Please share to others as well, if you dearly love the Philippines.
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Dear Fellow Filipino,
Good day to all of you! Before I begin my letter... just a
disclaimer, for people who know me they know that I love the Philippines
very much and I am not really one who rants and complaints to high heavens
about what is happening to our country and does nothing about it, in fact,
I feel that at my relatively young age of 27, I have done much service to
the Philippines by setting up Pathways to Higher Education which has sent
more than 500 poor but deserving students to college and AHON Foundation
which has already built two public elementary school libraries that have
benefitted more than 3,500 students. Yet, after seeing how events in our
nation have transpired the past few weeks and talking with some friends, I
feel the urge to share with you my own thoughts and feelings.
Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political
alliances for this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the
Philippines. Now we have two political forces with familiar faces
nonetheless on opposite sides of the fences. On one end, you have Tito
Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta who were two major stalwarts of the
opposition and the FPJ Campaign in 2004 hobnobbing with the woman (Pres.
GMA) whom they claimed to have cheated FPJ in the last Presidential
Elections.On the other side of the fence, you see Manny Villar, the former
house speaker who was actually responsible for impeaching Erap now part of
the United Opposition who is led by no less than... Erap himself. Now if
you don't see anything wrong with this picture then you must be one of the
many Filipinos who have accepted this very sad reality that there is
indeed no permanent ideals that our government leaders stand up for but
rather they just go where there self-interests can best be served. It is
this kind of politics why I no longer wonder why good people like Ramon
Magsaysay Awardee Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City or outstanding Bulacan
Governor Josie Dela Cruz will find it hard or worse, never be elected to
national positions.
It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are
events this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the
Philippines:
1.) If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci
fame wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon...seeking to
replace a good man no less in incumbent Cong. Neric Acosta... We would
really be the laughing stock of the whole world if we allow a man with the
reputation of Garci to be one of our so called "Honorable Gentlemen".
2.) If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the
Senate... I hope that all of us would still remember that dance that she
did during the 2001 impeachment hearings after they voted to overrule the
decision of then Chief Justice Davide... let us make sure that people like
her never make it to the Senate again.
3.) If Richard Gomez becomes a senator... what does he know about
making laws? We already have the likes of Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid in
the Senate and their performance or lack of it would be reason enough not
to elect another actor who has no prior experience in government to the
distinguished halls of the Senate.
4.) If Gringo Honasan wins again.... have we not learned our lesson?
I cannot believe that just because someone is charismatic then we will
just elect him to become one of our senators despite the fact that he has
time and again caused so much instability in our country... if we want a
military junta similar to that of Thailand... then lets all vote for this
guy....
5.) If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City...
everybody loves Manny the Boxing Champ but Manny the Lawmaker? Lets be
realistic here, Manny is our Hero alright but I think it takes more than
just great boxing skills and a desire to serve to be able to make
appropriate laws that would help uplift the lives of the many Filipinos
who live in Poverty.
6.) If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... I don't like Jojo
Binay as well but Lito Lapid as city mayor of the country's finance and
business center?!?! And do you really think he is from Makati and has good
plans for the city? The Arroyos asking someone like him to run just goes
to show you how much love and concern this government has for our country.
7.) If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator, Illegal Gambling = Chavit...
enough said.
Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections
then don't be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love
dearly. Like I said during the first part of my letter, I feel that I have
done much for this country but I think its time that Filipinos become more
vigilant and critical in selecting our leaders for the sake of our future
and the generations that will go beyond us. So I appeal to every Filipino
who asks what can I actually do for my country... Choose and vote for the
right people this coming elections, huwag na tayong magpaloko sa mga
kandidatong maganda lang ang jingle o gwapo lang sa mga poster. Let us
choose leaders who have a good track record for service and who are
genuinely committed towards serving our country.
Manindigan naman tayong lahat para sa ating Kinabukasan at para sa
Kapakanan ng ating Bayan!
Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter.
Sincerely,
Harvey S. Keh
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] com
