To the Filipinos messaging me today over the ongoing election results (and for the foreigners to be aware of our political situation),

I feel you — this is humiliating, painful, and devastating. A legacy of dictatorship back on the seat of power, over hundreds of reported bribery and cheating cases with evidence, an election committee with their own preferred people, actors and abusers over human rights lawyers, history forgotten and rewritten.

But let's never forget that we're on the right side of history. My first vote was for someone with the best possible credentials and character, along with a colorful senatorial team with great campaigns.

We'll grieve this time around, but let grief turn to anger and let anger turn to hope for a better future.

I'll always remember how every university banded together for her; how professionals and celebrities chose her and her team. I'll never forget the flash mobs singing peace hymns in malls, markets, and streets; the house-to-house campaigns where my friends ventured to the most unreachable places; the sports games where everyone wore pink instead of their school colors; the crowded rallies where food and water were passed around, and not a single wallet was stolen.

We turned a political campaign into a movement for change and love — and I'll always be proud of that. We made the right choices. We did what we can. That, in itself, shows promise for our future.

For brighter futures, laban lang, Pilipinas! fighting! 💗

PH GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RIGHT TO INFORMATION UNDER MARCOS PRESIDENCY

Rappler is a digital media company that was founded by Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Maria Ressa is a hero that has fought and continues to fight for the Philippines despite everything and everyone who's tried to put her and her team down.

She was a lead investigative journalist in CNN Southeast Asia who was critical of Rodrigo Duterte's "War on Drugs". She was also falsely accused of cyber libel and tax evasion on several accounts, because our government has been repeatedly trying to shut her down and control information, the same government that is led by a man who LIES AND REFUSES TO PAY 203 BILLION IN ESTATE TAX DEBT. THE SAME GOVERNMENT THAT REFUSES TO PUT IMELDA MARCOS IN JAIL BUT WILL HAPPILY JAIL A STARVING 70+ YR OLD MAN FOR STEALING A FRUIT.

Rappler is not the first victim of this, and it will not be the last. Please please please share what is happening in the Philippines, this could happen in your country one day.

What are the chances diba? VL ka sa Baguio tapos nagkataon na people’s rally rin ni Leni at Kiko. My 5th rally! Please Leni at Kiko manalo na kayo! 😉🌸💕

Stages of grief, but make it VP Leni

Election anxiety has caught up with me, and yes, I do avoid politics as much as possible on my anime social media, but to be honest having a dictator's son as a presidential candidate vs an economist-lawyer who's million years ahead in qualifications as MY president is something I didn't expect to be anxious with, but here we are.

And yes, I'm voting for Leni Robredo as President and Kiko Pangilinan as Vice-President.

PUTANG INA MO

🌸🇵🇭

I was never interested in the upcoming elections back home. Not until we went on vacation and stayed for a month - I saw how deplorable the situation is. The airport is a mess. Driving around is madness, there isn’t much order going on the streets. Processing papers and clearances in government offices takes forever. Retail product prices have skyrocketed, while salaries have stayed the same. National insurance funds have been embezzled.

And the sad part? People have accepted this as their normal way of living because they are accustomed to it. This is wrong. This is all wrong. Waiting in line at the airport for an hour to check in is not normal. Being stuck around in traffic for more than an hour or two each day is not normal. There is just so many wrong things about the Philippines that the government has direct control over, but still fails to correct.

Now, the national elections draw near - and based from the polls and first hand conversations I had with people, it seems like history is about to repeat itself. The masses are about to put the son of a well known dictator in place. A person with sketchy educational background, who served for different government posts for so long with no great accomplishments to back him up. And it scares me.

Please, to those back in the PH who are still having second thoughts, vote for the person who strives to make things better for everyone. A person who can relate to the masses and the wealthy alike. Vote for the person who pushes for transparency and good governance. The person who brings everyone together, who brings out the spirit of volunteerism in all of us. There is still hope for a better Philippines. And it starts on May 9. Vote wisely, everyone.

i hope this can help calm some people

ctto.

For the past few days I can't stop myself from crying every time I see the news about the election. It was like reaching for the light of hope for a better future and then snatched away from you in the blink of an eye. Next thing you know the bad people are winning.

And then the Pasasalamat happened. Hindi pa tayo tapos. Umpisa pa lang ng laban.

