An Open Letter to All Filipinos
Dear Fellow Filipino,
Good day to all of you! Before I begin my letter... just a disclaimer, for
people who know me they know that I love the Philippines very much and I am
not really one who rants and complaints to high heavens about what is
happening to our country and does nothing about it, in fact, I feel that at
my relatively young age of 27, I have done much service to the Philippines
by setting up Pathways to Higher Education which has sent more than 500 poor
but deserving students to college and AHON Foundation which has already
built two public elementary school libraries that have benefitted more than
3,500 students. Yet, after seeing how events in our nation have transpired
the past few weeks and talking with some friends, I feel the urge to share
with you my own thoughts and feelings.
Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political alliances for
this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the Philippines.
Now we have two political forces with familiar faces nonetheless on opposite
sides of the fences. On one end, you have Tito Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta
who were two major stalwarts of the opposition and the FPJ Campaign in 2004
hobnobbing with the woman (Pres.GMA) whom they claimed to have cheated FPJ in the last Presidential Elections.On the other side of the fence, you see Manny Villar, the former house speaker who was actually responsible for impeaching Erap now part of the United Opposition who is led by no less than... Erap himself. Now if you
don't see anything wrong with this picture then you must be one of the many
Filipinos who have accepted this very sad reality that there is indeed no
permanent ideals that our government leaders stand up for but rather they
just go where there self-interests can best be served. It is this kind of
politics why I no longer wonder why good people like Ramon Magsaysay Awardee
Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City or outstanding Bulacan Governor Josie Dela
Cruz will find it hard or worse, never be elected to national positions.
It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are events
this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the Philippines
:
1.) If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci fame
wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon...seeking to replace a
good man no less in incumbent Cong. Neric Acosta... We would really be the
laughing stock of the whole world if we allow a man with the reputation of
Garci to be one of our so called "Honorable Gentlemen".
2.) If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the Senate...
I hope that all of us would still remember that dance that she did during
the 2001 impeachment hearings after they voted to overrule the decision of
then Chief Justice Davide... let us make sure that people like her never
make it to the Senate again.
3.) If Richard Gomez becomes a senator... what does he know about making
laws? We already have the likes of Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid in the Senate
and their performance or lack of it would be reason enough not to elect
another actor who has no prior experience in government to the distinguished
halls of the Senate.
4.) If Gringo Honasan wins again.... have we not learned our lesson? I
cannot believe that just because someone is charismatic then we will just
elect him to become one of our senators despite the fact that he has time
and again caused so much instability in our country... if we want a military
junta similar to that of Thailand... then lets all vote for this guy....
5.) If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City...
everybody loves Manny the Boxing Champ but Manny the Lawmaker? Lets be
realistic here, Manny is our Hero alright but I think it takes more than
just great boxing skills and a desire to serve to be able to make
appropriate laws that would help uplift the lives of the many Filipinos who
live in Poverty.
6.) If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... I don't like Jojo Binay
as well but Lito Lapid as city mayor of the country's finance and business
center?!?! And do you really think he is from Makatiand has good plans for
the city? The Arroyos asking someone like him to run just goes to show you
how much love and concern this government has for our country.
7.) If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator, Illegal Gambling = Chavit...
enough said.
Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections then don't
be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love dearly.
Like I said during the first part of my letter, I feel that I have done much
for this country but I think its time that Filipinos become more vigilant
and critical in selecting our leaders for the sake of our future and the
generations that will go beyond us. So I appeal to every Filipino who asks
what can I actually do for my country... Choose and vote for the right
people this coming elections, huwag na tayong magpaloko sa mga kandidatong
maganda lang ang jingle o gwapo lang sa mga poster. Let us choose leaders who
have a good track record for service and who are genuinely committed towards
serving our country.
Manindigan naman tayong lahat para sa ating Kinabukasan at para sa Kapakanan
ng ating Bayan!
Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter.
