Just came from our 7 am to 3 pm shift in Kontra Daya. I've been watching and recording fraud, violence, and disenfranchisement cases all day. Some say the right to vote is sometimes the only right some Filipinos especially those of marginalized sectors have. But because of countless cases of missing names on lists, unreasonable deactivation of registration, doubled (or even tripled) names, delayed and even canceled opening of voting precincts and victimizing by putting indelible ink on fingers of those who haven't yet voted, they are now robbed of their every right.

I've been praying for a peaceful election, and hoped (and was optimistic) it would be cleaner this time around, especially more people are watching their votes now and are more wary after the Garci scandal last time. The Big Bad Wolf would have to blow harder this time, I thought.

But no! Calls, texts, emails and media reports to our office were endless. I was typing nonstop, writing news briefs in a database. The only bright side was I got to practice some journalistic skills while confined within four walls, but all in all it's sad. As of 10:00 this morning, there were already 113 dead and 176 wounded from election-related violence.

My estimate is that Quezon City, Makati, Bulacan, and Manila are places with most number of reported election violations today our office received and when I was monitoring television this morning. Violence, new and old tactics of vote-buying, disenfranchisement - name it. This country doesn't run out of creativity.

Anyway, here are sites we've been working on for two days now. Posted reports are only a few of what we got all day:
Kontra Daya official site
Our running account of election monitoring

Please visit them. Click and you'd make our work worthwhile. That's all we wish for anyway, to know we're helping somehow.

I have to sleep early tonight. Going back to my shift tomorrow. The Big Bad Wolf doesn't sleep at all these days.

When I heard that my summer colleagues and I were required to document a rally yesterday at the COMELEC office in Intramuros, I was shocked. I thought of every possible excuse not to go. Danger, fuss, hassle, political differences. I overreacted. As a journalist-in-training, I know I should be flexible. But at times, circumstances will be entirely unexpected.

I was about to board the MRT, feelings edgy, when Tinggay called. "Dapat matapang ka," she said. I kept that in mind, but the pushing and shoving of the other passengers were making me nervous even more. The media are definitely successful in making people think rallies are mayhem, and it also worked for me. I should have been more critical than that. Darn it. I'm a mass media student!

Kontra Daya, an group of individuals, parties, and NGOs aiming to prevent election fraud, marched to COMELEC building at Plaza Roma, Intramuros to speak out against alleged pre-election abuses and fraud plots.

The feeling, y know, of shooting photos alongside real life journalists. I could see the future ...

Pfft. =P


Flags raised. The grand Manila Cathedral on the background.


Hard core on the cause


The front line


Armed observers


Innocently passing by


Addressing the TV people


Advocacy on paper

Saw this picture somewhere. Such fantasy really, something only Photoshop can do.

Padmé Amidala could NEVER become a Jedi. Period.

The Jedi are destined to be Jedi. The Jedi Council knows who among the babies born in the Inner Rim planets have enough midichlorian count in their bloodstream to have the capacity to undergo intensive training and learn to be attuned to the Force.

Anyway, midichlorians are microscopic lifeforms found within all living things. Master Yoda had the highest midichlorian count among the Jedi before Anakin Skywalker's blood was examined by Jedi knight Qui-Gon Jinn when he met the boy in Tatooine, one of the Outer Rim planets. Qui-Gon was even surprised to have discovered it. How could the Council miss out on the boy? When Anakin was discovered to be a potential Jedi, he was already 9 years old. Too old to be trained. He should've started since birth.

Back to Padmé. It's funny, really. Don't get me wrong. Amidala is as smart as she can be. As Yoda would perhaps put it, "Fit for a queen, she is." And a senator too! But never a Jedi. It's just not right. It betrays my Star Wars logic.

And oh, "Jedi" is both plural and singular. No Ss there.