YOUNG VOICE
Dear P-Noy
The probably lightest and simplest letter to a newly inaugurated president
Dear Mr. President,
I WILL write as a young citizen of our country. I will write as a teenager whose idea of an online status is dreaming about a piece of blueberry cheesecake. I will write the probably lightest and simplest letter to a newly inaugurated president.
Dear P-NOY,
Pa-burger naman diyan.
I had once lost hope for a better Philippines. I had once thought Jose Rizal was just a delusional midget who never got the hang of reality.
But from time to time, I regain this lost hope. As each new leadership ascends to the palace so did the revival of my slumbering optimism.
I remember nine years ago, I was 10 shouting my lungs out, Erap Resign beside the television screen while my parents were watching a live telecast of EDSA 2. That was my idea of democracy, seeing an immense crowd gathered in EDSA and with the loud monotony of their voices ousted a gambler of a president. I thought the petite woman with an unusually large facial mole would serve the country right. But that was nine years ago. She killed my ten-year old optimism.
Nine years after, there you are little by little rekindling the putt-off flame of hope. Once I again, I found the reason to believe that being a Filipino is a good thing.
You said it all starts with the leader. Ikaw ang magsisimula. I agree, you started to become less apathetic and quite frankly many followed. I now live in a nation where almost every day I see a Filipino with his chin up, wearing the collared shirt with the trademark Philippine map embroidered at the side. Trisikad drivers would pimp their rides with the fluttering national flag. The youth actually read the headline news and would often times read them first before jumping to the entertainment section.
You’re a man who could keep his word, right?
I loved your inaugural speech, well, minus the crazy coughing episode. Just a tip Mr. President, quit smoking and bring a bottle of water every time you walk into a podium.
You’re the big guy now. Everybody is watching your every move. Just imagine how many online discussion forums are talking about how you love Japanese food or how you perspire so hard when making a speech. Although most empowering teenage movies would say, be proud of who you are or don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, I guess you’d have to be an exemption. You represent around 90 million people. So you have to think, act and be like the 90 million people to represent them properly. Think before you act. Watch your every move. Know that one tiny faux pas can mean another EDSA revolution and this time people are not going to wear yellow. Trust me.
I see your father every time I withdraw my allowance for the week. He’s a good man. Your mother is the reason I loved yellow. Mr. President, you will be an awful son if you would taint their pious contributions to our nation with lapses of judgment and unwise and impractical decisions.
I voted for you. I wore and distributed yellow ballers for you. If you mess up, people would think I’m messed up too. If you mess up so will the 15 million Filipinos. But, my hopes are still as high as an overdose of caffeine.
President Noy, I, more than once, had lost hope for a better Philippines.
But with your videoke skills that can send Regine Velasquez home, the look of sincerity in your eyes and the tone of assertion and consistency in your speeches, I regained hope.
I look forward to not having a relapse in your six-year term. Keep me posted.
P.S. You owe me a burger.
XOXO
Reylan
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