THE LAUNCH
By : Iris P. Concepcion

They came in droves at the Coliseum prepared to have a merry making support for their leaders, a carnival of what they truly felt if and when today is election time.

The original pictures do not have spaces actually. These are filled by people but recent technology can remove that too. Believe my honesty, that was filled. I have seen how these pictures are doctored by panic stricken ladies (they got caught in their demolition rooms fixing things---very professional stilletos gone low) with snowboards atop their genteel resumes.

Anyhow.

These are the faces I often see in the provinces, along the sidewalks, wearing their sentiments in the most creative manner possible---riding in padyaks in streams and streams and streams of newly cemented roads, dwarfing even the newest, shiniest cars on the highway. These faces look like montages of what is to come; a people driven to contribute something to have this country be attuned to the beat of the 20th century.

We need vibrancy and I saw vibrancy there.

I had been to a lot of political street events like these and this is the first time that I saw people in calm, smooth, spontaneous smiles and laughters. Without fear to life this time (no threats of tanks), the participants looked less stressed out. Even the streamers were so MTV and with spectacular meanings (tarpaulins for upcoming musical shows looming like flying carpets). You normally see this only during launches of new computer gadgets. Inside the mall with posh coffee shops and eating outlets, these yellow shirted people walked and dined and conversed. I haven't seen quite like this before----milling people whose shirts talk more than their mouths can. This is a work of our young,who, for the first time in their life, were taken in and invited to participate in building our society.

I walked along the sidewalks they had helped in envisioning. Millions of feet had been pampered, walking is less strenuous---the horizon catches the eyes in designs so good you can eat them.

These people were not solely up against an individual this time around nor are they itching to depose someone but, finally, (my dream actually), I saw a people bonding by expressing a collective desire to invigorate a system steeped in laggardness. This is no mere lip service. They are out there helping out, lending a hand and contributing---elevate that bayanihan spirit to make this work. This is the most democratic manner they know of in showing this kind of festive participation.

We have to start somewhere in cleansing up this antagonistic way of expressing our disgust and start working on it in a less hostile medium. Most importantly, we need to EXPERIENCE the results. I did and God, was I thankful for those less troubled streets I now tread.

I was truly gladdened that some of my admired men in uniform got hip in expressing what they want. One shirt said : "Malakas ka sa Klase Namin."

I want something like this----less of trash talk that doesn't get anywhere except making you look like a bad robot.

No more bullhorned shouts this time that are hushed once the roar has subsided. I see these people being tapped to work and build and I think they will truly deliver.

I saw a long line of young boys in shaved heads with NOY-MAR shirts flashing to me a Laban sign when they saw me extending my camera phone for them to get captured in the lens. These are not camera-shy wallpapers---they want the cameras to capture what they couldn't possibly express in printed words.

We all had passion before but we were not bouyant, as if, when it comes to fine-tuning a system that should govern us. We shout then return to our homes and watch television. We were good at rattling consciences then but after that, we are lost and we crawl on how we want to be governed.

We get depressed when we do not see any change after all those long marches. That's the problem.

This is the time to turn that around.

I am referring to the launching of one political party's (LP) senatorial line-up. They wanted to use that process of determining their next leader. It was a sight to behold. I hope the pictures spread were not barbarized once again by these genteel people of the favored lot.

One time, I even heard the presidential candidate of the administration party explaining his platform like Steve Jobs would. Why not? I am excited to hear these candidates tearing each other's throats but on issues. I am impressed by that kind of elevated nuance injected into our selection process.

I was whining over the terrible road in my little town before. In less than a year, it was cemented with no blahs; I even saw that the materials used were not substandard. I asked: why was that done? Because these leaders started listening to miniscule people like me.

Nagagawa naman pala pag gugustuhin. By heart, these are the kind of people moving behind some of the candidates aspiring for public offices and this is the current voice that we NEED to hear.

This is already being started. Let us not be too small to derail this one step of Filipino-hood that could be a giant step for our society. We are a modern country or so our malls flaunt. Let us show the world then that we too can conduct our level of political discussions civilly.

Look at what these young people had laid thus far with their laboratory experiments in government offices. Like the makeshift cities of the kids I had blogged. Very effective and speedy.

They promise one thing: our government seems to be foisted on greater heights with the kind of openness and expertise they bring with their resumes. Please then, let us not be hostile to them.

A plus factor: they make public service almost sexed-up.

I mean this as something that is alive, productive, fulfilling and complete and that is a good thing.

We can't afford NOT to seize this opportunity. Let us not harrass these people who are infusing a new lease of greatness to our government.

One bag said it: Only one word to fulfill you:

Happy.

We need these people.

Government need not be morose, come to think of it.