There is HOPE

Being a mother, my children's future is always at the top of my list. It has always been a major concern. I want nothing but the best for them. Finally, today, I felt that there is HOPE for my girls and for the rest of the Filipino children!

Just a few hours ago, our new president, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III took his oath to take care of our country-- stop graft and corruption, build more classrooms, better health care, etc, etc. I appreciate that he gives importance to the small things like following traffic rules :) Just like his mother, the late President Cory, she frowned upon jumping the light even if she was then THE President!

As I "monitored" the inaugural, I chanced upon an excerpt of Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. to his son, Noynoy. I liked it so much that I ended up searching for a copy of the letter...

LIHAM NI NINOY KAY NOYNOY

August 25, 1973

Fort Bonifacio

11:30pm

Mr. Benigno S. Aquino III

P E R S O N A L

My dearest Son:

One of these days , when you have completed your studies I am sure you will have the opportunity to visit many countries. And in your travels you will witness a bullfight.

In Spanish bullfighting as you know, a man – the matador – is pitted against an angry bull.

The man goads the bull to extreme anger and madness. Then a moment comes when the bull, maddened, bleeding and covered with darts, feeling his last moment has come, stops rushing about and grimly turns his face on the man with the scarlet “muleta” and sword. The Spaniards call this “the moment of truth.” This is the climax of the bullfight.

This afternoon, I have arrived at my own moment of truth. After a lengthy conference with my lawyers, Senators Jovito R. Salonga and Lorenzo M. Tanada I made a very crucial and vital decision that will surely affect all our lives: mommie’s, your sisters’, yours and all our loved ones as well as mine.

I have decided not to participate in the proceedings of the Military Commission assigned to try the charges filed against me by the army prosecution staff. As you know, I’ve been charged with illegal possession of firearms, violation of RA 1700 otherwise known as the “Anti-Subversion Act” and murder.

You are still too young to grasp the full impact of my decision. Briefly: by not participating in the proceedings, I will not be represented by counsel, the prosecution will present its witnesses without any cross examinations, I will not put up any defense, I will remain passive and quiet through the entire trial and I will merely await the verdict. Inasmuch as it will be a completely one-sided affair, I suppose it is reasonable to expect the maximum penalty will be given to me. I expect to be sentenced to imprisonment the rest of my natural life, or possibly be sent to stand before a firing squad. By adopting the course of action I decided upon this afternoon, I have literally decided to walk into the very jaws of death.

You may ask: why did you do it?

Son, my decision is an act of conscience. It is an act of protest against the structures of injustice that have been imposed upon our hapless countrymen. Futile and puny, as it will surely appear to many, it is my last act of defiance against tyranny and dictatorship.

You are my only son. You carry my name and the name of my father. I have no material wealth to leave you. I never had time to make money while I was in the hire of our people.

For this I am very sorry. I had hopes of building a little nest egg for you. I bought a ranch in Masbate in the hope that after ten or fifteen years, the coconut trees I planted there would be yielding enough to assure you a modest but comfortable existence.

Unfortunately, I had to sell all our properties as I fought battle after political battle as a beleaguered member of the opposition. And after the last battle, I had more obligations than assets.

The only valuable asset I can bequeath to you now is the name you carry. I have tried my best during my years of public service to keep that name untarnished and respected, unmarked by sorry compromises for expediency. I now pass it on to you, as good, I pray, as when my father, your grandfather passed it on to me.

I prepared a statement which I intend to read before the military commission on Monday at the opening of my trial. I hope the commission members will be understanding and kind enough to allow me to read my statement into the record. This may well be my first and only participation in the entire proceedings.

In this statement, I said: Some people suggested that I beg for mercy from the present powers that be. Son, this I cannot do in conscience. I would rather die on my feet with honor, than live on bended knees in shame.

Your great grandfather, Gen. Servilliano Aquino was twice condemned to death by both the Spaniards and the American colonizers. Fortunately, he survived both by a twist of fate.

Your grandfather, my father was also imprisoned by the Americans because he loved his people more than the Americans who colonized us. He was finally vindicated. Our ancestors have shared the pains, the sorrows and the anguish of Mother Filipinas when she was in bondage.

It is a rare privilege for me to join the Motherland in the dark dungeon where she was led back by one of her own sons whom she lavished with love and glory.

I ended my statement thus: I have chosen to follow my conscience and accept the tyrant’s revenge.

It takes little effort to stop a tyrant. I have no doubt in the ultimate victory of right over wrong, of evil over good, in the awakening of the Filipino.

Forgive me for passing unto your young shoulders the great responsibility for our family. I trust you will love your mother and your sisters and lavish them with the care and protection I would have given them.

I was barely fifteen years old when my father died. His death was my most traumatic experience. I loved and hero-worshipped him so much, I wanted to join him in his grave when he passed away. But as in all sorrows, eventually they are washed away by the rains of time.

In the coming years, I hope you will study very hard so that you will have a solid foundation on which to build your future. I may no longer be around to give you my fatherly advice. I have asked many of your uncles to help you along should the need arise and I pray you will have the humility to drink from their fountain of experiences.

