Our Family - PINK Fighting!

 They say the greatest gift parents can give to their children is to be good examples. 

Our 1st Pink rally for Leni-Kiko at Quezon City Memorial Circle

Since they were young, Andy and I have always shared our social and political views with our children.  During meals, we talk about society and politics, and occasionally would ask our kids for their views, too.  But being naturally quiet, Geof and Julia most of the time simply listened.

I get to know about their political views on issues when they ask me to edit their essays for school.  When I read their compositions, I truly marvel not just at the writing skills of both these kids, but also at the firmness of their beliefs and convictions. 

 We bring them with us in rallies – mostly EDSA anniversary celebrations and (Presidential) campaign rallies. From the time they were small until today, when they are already young adults.  

We took part in a Holy Mass  at ADMU House of Jesu for the Sumilao Farmers

This 2022 election season, Andy and I were very much involved in the campaign, supporting Leni, Kiko, and the Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TROPA).  So when Leni and Kiko had their mass mobilization at the Quezon Memorial Circle last February, the mass for the Sumilao Farmer in Ateneo de Manila University chapel, and the Meeting de Avance (MdA) in Makati in May, we went together as family.  Since both kids are now grown up, we checked first with them if they are joining us because they feel compelled because we are their parents (Julia even had to skip her class party to join us in the MdA); but they assured us that they are doing it because they also want to join, and believe in what the mobilizations stand for.  That made my heart skipped a bit.

We stayed overnight at a nearby hotel so that we can be part of the miting-de-avance for TROPA!

Perhaps this is what the elders always remind us of when we were young – that the greatest gift our children can give us is to become good and responsible human beings. We are indeed proud parents for having children who understands the value of fighting for what is right, noble, and true.

Nine C's of Leadership

"Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? ... We've got a gang of bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, ... the President is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, ...we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind ....But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.' .. ... Stay the course? You've got to be kidding... This is a country, not the damned Titanic" - Lee Iacoca

Lee Iacoca's book "Where have all the leaders gone" was written for the Americans in 2007 challenging them to choose their leaders wisely in the 2008 US elections. But the book is very much relevant to the Philippines especially now that we are going to elect our new leaders in May 2010. As a matter of fact by just replacing the names/words like "George Bush" to "Gloria Arroyo", "USA" to "Philippines, etc. it would appear that Iacoca wrote this book for the Filipinos.

One of the highlights of the book is Iacoca's nine C's of leadership. He shares his ideas being a successful CEO about leadership and listed nine points or qualities that every true leader should have. Here is a slide presentation of his nine C's:

The Nine C’S Of Leadership

Iacoca concludes that the ninc C's are ideals, and there are very few people - even leaders- who have all of them. But if you look back in history, you'll notice that different times require a different emphasis. Examples : Jimmy Carter was elected because people care more about CHARACTER than Charisma. With Ronald Reagan and Barrack Obama, it was all about CHARISMA and COMMUNICATION. In the Philippines, Cory Aquino was elected because of her CHARACTER and CONVICTION, Erap, on the otherhand, had CHARISMA but he got ousted because he has poor character. Unfortunately, Gloria was elected using COMMUNICATION inappropriately (remember, Hello Garci!).

In the May 2010 Philippine elections, I believe the three most important C's to consider are CHARACTER (he knows what's right and wrong), COMPETENCE (he has a good team) and COURAGE (he takes a position even if it will lose votes or friends).

I just hope that our voters will not select our leaders because of another C which means CUTE! I noticed students during the Presidential forum at DLSU-Manila recently who were so "kilig" upon seeing the young and "cute" presidential candidate [who can not even answer a straight yes or no :-( ].

What about you, what C's would you consider in choosing our next president?

Note: I bought Iacoca's Where have all the leaders gone? at FullyBooked (Trinoma) at 80% OFF. What a bargain!

A Tribute to Cory

We pay tribute to our beloved president, Corazon "Cory" Aquino. We support her advocacies of promoting people empowerment, peace and human rights. We admire her moral leadership and her sincere service to the people.

We paid our final respects to our great leader and mother of the nation during the wake and funeral procession. Here are images of our tribute to Tita Cory.

Paalam at Maraming Salamat.

Ituloy ang Laban ni CORY!

The Relevance of Jose "Pepe" Diokno

You may be wondering what's this post about Jose "Pepe" Diokno, senator, nationalist, public servant, human rights lawyer, educator and scholar doing in this blog? Well, we believe that "Living the Good Life" encompasses ones social, political and economic activities. Our daily living is very much affected by the kind of government and politicians we have. Jose Diokno's speeches and writings which can be found in his book "A Nation for Our Children" are very much relevant in our country's present condition. His words can serve as inspiration to the present generation and admonishment to the current breed of politicians.

When it comes to "living a goodlife", he says: "Why be honest, when it pays to become dishonest? Why fight for others when they won’t fight with you? – or even for themselves? … the answer lies in what life means to you. If life means having a good time, money, fame, power, security – then you don’t need principles; all you need are techniques. On the other hand, if happiness counts more than a good time, respect more than fame, right more than power and peace of soul more than security; if death doesn’t end life but transforms it, then you must be true to yourself and to God …”

Jose Diokno is a peacemaker and a nonviolent freedom fighter. “If resort to violence is natural in man, so are attempts to control it. Man wants to live, but he also wants to live well. Life is not worth living, if he must live under the constant lash of fear. Violence is a part of life, yes. But to tame violence is to civilize life.”

To him, addressing the problems of discontent and insurgency in the country can be found in our fundamental, basic human rights - “Food and freedom, jobs and justice – these are the keys to peace." Sadly, Diokno lamented, many people are not aware of their basic human rights and freedoms much less of ways to enforce them. “If we do not struggle with all that we have and do all that we can to vindicate our rights, we do not only condemn our rights to death; we also condemn our hopes and our dreams, our present, and our children’s future.” Diokno has an alternative view on how to measure development. For him, development means " developing a better people – people with a conscience, people with a heart, people with the guts to stand up and defend their rights."

A Nation for Our Children — a collection of Jose W. Diokno’s essays and speeches on human rights, nationalism, and Philippine sovereignty — was published in 1987 by the Diokno Foundation. http://www.diokno.org/a-nation-for-our-children/. (Maybe it's useful to give our politicians a copy of this book to remind them that nobility lies in genuinely serving the people -not lining their pockets.)

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Jose Diokno: A Nation for our Children from andyoreta.