Rick S. for president by Ivan Y.

March 13, 2009

Ricky,

I stumbled into your blog this morning and was able to read your interesting and amusing articles. Looking at my calendar, I noticed that today is Friday the 13th and it made me wonder if spotting your blog in the world wide web is a good coincidence or a frightful portent. It is my firm belief that it would be the former because reading an article written by a good friend and fellow writer always reinforces my belief that the art of writing is still very much alive in this lighting speed and ever mutating world.

Ricky, I am astounded and at the same time inspired after finding out that your 2010 personal goal is to attain the highest position in the Philippine government service—President! My heart palpitates a little faster just by thinking about the amount of pressure that seat holds. It has been said that the presidential seat is the hottest seat in the land. The soul that occupies the seat will surely be scrutinized every second of every day by every citizen in the whole nation once the occupier of that powerful post rests his/her “behind” on that hot seat.

Many political leaders in the Philippines are born leaders but a high number of them act as if not a tissue in their hearts exists to serve the interest of the Filipino people. It seems like nowadays, Philippine politicians are always faced with two options when they step into the political arena: Defy the devil or dance with the devil!

It is believed that the political arena is full of filth and many friendships are false bonds. Loyalty is conditional and strings are attached to every favor. Is it possible for a politician/public servant to serve the people without compromising his/her integrity? Few humans dared to do so and almost all of them suffered severely; Gandhi was imprisoned, Rizal was executed, Martin Luther King assassinated, Suu Kyi (Myamar) six years in house arrest. The only way evil will prevail is if good men/women do nothing.

How do you cleanse politics? There are a million suggestions and formulas that exist out there. Personally, I believe that people has to change the yearning of their hearts for the economy of the Philippines to flourish. Unless we extinguish the zeal of greed in us, politics will continue to remain despicable in the eyes of the common Pinoy.

Ricky, if you become president, tinuhon mo man kami sa pang-pang habang nakasakay at nagiinum-inum ka ning vintage Romanee-Conti Burgundy sa presidential yacht mo. (Just kidding, buddy).

Ivan Y.