The Aftermath: After The Ballot Is Done, Now What?

.:I Got It Right!:.

I made a prediction on YouTube who the next president will be. While this wasn’t my personal choice, I made the prediction as a mentalist, and guess what? I guess I’m right.

I should’ve predicted the top 3, though, because nobody expected the results to turn out this way.

Other predictions I got right: the 2010 elections will be messy, and a candidate will claim he was cheated in the elections.

Damn, I'm good.

.:Color Me Amused:.

Apparently, someone took my character seriously. I love it. And I even get to respond in character while I’m at it!

.:Our Job Doesn’t End With The Ballot:.

Okay, nation. Time to get serious.

We just exercised our right to suffrage yesterday, and already, people want Noynoy to resign. Really, guys? You can’t even wait to let him be inaugurated first before you try to take him out of power?

We’ve heard people say stuff that seems embarrassing to play back now, in light of the results. Class acts though most of the losing candidates may be, it’s still embarrassing for Brother Eddie to claim that it’s God’s will to put him into power, when clearly, his God didn’t really put him into power. Again. I’m actually surprised he took defeat more gracefully this time. Maybe he’s getting used to it.

What about Gibo Teodoro’s controversial endorser, Pastor Quiboloy? How do we explain the apparently erroneous vision the pastor got from the Almighty, supposedly saying Gibo and Obama were in his dream, and assuring Gibo of victory?

Pastor Quiboloy, I just needed to ask: where is your Almighty now?

Even Joseph Estrada, despite being second in the polls, seems willing to accept the (apparent) will of the people, even if his lawyer flirted with filing an electoral protest. The automated elections, for all its faults, seemed to do more good than harm. There were far less opportunities to cheat, and far less instances of electoral violence than were to be cited in years, and I was simply surprised at how smoothly things went.

As of this writing, the Vice-Presidential race is still being hotly contested, but I must say that the polls have been, for the most part, a success. If the trend continues, Noynoy’s 41% or so win margin would be the biggest we have ever seen since a multi-party system has been established. He may not be a true majority president, but since Ramos, nobody has been one.

There’s a lot of good and bad going around, but I think if there’s one thing Noynoy Aquino’s campaign was right about, it was that he can’t do this alone. He needs the support of not just his vice president or his senatorial slate, he also needs the support of the people. And believe me when I say I’d be singing the exact same tune whomever the president would be: our president cannot do it alone, and for this country to rise above the adversity, we need to do our share.

Our work does not end at feeding the ballot to the PCOS Machine. In fact, our work has just begun, not just for the next six years, but for the rest of our lives. The hurt, division, and strife that the previous administration and the electoral process has wrought upon us can be healed only if we allow it to be healed.

There is still a problem to solve. And when there is a problem to be solved, like I said yesterday, you can be a part of the solution, or you can be a part of the problem.

Nation, I leave that choice up to you. I know some of you are itching to book the first flight abroad to migrate, or some of you want to drink away because your favourite candidate won/lost/doesn’t matter, as long as there’s no liquor ban. There are so many things that require our collective efforts, and after everything has been said and done, we can’t play the blame game, or lash out at the masses for the choices they have made on May 10. As Marck put it, if we believe this nation needs to learn, then shouldn’t it become our responsibility to bring about this learning?

Nation, we still have a lot to do. Despite everything that the naysayers can harp on, my faith in the Filipino people has not dwindled one bit. We will rise collectively. We will strive as one. We’re not doing this for Noynoy. We’re doing this for our nation, and ultimately, for those whom we love.

Congratulations, Senator Noynoy Aquino. Winning the elections was the easy part. Now, the hard part: making those six years count. Worry not, though: like Cory and Ninoy before you, hindi ka nag-iisa. Mahirap nang hayaan ka diyan, eh. Baka kung ano pa mapala nating lahat.

P.S. By the way, Kris.... kailan despedida?