Kakampinks kapit lang. Lalaban tayo. Titindig tayo para sa bayan

💗💗💗💗

people in the philippines are so fucking stupid i genuinely hate it here

why the fuck are people voting for a thief, rapist and a clown for president

i swear its like filipinos never listened to history/ap class

why yall voting for a dictators son? d i s g u s t i n g

not @ the clowns electing and voting for clowns

even other countries are in disbelief over bbm winning over leni

#lenikikoako #mgabobobakayo? #putangina #getmeoutoftheph

Pilipinas kong Mahal

Hanggang kailan ba natin sasayangin ang mga kandidato na ‘di hamak na kayang gampanan ang tungkulin kung sakaling mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na maluklok sa puwesto? Hanggang kailan sila magpapaniwala sa mga binagong bersyon ng kasaysayan, magpapauto sa mabulaklak na salita ng isang kandidato na wala namang malinis na track record, peke ang diploma at walang kongkretong programa at solusyon. Nakakadismaya, oo hindi ako botante.Hindi pa! Bilang kabataan pinagtatanggol lang namin ang aming kinabukasan. Siguro, kaya nga tinuturo ang Practical Research sa Senior Highschool para linangin ang kakayahan namin na mag-evaluate ng mga impormasyon na aming nababasa. Eleksyon para sa anim na taon, eleksyon para sa Pilipinas, sa ekonomiya! Hindi ito para magpabango, magpasikat at magpalinis ng pangalan!

Mas lalo rin nakakalungkot na pipili kayo ng isang senador na artista lang kesa sa totoong abogado. May karapatan akong humusga dahil mamamayan ako ng Pilipinas. Ang politika sa Pilipinas ay nagiging palaro na lamang, iyan ang nakikita ko. Natatakot ako sa mangyayari sa Pilipinas. 

Sa mga botante sana tama ang naging desisyon niyo, pero patawad hindi ko SIYA kayang suportahan. Marami akong rason kung bakit at naniniwala ako na valid ang lahat ng iyon. 

Pilipinas kong mahal bilang kabataan, ako ay nagsusumikap, nag-aaral ng mabuti at nangangarap hindi lang para sa aking sarili kung hindi pati na rin sa iyo. Pilipinas mahal kita pero mukhang ang mga mamamayan mo ang magpapalubog sa iyo. Ang sakit na! 

HINDI NA TAYO NATUTO!!!!!

Not being able to express yourself properly in a foreign tongue does NOT mean you are stupid.

Being fluent in what the rest of the world deems as a 'major' language does NOT mean that your opinion matters more than other people's.

Speaking in the language of our colonizers and our oppressors gives you a personal advantage, gives you opportunities, gives you a place in today's 'modern' society. It DOES NOT give you the right to look down on everyone else who can't communicate the same way you do.

Personal attacks do not justify your political opinions, they demean them.

I will always remember you as the President we almost had. It has been my honor to fight for you, VP Leni Robredo! 🌸🤍💗🌷

#kulayrosasparinangbukas

"Talo na mama mong pink!"

"Kakampink na talunan!"

"Landslide, kahit magbrownout pa!"

"May napala ka ba sa mga rally, talo naman!"

Ilan lang yan sa mga mensaheng natanggap ko mula kagabi. Pero may isang malapit na kaibigang nagtanong: "Paano na yan, talo na si Leni?"

Iiyak ako. Actually iniiyak ko na kagabi. Malulungkot. Manghihinayang. Dadamhin ng maigi ang sakit ng pagkatalo.

Pero ngayon okay na ako. At bukas mas okay na ako. Bukas, babalik ulit ako sa trabaho. Magsisipag at pagbubutihin ang trabaho. Magiipon. Magtatravel gamit ang inipon. Mangangarap. Susubukang tuparin lahat. Magbabayad ng buwis. Mamahalin ang pamilya ng wagas. Tutulong sa mga nangangailangan. Patuloy na magiging mabuti.

Life will go on. Though heartbreaking, I still have hope for the Philippines. I will always take pride in being a Leni-Kiko supporter. 🌸 Tumaya ako. Tumindig. Lumaban. Ibinigay ang oras at panahon. Pagod at abunado. Pero walang regrets, dahil alam kong sa pagtaya ko, panalo ako. 💖💕🌸

PS. Pwede na ba ulit magpeace sign? Namimiss ko na e. ✌️