The past few days has been rough not only to the Philippine nation, but has been gloomy to the family of former president Corazon Aquino.
I have never been a fan of politics ever since, nor am I a fan of it today. The dirt dished out by politicians to their opponents has been a silent war that I never bothered opening my ears to. Many of the open positions during elections use the youth as an excuse for them to be voted, which is probably why I never registered for the last election. If the youth is our nation's hope, then the ones seated shouldn't mask out our voice -- the truth.
I remember when I was to get my braces adjusted, Willie Revillame was as usual hosting his noontime show saying that if presidentiables want to make change, then he/she need not be seated in the palace. I couldn't agree more.
During the reign of Mrs. Aquino, I wasn't old enough to see how well or poorly she was doing. I didn't have the voice nor the capacity to formulate one. So definitely, I could never be in the position to speak of her as a president. She didn't run to have the position again, but despite that, she remained visible and active as a leader.
Surely Mrs. Aquino was a simple woman. I could see that in the way she pulls herself together, not an ounce of extravagance, nor a pint of a luxurious lifestyle. She was a woman of power, but never has she used this to her advantage.
You might be asking what the relevance of this entry is to the site's vision. At an immediate glance, maybe not as big as you think, but going into the bigger picture, you'd have a reason to be saddened of her death.
Aside from the fact that Mrs. Aquino helped the nation reclaim its stolen freedom, she has managed to be a good role model to Filipinos as well, and me in particular.
For a gay man to be living in a country where discrimination is very much felt, it's quite hard to make a stand for what is right. More often than not, I have chosen to be quiet about what I feel instead of fighting for what is right and affecting change which led to an even longer period of agony and disappointment. Though it is my fellow countrymen who are discriminating me for being who I choose to be, I never had the urge to hate them. For who am I to do such act anyway? Just because they've wronged me doesn't mean I can't give them the chance to mold their beliefs for the better.
I remember this one time when I was in my hospital duty in the delivery room and all the staff nurses were curious enough to know my real sexuality. They had all the possible indirect questions you could think of just so they could make me say I was gay. To end their questioning, courageously I said, without a bit of regret nor doubt, "I'm gay, and everybody knows it." I thought to myself, the only reason why we're being treated as "sick" people is because we allow them to think of us that way. Letting them think that being who we are is a negative thing, or that all of us gay people know nothing more than just having sex with our own kind. I had to put an end to this, and if what was needed to be done was one random act every single day, then we are certainly looking towards a future that lies in our hands. My shift ended with the nurses inspired of how proud I was for being myself, for having the guts to come out despite others choosing to hide from something that shouldn't be avoided to begin with.
My high school principal has embarked a tip that will forever live in me. Keep it short stupid (K.I.S.S.) Though this entry of mine to this site is short, I feel there isn't any need to prolong it with flowery words that are purely unnecessary anyway. I have made my point and just want to serve as an inspiration to everyone, may they be a member of this group or not.
Corazon Aquino had the courage to push laws into limits you'd never think would be successful, but she has surprised many with what she was able to accomplish, even after her term has ended. As a citizen of this hopeful country, I for one am glad to have been inspired by this marvelous legend, teaching me, that one individual who is whispering the truth, could be heard from a mob of screaming lies. Truly the Filipinos are worth dying for. For we are a nation where the people residing in it are capable of accomplishing great things, may we be gay or straight.
Tita Cory bids us goodbye, but I'm glad you're welcomed home.
-----
Remcyl Viloria
-a 4th year nursing student of Escuela de Nuestra Senora de La Salette Dagupan City has been living his life as a proud gay man since he was 19. Despite society's stereotyping, he excels as a freelance hairstylist, wedding singer, and graphic designer.
I have never been a fan of politics ever since, nor am I a fan of it today. The dirt dished out by politicians to their opponents has been a silent war that I never bothered opening my ears to. Many of the open positions during elections use the youth as an excuse for them to be voted, which is probably why I never registered for the last election. If the youth is our nation's hope, then the ones seated shouldn't mask out our voice -- the truth.
