...the youth, evil, schedules, neri and more...

Let me start off with the schedule of the upcoming events:

Feb 25 (Monday) at 3PM - Mass @ Baclaran in honor of EDSA, and a call for truth, still. With Cory and probably some politicians who want to gain face, and Uncle Jun will be there for this. Originally planned to be @ Sto Domingo Church, but moved here because Malacanang decided to call for a mass at Sto Domingo too. So if you know someone going to Sto Domingo, pls ask to clarify if they're really there for the government or they just have non-updated info.

Feb 29 (Friday) at 3PM onwards - Interfaith mass @ Ayala. Originally planned to happen at Luneta, this was moved to Ayala because Malacanang apparently didn't approve of a gathering at Quirino/Luneta... So as to avoid confusion, please update friends that whatever was supposed to happen at Manila is now going to happen at Ayala. And may the change of venue not change one's passion.

Mar 2 (Sunday) at !0AM - Mass @ UST. Its somewhat of a grand homecoming for Uncle Jun, and he appeals to ALL Thomasians to be there. But of course, this invitation extends to all because as he said, he wants us to make as much noise as we possibly can that Malacanang will hear us... He has something interesting to say there, and I wouldn't want to spoil it. Just be there.

Mar 2 (Sunday) at 1PM - "Magkasangga sa Katotohanan" @ Araneta. It will be a basketball game featuring the most storied rivalry of collegiate basketball, Ateneo vs La Salle. As a sign of solidarity and unity for a common cause, the Ateneo and La Salle players will play with and against each other, as they will shuffle players. It will also feature the 5-time cheerdance champs UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe for the halftime show... Too bad UP had to decline, but it would've been great if they were there... They said they had prior commitments... This was a "spur-of-the-moment" kind of thing, conceptualized Friday, finalized today, maybe tix out by Wednesday... Proceeds of the event (a huge chunk of it) will be going to the sanctuary fund of Uncle Jun... This "sanctuary fund" I believe will go on to help future witnesses who have these risks...

That said, let me share with you my Dad and Uncle's thoughts... They said that they have done their part when they deposed a dictator. Today, it is the youth's turn. It is our time to move, our time to take a stand. Forget indifference, we must act now. I may seem to be an activist right now, but I refuse to just let this be. Sabi nga ni Uncle Jun, kung ikaw ba, nakita mo ang bahay mong ninanakawan, hahayaan mo na lang ba at sasabihing "ok lang yan, dalawang taon na lang naman akong nanakawan nyan eh." Sagutin mo. Tapos isipin mo kung ano ang gagawin mo. Kung naisip mong meron kang gustong gawin, halika, sumama ka. Marami tayong gustong kumilos para dito.

Yesterday, Uncle Jun and I had a long discussion about stuff.. I told him some producers were thinking of making a movie out of his life with Wally Bayola as the lead actor. He laughed it off, saying his life is not that interesting. And c'mon. Wally's funny, but c'mon.

I was telling him about shirts being donated to us, with these people asking us to sell these shirts that the proceeds may go to his cause. We have some shirts now, but there are more to be made, more people offering to make shirts. Uncle Jun said he wants the theme for the events now as "Act to reject evil now!"..He says given a chance to make a shirt, he wants the front part to read: "I am Filipino... Ibalik ang Mabuting Pilipino!" And the back part to read: "Act to REJECT EVIL now!"...

Why that quote in front? He says because nowadays, it seems that the norm for the Filipinos is to not love our country. When someone says "I love this country" one will ask "why? What's to love?" when he says, in fact, that one does not need to justify his love for the country. Also, as an article in Star says, "corruption has been such a norm in our country that we adjust our moral compasses to accomodate it"(i don't know if that's exactly how she said it, but more or less, that's about it)... Nagiging negative ang tingin ng mga Pilipino sa sarili nilang bansa. Baguhin natin ito, itaguyod muli ang buti ng mga Pilipino. Simulan natin sa mga sarili natin. Everything will fall into place, we just have to start. Everyone's asking him how all these are going to end, he says we just have to start somewhere. And "change" always begins in ourselves. I refer you to the prayer that inspired him:

http://voltz1129.multiply.com/journal/item/49.

It may have been originally for La Salle, but I hope it would inspire you too.

Secretary Neri, the gutless wimp who keeps on invoking EO 464, seems to have valid reasons for doing what he's doing although in truth, he can't stand it. As my sister says, it's blackmail. Apparently, there's a scandal invovling him and a bait the government used. I don't know the details, but the word "scandal" and "blackmail" is enough for me to think that there could actually be something more gross than the Mahal-bath scandal... YUCK. But hey, I don't want to be charged libel here. I'm just saying what I've heard, and giving it out here for what it's worth. It may or may not be true.

Again, I reiterate that I don't want to be charged libel. For those who want to know, PM me, but for now, I won't name names. One of the mediamen bribed by this "rich government" interviewed my uncle over the radio. It was a live interview, so here's what happened: Reporter keeps on asking about Uncle Jun's supposed corruption that he has committed himself during his days in the government office and some other stuff to strengthen the administration's arguments... At the end of the interview,
Uncle Jun: Ah, (insert reproter name) pede ba bumati?
Reporter: Sige po.
Uncle Jun: Nagpapasalamat po ulit ako sa media dahil nga po kung wala sila nung araw na dumating ako eh malamang patay na ko. Sana po eh hindi kayo magpadala sa pera, para hindi po kayo mabahiran ng korupsyon. Hindi po ba eh korupsyon din ang pagtanggap ng pera mula sa gobyerno? Eh nananawagan lang naman po ako na sana eh ipagpatuloy nyo lang ang pagbabalita ng makatotohanang balita ng walang halong pulitika o korupsyon.
Reporter: ah. uhm. (clears throat. twice)
Uncle Jun: Pde pa ba ko bumati?
Reporter: Ah, eh, sige po.
Uncle Jun: Nananawagan po ulit ako sa media..(click)(phone line dies)

Di kinaya ni reporter. Inatake kaya ng konsensya? hehe...

It's been 3 days since my last blog, I feel like I'm missing some things out, but what the hell, the gist of it is here...

Oh, again, we're selling shirts, with proceeds going to Uncle Jun's fund. We don't choose the size nor colors of it, but we could offer ideas on what to write on it... Thus, we normally sell 1 size shirts, some of it actually low quality(which we sell for 100). The better quality shirts sell for 150. We don't have too many designs yet, hopefully we will have those by the Ayala thing on the 29th. If you would be on any of the venues, please do buy some of the shirts... And no, I don't get commission. Neither does my mom. We could give it out for free, but we at least want to get the people who chipped in for the production to get their capital, and the rest of it goes to the fund. Why sell something you won't profit from? Hey, we gain everything here, support, as people would wear shirts bearing these statements of support, and we gain something for the sanctuary fund, which would not only help my uncle, but many others.. Plus, it at least compensates for the La Salle Brothers' expenses for taking care of my uncle's whole family... So, basically, this is our part of the fight, that's why we may not gain anything monetary from it, but we do gain many things apart from money which is more important at these trying times...

Intsik kasi ako eh. Baka isipin ng iba(lalo na ng mga gagong kaklase ko, i.e. Olgado) na pinagkakakitaan namin to.. Dumepensa lang ako. hehe...