Sincerely,
Harvey S. Keh
Good day to all of you! Before I begin my letter... just a disclaimer, for
people who know me they know that I love the Philippines very much and I am
not really one who rants and complaints to high heavens about what is
happening to our country and does nothing about it, in fact, I feel that at
my relatively young age of 27, I have done much service to the Philippines
by setting up Pathways to Higher Education which has sent more than 500 poor
but deserving students to college and AHON Foundation which has already
built two public elementary school libraries that have benefitted more than
3,500 students. Yet, after seeing how events in our nation have transpired
the past few weeks and talking with some friends, I feel the urge to share
with you my own thoughts and feelings.
Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political alliances for
this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the Philippines.
Now we have two political forces with familiar faces nonetheless on opposite
sides of the fences. On one end, you have Tito Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta
who were two major stalwarts of the opposition and the FPJ Campaign in 2004
hobnobbing with the woman (Pres.GMA) whom they claimed to have cheated FPJ in the last Presidential Elections.On the other side of the fence, you see Manny Villar, the former house speaker who was actually responsible for impeaching Erap now part of the United Opposition who is led by no less than... Erap himself. Now if you
don't see anything wrong with this picture then you must be one of the many
Filipinos who have accepted this very sad reality that there is indeed no
permanent ideals that our government leaders stand up for but rather they
just go where there self-interests can best be served. It is this kind of
politics why I no longer wonder why good people like Ramon Magsaysay Awardee
Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City or outstanding Bulacan Governor Josie Dela
Cruz will find it hard or worse, never be elected to national positions.
It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are events
this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the Philippines
:
1.) If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci fame
wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon...seeking to replace a
good man no less in incumbent Cong. Neric Acosta... We would really be the
laughing stock of the whole world if we allow a man with the reputation of
Garci to be one of our so called "Honorable Gentlemen".
2.) If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the Senate...
I hope that all of us would still remember that dance that she did during
the 2001 impeachment hearings after they voted to overrule the decision of
then Chief Justice Davide... let us make sure that people like her never
make it to the Senate again.
3.) If Richard Gomez becomes a senator... what does he know about making
laws? We already have the likes of Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid in the Senate
and their performance or lack of it would be reason enough not to elect
another actor who has no prior experience in government to the distinguished
halls of the Senate.
4.) If Gringo Honasan wins again.... have we not learned our lesson? I
cannot believe that just because someone is charismatic then we will just
elect him to become one of our senators despite the fact that he has time
and again caused so much instability in our country... if we want a military
junta similar to that of Thailand... then lets all vote for this guy....
5.) If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City...
everybody loves Manny the Boxing Champ but Manny the Lawmaker? Lets be
realistic here, Manny is our Hero alright but I think it takes more than
just great boxing skills and a desire to serve to be able to make
appropriate laws that would help uplift the lives of the many Filipinos who
live in Poverty.
6.) If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... I don't like Jojo Binay
as well but Lito Lapid as city mayor of the country's finance and business
center?!?! And do you really think he is from Makatiand has good plans for
the city? The Arroyos asking someone like him to run just goes to show you
how much love and concern this government has for our country.
7.) If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator, Illegal Gambling = Chavit...
enough said.
Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections then don't
be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love dearly.
Like I said during the first part of my letter, I feel that I have done much
for this country but I think its time that Filipinos become more vigilant
and critical in selecting our leaders for the sake of our future and the
generations that will go beyond us. So I appeal to every Filipino who asks
what can I actually do for my country... Choose and vote for the right
people this coming elections, huwag na tayong magpaloko sa mga kandidatong
maganda lang ang jingle o gwapo lang sa mga poster. Let us choose leaders who
have a good track record for service and who are genuinely committed towards
serving our country.
Manindigan naman tayong lahat para sa ating Kinabukasan at para sa Kapakanan
ng ating Bayan!
Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter.
Sincerely,
Harvey S. Keh
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