Marcus Can Blog

My sleepy mind is now getting radical. Here are some lines I just thought about while preparing myself into to slumberdom:

1. If drug products can have it, why not end a political infoad with “No approved therapeutic claims” as well? Makes sense, right?

2. It’s high time we start every political TV shows with, “Voter discretion is advised.”

3. “Vote moderately.” Whatever.

4. If a candidate shamelessly decides to make a movie out of himself, then including these lines in the ending credit might just be appropriate: “Any resemblance to a saint, prophet, or a divine being is purely coincidental and most likely were just due to the intent of the character to be depicted as such.”

5. Surgeon general warning: “Voting, if unwisely, is dangerous to your health.”

These are all for now. Can you think of more?

Mood: 4/10 Honks! (sleepy, sleepy, sleepy)

Fellow Filipinos, a few more days left before the deadline of voter’s registration - October 31, 2009,  and we need to act fast. May 2010 election is fast approaching as well and the last thing we want to do is pass up on the opportunity to make each vote counted. It is in May 2010 that we get to choose who will lead our nation for the next 6 years. Remember, May 2010 is a make-or-break for us Filipinos so let’s do every effort to participate - start it by being registered and end it by being an informed voter.

Photo credit: Twitpic

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (will attend Watchpad Live! tomorrow)

Isn’t it funny that change is such a short word but solicits hundreds, if not thousands, of reaction no matter what the subject matter is all about and no matter how trivial or significant the change will be? Think of one thing that went through change that wasn’t met with resistance or protest. A number of us protested when the mere P1 coin was reduced to a smaller size together with the introduction of the new P10 coin denomination because we said we might not distinguish the two among each other. In the offices, people complained when the payroll became automated because the thought of receiving an inaccurate salary made almost everyone uneasy as receiving a printed payslip is much preferred over its online version for proper accounting of each rendered overtimes and premiums. We doubted online transactions just because we fear that someone might hack the system or our account. Taxi drivers and operators hated the thought of using LPG-powered cars baka daw sumabog. Furthermore, they reasoned out when the DOTC/LTO required them to install in their taxis a printer so that each customer gets a copy of their trip’s expense. And so on and so forth. But guess what, all these eventually happened and unconsciously we got over with each of the transition – and the complaints. 

Now here comes several things being presented to us anew. For one there’s the pressing poll automation issue. Then just this week, I saw the emergence of LTO’s campaign for the RFID (radio frequency ID tag). Once again, most people are clamoring for explanations, and worse others just want to rant irrationally maybe out of ignorance or maybe just due to plain stubborness to come out of their comfort zones or false beliefs – baka malabag ang karapatang pantao (the most overused & most irritating), baka madaya, baka di alam kung paano gamitin, etc. 

I see all these resistance to change as counterproductive and alarming. While other countries are moving forward by utilizing whatever modern technology is available, we on the other hand are still trying to cling on to our traditional ways. Most of us have become so fixated with our conservative practices that we always try to find reasons to doubt upfront the benefits that come with the technological advancements that will make our life easier. Actually, much easier.

Although, it is a fact that we cannot deny histories of unethical practices committed by several people, we should not dwell on these alone and instead open our minds that it is not the process (i.e., traditional or new technology) where irregularities happen and that it is rather caused by the people behind it. BUT this is not the reason for us not to move forward. I can see that the information campaign for the RFID implementation and poll automation is on-going. They will implement it soon whether we like it or not. Our role here is to listen intently and attentively instead of immediately shutting our ears and minds to such new ideas. Let’s be informed and support all of it because continuing to be too pragmatic and pessimistic about change will lead us nowhere but at the very tail end (the last time I checked we are almost there) of the rest of our Asian neighbors where we will surely become the laughing stock at the very least.

It is really high time we prove that we appreciate the effort of the people in the government are doing to improve the way we do things: RFID to improve the traffic system and poll automation to speed up the election process.It is high time we accept change. Let’s choose to show optimistism even if it’s more easy to go the other way. After all, didn’t we demand change? Didn’t we demand action from our public officials (whether we elected them or not)? If yes, these things are now presented right in front of us. All we need is to do is embrace it and trust that something positive will come out of it. Dahil kung lagi tayong tamang duda, wala tayong mapapala.

Mood: 4/10 Honks! (mukhang mapipilitan ako mag-drive mamaya)