THE PHILIPPINES NOW COMES IN FULL CIRCLE

 

I’m saying all the things that I know you’ll like

Making good conversation

I gotta handle you just right

You know what I mean

I took you to an intimate restaurant

Then to a suggestive movie

There’s nothing left to talk about

Unless it’s horizontally.

Let’s get physical…

Before getting into the crux of my article, I took the lyrics above from Olivia Newton John song “Physical” for my opening lines hopefully to wind down a bit after that polarizing and draining election

Okay, seriously now, let’s get spiritual.

I excerpted from my August 2021 Atabay article the following insight:

The Future

Question: Why did God give PH, the “Light of Asia” (Pope John Paul II prayer) a ruler who insulted Pope Francis and called God stupid?

Answer: “[God] PUNISHED [His people] by delivering them to their attackers…” (2 Kings 17:20, emphasis mine); “When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.” (John Calvin). Cardinal Sin affirmed Calvin’s assertion with Marcos [Sr.] and his Martial Law as Exhibit A. Thus, to punish, God has given PH such kind of ruler today.

Why? 1 in 4 Pinoys is below the poverty line. PH, for being the “Light of Asia,” has angered God as He was with Sodom that “DID NOT HELP THE POOR.” (Ezekiel 16:49, emphasis mine)

What will happen in the [May 9] election? If God is still angry, He will give us another Punisher. [Time Magazine’s cover story of PRRD labeled as “The Punisher” has captured such attribute.]

            That was an eight-month-old insight. Today, let’s figure that out.

            Question: Is God still angry?

            Answer: Definitely. Poverty can’t be untangled overnight and due to the pandemic has taken a turn for the worse.

            My hope and prayer before the election: God will heal our land through VP Leni, but He could have another plan for her. For the nation, on the other hand, He will give us another punisher. Yesterday’s elections revealed such a divine act.

God held back from the Filipino people, at least the majority, the Holy Spirit Gift of Discernment -- the grace of having the ability to recognize what comes from the good or evil spirit. Subsequently, Marcos Jr.’s moral wrongdoings which appear very clear haven’t mattered to the majority of Filipino voters: plunder and corruption charges, unpaid estate taxes, tax evasion and moral turpitude, no remorse for martial law atrocities, deliberate and widespread disinformation, and use of troll army, among others.

On top of that, the bulk of the poor Filipino voters: 5 in 10 unemployed, 4 in 10 high school graduate, 6 in 10 class C & D (pre-pandemic poverty statistics) has inflicted our country with an Electoral Integrity Index of 58.8 on a 0 to 100 scale that ranked Philippines 76^th out of 107 countries covered by Sydney and Harvard universities’ study. Interestingly, interpolating the IQ table of values, the PH electorate could be classified as “borderline” – a notch over a “moron.” No wonder Robin Padilla topped the senatorial race.

As regards the reality of yesterday’s election, I am unsure of the term “cheated.” But I am sure of the term “corrupted.” With Electoral Integrity Index of 58.8, the Filipino electorate is “corruptible” which, sad to say, is a systemic problem.

I concluded my latest article with the following paragraph:

            Then, the Philippines will come full circle bringing to fruition John Calvin’s forewarning about God, in wanting to judge a nation, He will give them wicked rulers. Cardinal Sin’s affirmation may hit two birds with one stone: “When God wants to punish a people, He gives them unjust rulers. Like Marcos [Sr.].” This time, that may be the dictator’s son.

            As foretold, the majority of the Filipinos voted for Marcos Jr. -- the dictator’s son – as the next president.

            Six years ago, when PRRD was elected president, Time Magazine bannered: “Why Did the Philippines Just Elect a Guy Who Jokes About Rape as Its President?”

            I could only imagine another Time Magazine’s banner: “Why Did the Philippines Just Elect the Son of a Dictator and a Plunderer as Its President?”

            Only when our country gets to the bottom of our poverty problem will we, as a people, extricate ourselves from such a disgrace in the eyes of the world.

            As this election unveiled to the world stage our national psyche, are Filipinos, as a people in the diaspora, living through a national identity crisis?

             Sinologist Victor H. Mair states the interpretation of weiji, the Chinese word for “crisis,” as “dangerous” plus “change point.” As a writer myself, mulling over lately what to write in my ATABAY blog after the election, I have figured out there will be a great deal to write about during these “interesting” times in the life of our nation.

            May we live in interesting times…Nah. I take the words back. It’s a Chinese curse.

God, have mercy on our nation!