfort or be with us the way our own family would.

Whether you accept it or not, I strongly believe that as we travel through life our family should always define, set and be the underlying basis of our personal priorities. If we do so, I am almost certain that we will not leave this earth for another life in vain, even if we do not achieve what we please for ourselves.