EDSA

You know when you keep repeating a word over and over again it loses its meaning? For me, this is what's happening to the spirit of EDSA People Power. Worse, it not only loses its meaning it is being twisted and made to justify the opposite of its essence.

The politicians have cried "wolf!" so many times that people just raise their heads for a while, look, and then return to their business. This practice of coups and rallies and calls for resignation has pushed us into a mode miscontrued as apathy when in fact we're just tired. The EDSA that my parents joined is so different from the EDSA that these groups want to recreate today. I can still recall the days when my parents went to join people power wearing bright yellow shirts. They only came home for about an hour or two in the night to change clothes. Back then it only took 1 call for the people to flock to EDSA and stay there for four days.



The coup and the palace proclamation yesterday diverted the attention from other important matters. The landslide in Leyte is overshadowed by these. Instead of the troops helping to recover a thousand missing bodies and rebuild the shattered community, they are here in Manila dispersing violent mobs.

The picture above is a view of the Shrine. While riding to work yesterday, I took a photo of it. Too bad I wasn't able to take a picture of the ground teeming with policemen.

Announcement: Coup is cancelled

It's funny how a coup today was quelled because everyone knew it was coming. The news of the coup spread yesterday afternoon through text and it was even stated as matter of fact: "Coup tomorrow, Feb 24. Please pass." It's weird and extremely funny at the same time, in a twisted way. A military officer who was part of the group who planned it even went on national television to say that he won't be joining the coup because everyone knew about it so what's the point. This only happens in the Philippines.

Vince has a visitor from Malaysia and yesterday they met with a client. I think the schedule of the coup (hahaha!) came up during the meeting and the visitor said that he doesn't think it's true..that it was just a rumor. He didn't expect to wake up this morning with the masses gathered in front of his hotel (his hotel is beside the EDSA shrine, the symbol of people power). That got him packing and wanting to rush to the airport. Hahaha! But the citizens remain oddly calm. The myGlobe team is still complete, working here at the office even after management announced a half-day because of the declaration of the state of national emergency. The announcement for us (myGlobe) was taken as permission to have a long and hearty lunch. Bwahaha! Well, it just goes to show that we've had so many coup attempts and so many destablilization plots over the last 20 years, that it has become as normal as breathing. Being president of the Philippines means being on your toes 24/7. Day in, day out, the president has to deal with all these moves to unseat him/her.

The power of text and technology has helped people to remain cool in a way. Gone are the days you wake up surprised that militants have stormed the palace and tanks are all over the place. Now we're warned a day earlier. Hahaha! But seriously, after the EDSA revolution in 1986 and during Cory Aquino's rule, my family moved to a new place in Quezon City. Cory's time was really the height of uncertainty and record-breaking number of coups. Since we lived near a military camp, I grew up waking to the sound of helicopters hovering over our house. For me until today helicopters = coup and I still find my heart beat faster whenever I see military copters in the sky.

So the day still continues normally, except that we have a rare early dismissal.

In front of Vince's office: a few hundred start walking towards EDSA.

*I posted some articles of interest taken from online newspapers in this entry's comments page
**To follow a running account visit the Inquirer's special report

Dizzy

I noticed that for the past couple of months I've felt slightly dizzy during the day. Some days I would even lose my balance a bit. I'm scared. My mom has vertigo and for her it's the worst sickness. On really bad days she can't get out of bed for fear of losing her balance and cracking her head on the floor. I've been feeling the dizziness more often these past few days. I'm not sure if it's because of the stress, computer overload, or *gulp* the start of vertigo.

Anyways, it's been a loooong time since I've posted pictures. I'll post pics from a couple of months back and it's not going to be in any particular order or date :)

This was taken on my dad's bday celeb in Westgrove. The candles were supposed to sparkle..hmph! This is the YUMMIEST cake EVER. It's one big block of pure chocolate. NO EXAGGERATION!

We have the weirdest koi in the planet. They actually eat out of my hand and they let me pet them! As in pet them like I pet my dogs!