Conversations: Daughter

Pa, ayoko!

Bakit ayaw mo?

I'm not qualified. I don't have the experience.

Nakita mo naman ang trabaho ko, ng mommy mo, pati ng mga kapatid mo. Alam mo na ang gagawin mo.

But it's a different thing. It's the actual.

Alam mo naman na umatras ang dapat na tatakbo kaya ikaw ang sinabi ko sa kanilang ipalit.

Yun na nga Pa, hindi mo man lang ako kinonsulta. You're making decisions for me, I'm old enough to decide what to do with my life.

Alam ko naman kasing kaya mo. Saka alam mo naman ang pangangailangan diba.

Paano naman ako?

Hindi naman kita pababayaan doon. We're going to hire the best people para tulungan ka.

See? Ikaw mismo hindi naniniwala sa akin.

How? Wala naman akong sinabi ah.

You still need to hire people to back me up.

Natural lang yun. We need staff.

As if I don't know what you're talking about.

Naniniwala ako sa'yo kaya nga ikaw ang inendorso ko sa kanila.

Natural lang yun kasi mataas ang posisyon mo, people cannot say no to you.

They believe in me so they better believe in you too.

Will I just always be your shadow?

Anak, sa akin ka kasi nagmana.

No, Pa, we're not talking literally here. And it's not funny.

Pinapangiti lang naman kita, anak. Tulungan mo na ako.

Yung ibang kapatid ko na lang, at least they have the experience.

Kinausap ko na sila, kaya lang ay marami pa silang kailangang gawin sa sarili nilang mga posisyon sa ngayon. Kaya ikaw na lang ang inaasahan ko.

Pa, I'm not ready for it.

Ilang taon ka na anak? Ilan na rin ang mga anak mo? Kailan ka pa magiging handa?

Pa, hindi ako katulad mo. I am not politically motivated. OK na sa akin ang simpleng pamumuhay tulad nito.

Anak, dumadaloy sa dugo mo ang katungkulan ng ating pamilya. When you are called by the people to serve you cannot say no to them, kailangan ka nila.

Pa, wala ka sa kampanya, tayong dalawa lang dito. Stop the bullshits.

But that's the truth, anak.

The truth? You want to know the truth, Pa? you're just going to use me for your political amibitions for the next presidency.

Hindi yan totoo, naniniwala ako sa kakayahan mo, sa magagawa mo.

Let's face it, wala akong kakayahan. P.A. niyo lang ako simula pagka-graduate ko at ilang taon na ako ngayon, P.A. pa rin. I don't have the qualifications to bid for the national position. I don't even have any achievements. All I have is the same surname as you do.

Anak, hindi lang basta apelyido, pati ang dugong dumadaloy sa'yo. Nasa dugo natin ang public service, tandaan mo yan.

Pa, stop using those bullshit lines you keep on using on campaigns. This is not a damn campaign. I am your daughter. I know the truth. I know all your plans. Pero itong plano mong 'to ang hindi ko alam.

OK, since I cannot persuade you with sweet words, I'm going to tell you the truth.

Well, you better be.

We need more power. And with the current administration, we're losing our ground. I'm sure you are aware of my ambition to be the president of this country, and the election is getting nearer. Kailangan nating magpakitang-gilas. Kailangan laging marinig ng mga tao ang pangalan natin sa balita. Kailangan natin ng kapit sa senado. And I need your help, anak.

Thank you for your honesty, Pa. But still, I'm doubtful. Pwede naman siguro kitang tulungan sa ibang paraan.

Paano? This is the best way. You're helping me and you'll also help a lot of people.

Pa, let's be clear if you want to continue with this conversation, let's stop the bullshit about helping people, because obviously it's not our goal. What you want is power coated in helping people. Tayo-tayo na lang dito, and are we still going to be hypocrites?

OK, if that's what you like.

Let's continue.

As I was saying, anak, your achievements doesn't matter. Tingnan mo ang ibang senador, mga artista, yung isa hindi pa nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. And look at my friend who was the former president of this country, and the first lady president, mga walang alam sa batas yan but look at them.

So, ang punto-de-vista natin dito ay wala akong alam at hindi ako qualified pero dahil may mga taong nadala sa posisyon gawa ng kanilang apelyido at kasikatan we might as well do the same, right?

Hindi naman sa ganoon anak, ang punto ay hindi kailangan ng maraming alam sa batas.

Pero iyon ang magiging trabaho ko doon. Ayos lang sa'yong magmukha akong tanga sa harap ng lahat?

