Bismillah.
I don't have anything noteworthy to say about the issue on the recent Pork-Barrel Scam. In fact, there are still a lot of things I don't understand about this issue (and I don't have much time to read about all the stuff about them ><)
But being able to observe what happened this morning was something worth talking about. Honestly I was amazed how a great number of people can organize themselves and raise their sentiments to their government in a seemingly peaceful way. It what they now known as the "Million People March".
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| A streetchild observes the students passing by, joining the Million People March |
I never planned in joining the rally in the first place. I was still too sleepy that morning and I still have hundreds of readings to do for the next exam (or so I pretend that I am actually reading them)... With my newly brewed coffee in my hand my phone rang, and it was from a classmate, asking me if I will join the "march". At first I said no, and made a lot of reasonable reasons. But in the end, I was still stuck with nothing much to do (after all, I did finished some good part of my assignments last night). And maybe I can get some good shots. So I went along and finished my coffee with a gulp, took a swift shower, wore a simple plain white shirt, brought my camera, and went to PGH (where the UP Manila contingents will be meeting)
At about 9AM (just when I arrived at the place :) the groups of people gathered in front of PGH went marching on from Taft to Luneta. From students to professors, from workers to doctors, from priests and Imams, (somebody even brought their 5-yr-old child!) we walked on amidst the drizzling shower of rain. Some students were shouting chants (the usual "ISKOLAR NG BAYAN! NGAYON AY LUMALABAN!) until we arrived at Luneta Park, where the other groups are already gathering.
The number of people gathered in that place was simply overwhelming. In just a brief moment, the big, big park became so crowded, and many people are still on their way to the venue. It started to rain (though not that strong), yet the people in Luneta did not bulge and stayed on. There were some chanting, some were singing, some shouting their concerns over megaphones, and of course a lot of self-photographers did their job of taking shots of every step they take.
Unfortunately, we do not have much time to spend in the place. As medstudents with a busy (ehem-ehem) schedule, me and my other 2 classmates who invited me to the parade had to go home early (before 11AM). Also I was already starving to death by then >_<.
What really manifested today was something worth learning from. Perhaps my people, the people of Sulu, can learn something somehow with what the Filipinos did. If only we can show the same spirit of unity in times of great despair. If only we can have not just few number of people who are ready to go out and support the voice of the people and not be afraid of their "powerful" leaders. If only we can go out and solve things not by bullets and guns, but by our voices and pens. They have successfully demonstrated what would happen when a Million people gets angry over something.
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| Two kids got excited seeing the great number of people defying the traffics of vehicles along Taft Avenue. |
Of course, we can never really tell what will happen after this. We can never say the problem that these people are trying to address will really be solved at the end of the day. But what mattered here is that they had somehow made the world aware of what their hearts are yearning for: what they are asking for their government to do.
To abolish or not the pork barrel would depend on what really caused the problem in the first place. Is it the system of using the budget? Or is the mere existence of the Pork-barrel that made the "improper" use possible? Those questions are yet to be answered.
But as for me, I have to get back to my hot cup of coffee and my hundreds of readings to do. >_<
salam kasilasa,
Anak Iluh
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