By Atty. Howie Callefa
Over the weekend various motorcades in support of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan converged across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. To mention a few, more than 60 trisikad and pedicab drivers joined owners of more than 300 vehicles in Bacolod City. More than 400 Iloilo City cyclists of all ages and from all walks of like rode through the city center. The Cebu-wide motorcades registered 256 cars, 55 e-trikes, 61 motorcycles, 40 fluvial boats, and 20 trisikads. And in Cagayan de Oro, 40 bao-bao, the Philippine version of Thailand’s tuk-tuk, led the 260-vehicle caravan — It was a full display of Pink Volunteers.
In contrast over the same weekend, we see money politics going around in Cebu with the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Sandigan Bayan Graft convicted Imelda Marcos, Mr. Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr.; as he met with Sara Duterte the daughter of incompetent and EJK architect Pres. Duterte. This unholy alliance with the continuity of money politics is juxtaposed with people politics personified by pink volunteers.
To quote Antoine de Saint Exupery, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea”. Every single PINK Volunteer during this nationwide caravan is indeed deeply longing for that kind of CHANGE which can only be achieved through the collective effort of those who are willing to stand their ground against a formidable opponent which comes ahead. It is THAT we get behind something other than ourselves and our own agendas, which will make the difference.
Like in PPCRV (as their volunteer Chief Legal Counsel), now in 1SAMBAYAN it is pure contentment to know that we work with fellow “pink volunteers” and in our own way, foster greater unity, cooperation and hope in the human spirit; to encourage and be encouraged. To remain steadfast and not let the quid pro quo, hard-wiring of our society make us forget why we do what we do. Volunteering is way beyond a task at hand, so don’t make it one. Take the time to smell the roses we are planting through our positive energy and desire to serve. In this way, our journey together will bring us towards the Philippines we all desire to see after Mr. Duterte.
Captured through each and every single PINK VOLUNTEER the very definition of volunteering as a service-act of one’s own free will without compensation is embodied. This lack of compensation, at the heart of it, should include any “warm-fuzzy” we might be addicted to as amelioration for our “good” actions. This is the yardstick we use to help critique our own motivation in aiding others. How does this make me feel? A legitimate question, YES; but not the compelling factor. We can and should certainly feel fulfilled as human beings when we are able to help relieve another’s plight. This is why 1SAMBAYAN exist. This is why we were created. But the yearning to HELP rebuild this nation from a strongman’s incompetence relentlessly tugs as our main purpose.
Accountability is at the core of our democracy, which is based on elected officials working on behalf of the people — their constituents. But lack of transparency, corruption and more money in politics has meant that politicians have increasingly used their positions as elected officials to benefit themselves or their donors and special interest groups, not the people. From running cash-for-vote schemes to passing legislation that props up their side business, politicians are taking advantage of their power — the people’s power — to enrich themselves. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to be warriors of virtue and to volunteer to make sure that the right men and women are duly elected this 2022. BE A 1SAMBYAN PINK VOLUNTEER today.