That's why, as I said earlier, we're going to hire the best people to back you up. Hindi ka magmumukhang tanga.

What if I win, ano nang gagawin ko, makikipagdebate ako sa kanila?

Hindi mo kailangan makipagdebate, we're going to hire the best lawyers and writers in town para ayusin ang sasabihin mo, ang gagawin mo na lang ay basahin ang isusulat nila. Mahirap ba iyon?

How about the campaign, what would be my platform? How should I answer interviews? What if people asked me for debate? Anong gagawin ko?

It's all arranged, anak. You don't have to worry a thing. People will believe what they see in TV anyway. You don't have to participate in debates.

Then, how could I win?

Commercials and surveys, anak. It's all about surveys. We're going to pay these scumbags to condition the mind of people. We're going to place you at the top and let them think that you are winnable. People vote for winnability and not with their principles. Remember that.

I don't know Pa.

I believe in you, anak.

Paano na ang pamilya ko? Paano kung siraan ako ng mga tao? Paano kung saktan nila ang mga anak ko?

Your dad has been in politics in many years to know what and what-not to do. Akong bahala sa inyo. Plus, if you win, imagine what the money and power could do for us. Takot lang ng mga yan na banggain tayo.

I don't know Pa. Paano na lang ang mga taong naniwala sa akin? They'll think I'm just fooling them.

'Cause you are, anak. You're in politics. People know they are fooled and they tolerate it because they don't know any better. We're all fools here, lahat tayo naglolokohan, we are just in the advantage.

You know I'm not used to this kind of business. Maybe I need a vacation to think all through this.

OK. I'll give you time, but be sure to remember the deadline.

Don't pressure me please.

I understand. Nga pala, I already talked to your husband and children.

About?

About this. They all agreed. Ikaw na lang ang hindi pa pumapayag.

What?

Hopefully, that would help your decision.

You have my life already fixed all around your fingers, huh?

This is our commitment to the people. We can't-

Not that bullshit again.

Sorry. Just ponder the future of your kids with all the money, power, and fame around you, I bet someday they're going to lead this poor, rotten country too. And maybe a time will come that we could finally be able to help people as we ought to do.

Bullshit.

Badtrip Testing

Na-badtrip ka na ba?

Sa panahon ngayon mabilis tayong magalit sa mga simpleng bagay tulad ng mabagal na internet, mainit na panahon, traffic at mga celebrity na walang talento pero madali nating patawarin at nakakalimutan ang atraso ng mga taong inabuso at patuloy inaabuso ang ating bayan, ang ating kapwa, ang ating kalikasan. 

Nagagalit tayo sa mga magnanakaw na kinukuha ang mga bagay na ating pinaghirapan pero wala tayong pakialam sa mga taong ninanakawan ang bawat isa sa atin ng oportunidad para mas mapabuti pa ang ating buhay. 

Kung makapanood ang ilan sa atin ng mga taong inaapi sa mga teleserye, nagagalit tayo, gusto natin silang ipagtanggol dahil naaawa tayo. Pero yung mga pamilyang namamatay sa gutom sa paligid lang natin, tinanggap na natin bilang natural na kalagayan ng ating bayan at wala na tayong magagawa.


Lagi nating naririnig na hindi hadlang ang kahirapan sa pagtatapos ng pag-aaral dahil sa halimbawa ng isang matalino at masipag na bata sa probinsya ayon sa pamantayan ng paaralan, kaso paano na lang ang iba niyang kamag-aral na hindi ganoon katalino dahil madalas ay gutom sa klase, sasabihin pa rin ba nating hindi hadlang ang kahirapan para mapaunlad ang buhay?

Ang mga small time na kriminal nasa kulungan, nabubulok ng literal pero ang mga big time na magnanakaw, mamamatay-tao, human rights violator, drug lords nasa labas, malaya, at hindi lang basta nasa labas, sila ang namumuno ng ating bansa. Sila ang nagdedesisyon kung ano ang nararapat para sa karamihan sa atin.


Maraming bagay pa ang dapat nating ikagalit. Maraming bagay pa ang maaari nating magawa ng dahil sa ating galit. Sabi ni Aristotle, "Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy." Dapat lang tayong magalit sa mga maling bagay, sa mga maling nangyayari sa ating mundo, dahil kung hindi, baka hindi na natin alam ang pagkakaiba ng tama mula sa mali dahil isa na tayo sa kanila.