Naniniwala pa rin


Photo from the Pride is Pink march to Ayala Ave. on the day of the Leni-Kiko Miting de Avance. Spot me at the right side, with my ubiquitous yellow bag :)

It's been a month after the elections and it still kind of feels unreal how it all turned out.

I can still remember shedding a tear after Vice President Leni Robredo declared back in 2021 that she will be running for president. I never really followed her term, having supported Chiz Escudero in the 2016 VP race, but she really stood out during the pandemic with all the programs she initiated. It was amazing how she came through despite the limited budget and being constantly ignored by the administration. And so, to hear her say she was running for the highest position in the land, I finally felt hope amid all the frustration with the current government.

VP Leni's campaign evolving into a movement was nothing short of amazing. It was inspiring what she has spurred people to do! Various segments came together - volunteering, marching, donating, and fighting disinformation, among others. I supported in ways I can, eager to do my part in ensuring she will be seated as the country's next president. It gave me so much hope.

On the other end of that hope, however, was frustration, specifically  at the rampant dis/misinformation happening and how some people I personally knew were falling for it. While I am very much ready to respect other people's choices, I couldn't believe that they were actually buying into the dishonest narratives being promoted by the other camp and posting inaccurate information themselves. These are people who are not only smart and accomplished, but also have access to the right information. I couldn't wrap my head around it and it was just disheartening.

Of course, nothing was as devastating as the actual result itself. What's worse is that the slander did not stop. Despite their candidate's victory, his camp went on propagating divisiveness, which is the exact opposite of the supposed unity they were espousing.

Grabe, ang sakit sa puso. Ang lalim kasi nung emotional investment kaya ang hirap maka-recover. Good thing I had people I can talk to about it, like my sister, my best friend, my workmates, and of course, Michael, who is a veteran of three presidential campaigns. Talking to them allowed me to process the experience and make sense of things.

With that, I decided that as painful as the results were, I will not let it or anything that the other camp spews ruin this election experience for me. The campaign brought me hope, taught me to care, and reminded me to stand for those who cannot. I voted with the sincerest of intentions, not just for my family but for the greater community. I stand by my choices, and proudly so.

Kaya naman patuloy pa rin akong maniniwala sa kulay rosas na bukas. I am ready to continue supporting VP Leni through the Angat Buhay Foundation. I am just so thankful that she is ready to continue working for the people, and I am quite confident that all those who voted for her will continue to walk this journey beside her.  Tama nga siguro si Doc Jill ng The Broken Marriage Vow (AC Soriano version preferred haha) - papunta pa lang tayo sa exciting part! I am excited to contribute because I know that she will guide with purpose and transparency. So lavarnnn tayo guise! :D

(Check out my Pride is Pink experience on my IG stories)

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