One politician, though I definitely wouldn't label her as one, but rather a Filipino of dedication, amidst all this hunger for popularity and even more wealth touched me incomparably.
I remember when I was to get my braces adjusted, Willie Revillame was as usual hosting his noontime show saying that if presidentiables want to make change, then he/she need not be seated in the palace. I couldn't agree more.
During the reign of Mrs. Aquino, I wasn't old enough to see how well or poorly she was doing. I didn't have the voice nor the capacity to formulate one. So definitely, I could never be in the position to speak of her as a president. She didn't run to have the position again, but despite that, she remained visible and active as a leader.
Surely Mrs. Aquino was a simple woman. I could see that in the way she pulls herself together, not an ounce of extravagance, nor a pint of a luxurious lifestyle. She was a woman of power, but never has she used this to her advantage.
You might be asking what the relevance of this entry is to the site's vision. At an immediate glance, maybe not as big as you think, but going into the bigger picture, you'd have a reason to be saddened of her death.
Aside from the fact that Mrs. Aquino helped the nation reclaim its stolen freedom, she has managed to be a good role model to Filipinos as well, and me in particular.
For a gay man to be living in a country where discrimination is very much felt, it's quite hard to make a stand for what is right. More often than not, I have chosen to be quiet about what I feel instead of fighting for what is right and affecting change which led to an even longer period of agony and disappointment. Though it is my fellow countrymen who are discriminating me for being who I choose to be, I never had the urge to hate them. For who am I to do such act anyway? Just because they've wronged me doesn't mean I can't give them the chance to mold their beliefs for the better.
I remember this one time when I was in my hospital duty in the delivery room and all the staff nurses were curious enough to know my real sexuality. They had all the possible indirect questions you could think of just so they could make me say I was gay. To end their questioning, courageously I said, without a bit of regret nor doubt, "I'm gay, and everybody knows it." I thought to myself, the only reason why we're being treated as "sick" people is because we allow them to think of us that way. Letting them think that being who we are is a negative thing, or that all of us gay people know nothing more than just having sex with our own kind. I had to put an end to this, and if what was needed to be done was one random act every single day, then we are certainly looking towards a future that lies in our hands. My shift ended with the nurses inspired of how proud I was for being myself, for having the guts to come out despite others choosing to hide from something that shouldn't be avoided to begin with.
My high school principal has embarked a tip that will forever live in me. Keep it short stupid (K.I.S.S.) Though this entry of mine to this site is short, I feel there isn't any need to prolong it with flowery words that are purely unnecessary anyway. I have made my point and just want to serve as an inspiration to everyone, may they be a member of this group or not.
Corazon Aquino had the courage to push laws into limits you'd never think would be successful, but she has surprised many with what she was able to accomplish, even after her term has ended. As a citizen of this hopeful country, I for one am glad to have been inspired by this marvelous legend, teaching me, that one individual who is whispering the truth, could be heard from a mob of screaming lies. Truly the Filipinos are worth dying for. For we are a nation where the people residing in it are capable of accomplishing great things, may we be gay or straight.
Tita Cory bids us goodbye, but I'm glad you're welcomed home.
-----
Remcyl Viloria
-a 4th year nursing student of Escuela de Nuestra Senora de La Salette Dagupan City has been living his life as a proud gay man since he was 19. Despite society's stereotyping, he excels as a freelance hairstylist, wedding singer, and graphic designer.
Comments
That was here greatness and what people around the world will remember. The rest of it, exempting Hacienda Luisita from agrarian reform, terminating all of her left-leaning cabinets members after the first two coup attempts, etc., jumping into every minor political scandal after retirement was that of an ordinary politician and nothing great in itself.
It is sad that our domestic media does not focus too much on what made her great and focuses way too much on the petty stuff and the intrigues. Perhaps it is because a part of us cannot face our own greatness as a people.