Look after your two younger sisters with understanding and affection. Viel and Krissy will need your umbrella of protection for a long time. Krissy is still very young and fate has been most unkind to both of us. Our parting came too soon. Please make up for me. Take care of her as I would have taken care of her with patience and warm affection.

Finally, stand by your mother as she stood beside me through the buffeting winds of crisis and uncertainties firm and resolute and uncowed. I pray to God, you inherit her indomitable spirit and her rare brand of silent courage.

I had hopes of introducing you to my friends, showing you the world and guide you through the maze of survival. I am afraid, you will now have to go it alone without your guide.

The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience.

There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all your strength.

Son, the ball is now in your hands.

Lovingly,

Dad

I really admire their family's simplicity and courage!

I wish that P-Noy will keep a copy of this letter in his office to remind him of his father's bilin.

I hope and pray that he will really keep in mind the teachings of his folks-- that he live with honor and follow his conscience.

An Afternoon with my Kindergartners, Swimmy and Cory

I think one of the more dynamic jobs is that of a teacher. Okay, okay, maybe i'm biased because I am one, but really, a teacher's day is always full of surprises – from children who are usually quiet then all of a sudden they can't stop talking to students who unexpectedly, can read, then there are students who would make your jaw drop because of a thought that they would blurt out out of nowhere. That's exactly what happened to me last Wednesday, 24^th of February 2010. The day before the 24^th EDSA Revolution anniversary.

I thought it was just an ordinary day. I prepared myself to tell a story though I knew it was going to be a fun story-telling session already (well, at least for me, I know it's going to be fun :) ) and that I will for sure give it a hundred and ten percent because the story that I was about to tell was written by one of my favorite children's book writer, Leo Lionni. It was going to be an afternoon with “Swimmy”.

For those of you who do not know Swimmy, let me introduce him to you.

Swimmy's a tiny black fish who led a school of tiny red fish to swim together, making themselves look like the biggest fish in the sea. With Swimmy as the eye of the now, big red fish, they were able to scare away the big fish that was preventing the school of little fish to play and explore the sea for fear of being eaten by the big bad fish.

And so the story-telling session started. I read the book. I tried changing voices (I'm not really good at it but i try to add some entertainment value ;p ). Based on the children's reaction, I think it is safe to say that they had fun. They even clapped as soon as I said, “...and they swam happily ever after!”

After reading Swimmy's story, we proceeded to doing our engagement activity for the day. My kindergartners are smart. Very witty! They finished their activity in no time. As I was about to recap the day and give them a sneak-peek of what tomorrow will be like, I asked them if they still remember why we didn't have classes last Monday. They said in unison, “EDSA day!” So, I asked if they knew the story behind the EDSA Revolution (by the way, our question for the week was: How do I show love for my country? so this was very timely). I was amazed that they knew the chronology of events...seriously! Our discussion went something like this:

Teacher: Do you know what happened during the EDSA Revolution?

Class: Yes!

Student MC: People Power, teacher.

Teacher: Why? What's People Power?

Student JC: Teacher Marcos told someone to shoot Ninoy.

Student AD: The people got mad.

Student JC: Cory became president (I think here, student JC meant Cory ran for president)

Student MV: Teacher!!! Cory was like Swimmy, she led the people!

Wow! Upon hearing that, I had goosebumps! These children are really super!

Student MC: The red fishes are the people.

Student AD: The big fish is Marcos (then, he corrected himself--), MISTER Marcos!

Of course, I grabbed the opportunity and had them make an impromptu activity. I asked them to draw and label the EDSA Revolution characters they mentioned during our discussion opposite the characters in Swimmy's story.

I thought they had fun doing the activity. I am posting the photos of their work that Wednesday aternoon. I'd like to share my memories of that afternoon with you.

I was there in EDSA when the revolution happened. That event in our country's history, I would say, is the closest to my heart. But now, the 24^th EDSA Revolution anniversary would probably be the most memorable EDSA Revolution anniversary in my book.

My First Attempt at Blogging

Hmmm... my first attempt at blogging...

I'm 30++++ (round it off and you'll get 40!) and just realized I wanted to write about my experiences as a wife, mom of 2 growing girls, a kindergarten teacher, etc...etc... So, as a birthday gift to myself, I signed up, or shall I say started my very own BLOGGER account. :)

Last year was an eventful year for me. Life was generally good but I had some trying times. I had to make decisions that, well, you may say, are life changing. Decisions that had an effect on my family-- my husband and two girls. Our daily routine had to change, we had to make some adjustments with our budget, down to the traffic route that we have to take every morning...but we survived 2009! Thanks to the loving people around me...my husband, our girls, my folks, our friends.

I must say that through all the decisions I had to make, I'd like to thank a friend who reminded me that "God is my source" so I shouldn't fear change.

Now, it's 2010 and indeed, GOD has not failed me. He's been our source really! He has given me (together with my 3 other girlfriends) something big to look forward to this year. As a matter of fact, soon...as in this coming summer!!! Yup, it's really BIG that even the 4 of us got so surprised big time!

I'm looking forward to writing about this BIG happening soon...when everything is already official. As I write this, I got a text saying that it is a GO and that the owners (of our counter-part) are already in their final stages of discussion.

2009 was trying? Nope, I think it was more of God's way of preparing me for a beautiful 2010! Until next time...