elections are over. what now?

It was my first time to vote for a president this week, and together with about 50,000 Pinoys, I voted for Nick Perlas.  Maybe a small showing compared to the rest of the candidates, but that feat was not small at all.

Seeds have been planted, and in some places, given the chance to grow.

Many of us came out of the our apolitical caves to join in the May 2010 frenzy, but I hope that whatever effort we put into campaigning for our chosen candidates can also be translated to monitoring and supporting those same candidates, whether they won or not.

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My best friend, Jason Gonzales, ran as Iloilo city councilor (first time in politics, and won as top 6 of 12 as an independent! so proud of him!), and we flew to Iloilo on election day itself  to lend him our truest and loudest support.

The journey begins for Jae, and for those of us who share his dream and are taking the journey with him.  In his words, “people can still be inspired, and continue to search for authentic leaders. I believe that when they’re shown a real alternative, they will mobilize and lend a hand.”

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What of Nick and the people he’s met and inspired along the way?

“I will work on the platform (six pillars) outside of government …citizens have the power to do what they want and what they believe in ….”  – Nicanor Perlas

In a spiritual battle, there are no defeats, only different forms of manifesting a spiritual ideal.  Spiritual vision and deeds live on into the future, changing everything it meets. Rizal engaged in a spiritual battle. He did not “win” when he was executed. But his deeds have continued to resonate through decades, have inspired tens of thousands of Filipinos, and have changed the course of Philippine history.

We have a dynamic vision of the possible future of the Philippines. The Presidency was one path to realize this vision. But there are other ways, other paths, to attain this vision.

Divine Providence has given us the harder path to follow. We have been “chosen”, if we accept, to follow the harder path because we dared to thread paths that few have dared to follow before, if at all. This harder, new path is to strengthen the moral fabric of Filipinos through right thought, words, and action in order to revive the creativity of civil society itself. This cultural renaissance, in turn, will also become the fertile womb for birthing and nurturing new politics and green, socially responsible businesses.

We have often said during our political campaign: There is no political revolution, without a cultural transformation; and there is no cultural transformation without a deep spiritual revolution inside all those among us what have taken up the challenge of renewing our country.

- Excerpts from We are Moving On, Nick’s post-elections message

There is indeed something rising in this country… let’s keep our eyes open, our hearts hopeful and above all our spirits brave to meet what needs to met, where and how it needs to be met.

Sharing Nick’s platform below.  Still relevant, still inspiring, even after the campaign.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, mabuhay ang Pilipino.