When In Manila, life can be hard. In the nearing elections, Filipinos hope for a government that will be able to find a solution to the country’s woes. However, with the elections also come negativity and petty disagreements from different camps.
On one supposedly uneventful afternoon as the polls neared, Â one commuter chanced upon a hardworking man selling pens just to make ends meet. This was his reaction:
“Enough of the arguments and petty squabbles of who did more for whom or who’s the better fit for a certain demographic. We all want what’s best for us Filipinos. We’re all on the same side here.”
Full text reads:
The first thing you read on the folded-up, typewritten note was a short price list for a ballpen (P10), sign pen (P30), and marker pen (P35).Â
Upon opening the note, it read, “Pasensya na po sa abala. Ako po si Jun lumalapit lang po sa inyo at kumakatok sa inyong puso na sana po bumili po kayo ng aking tinda na ballpen. Ito lang po ang alam kong mabuting paraan upang mapagtapos ko ang aking mga anak sa pag-aaral at sa gastusin sa araw-araw.”Â
The note ends with a “thank you” and “may God bless you.”Â
As with most solicitors on a Manila bus, I was initially annoyed with this. The scorching weather also didn’t help the case. But the line “Ito lang po ang alam kong mabuting paraan” really got to me. We’ve been debating, arguing incessantly online about the upcoming elections and who best to lead this country of ours in the next six years. There’s so much hate and negativity around us while Jun here, and all the rest, still grinds it out everyday, making an honest living, providing for his family.Â
Enough of the arguments and petty squabbles of who did more for whom or who’s the better fit for a certain demographic. We all want what’s best for us Filipinos.Â
We’re all on the same side here.
What can you say about this?
