The past weeks were witness to family and friendship bonds breaking because of politics. Insults were thrown around, especially on social media, to spite or ridicule people and groups from the other camp. Some of the damage is irreparable, and there are people who are okay with that. Ironically, the call for unity sometimes leads to conflict and separation.
On one hand, this speaks about our deep love for things we believe in, even for our country and our principles, in many cases. It’s clear as day that the past weeks have shown the Filipinos’ passion and willingness to show up and work hard for things that matter to us. On the other hand, it’s also a display of our stubborn nature and the petty desire to be right.
Whatever our experience may be, what’s true is that we all need to gain closure now and we all need to heal for the sake of our country and our children. We are facing challenges brought about by the pandemic. The nation has a mountain of debt. Global warming presents serious dangers not just to us but also to the whole world. Some experts say there is some crisis in several sectors—health, education, environment, economy, etc.
We’ve already spent so much time, energy, and money on the elections; it’s time to devote our remaining resources to getting back up. The new leaders of this nation, whoever they may be, have great responsibilities. The burden lies heavy on their shoulders; may they be strong, wise, and righteous enough to carry the nation forward. The Philippines cannot afford to have incompetent and corrupt leaders, otherwise, we’ll all find ourselves in deeper trouble.
Whoever you voted or rooted for, whether it’s Leni or BBM, I encourage you to be vigilant and open-minded, to be an intelligent and wise citizen of this country. We’ve seen a lot already, may we learn from what we’ve gone through. Let’s not be blind followers of anyone, but strong protectors of our motherland and guardian of our children’s future.
Whatever it takes for us to heal ourselves and our links to people around us, I hope we’ll be open to exploring these paths. If we have real love for our country, I believe we all want the same thing. There are huge challenges ahead, and we can’t afford to remain weighed down by regret, anger, hostility, frustration, or arrogance.
The fate of this country does not just lie in the hands of our leaders, but also in our own hands. Let this be the start of our collective healing and the beginning of our cooperative efforts towards progress for all. We’re all Filipinos; let us stand together as one.