It was in May 2022 when I experienced an unforgettable heartbreak that I never thought I would feel in my entire life. The flame within me was ignited by the results of the national election, where two of the most detestable families took the highest positions in the Republic of the Philippines. That was when I said to myself, "Ayoko na. Bahala sila sa sarili nila."
Not to brag, but I've always had a heart for helping people in my own little ways. I love volunteering wherever I can share my skills, and I enjoy spending time where I can be of help. Every month, I set aside a portion of my earnings and put it in the Give Love fund, which I manage myself. This fund reached its highest balance to date, and I realized that since May 2022, I've become more selective in pouring out my heart to others in need—my time, my energy, and my money. In my head, I wondered, why would I help people who don't want to help themselves?
Since then, I've become distant from what's happening in the government, especially in politics. I just casually read and watched some parts of the news, learning that while bente pesos na bigas (Php20 rice) and Tallano golds are still the biggest scams for 31 million Filipinos, the "Unity" —the only platform they campaigned on is not existing anymore.
Are they still proud? Yung totoo, kumusta sila? ðŸ¤
Just last week, I heard from a friend in our Strong Women Viber group that the movie And So It Begins is already showing in cinemas. Without hesitation, I asked Jeff to watch it with me, and we went last Sunday evening, even as #EntengPH was making its way into the Philippine Area of Responsibility. No storm can stop us from doing what makes us feel alive, 'diba?
At first, I thought the movie was just a documentary about former Vice President Leni Robredo's campaign. But thankfully, a TikTok video popped up in my feed, helping me fully understand what the movie is really about.
My friend said you could have two reactions while watching the movie: either your anger will resurface, like it did for her mom, or you will cry for whatever reason. The movie is about 1 hour and 53 minutes long. I told myself, "Okay lang ako." I didn't feel the anger within, nor did I cry in the first 1 hour and 30 minutes. Everything was just fine. But as the movie was about to end—eyyy, I don't want to spoil it—but this is what made me tear up: I remembered a message from my niece who said to me, "Para akong ninakawan ng kinabukasan." (It's like my future was stolen from me.)
It's as if the universe reminded me that we didn't lose a battle in 2022. Rather, what we began continues to ignite hope for the youth and future generations, and what we fought for remains unbroken.
Ang hirap mong mahalin, Pilipinas, but I will continue to stand firm in reclaiming your honor and integrity as my beloved Bayang Sinilangan.
See the movie for yourself. 👌
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