of losing an election ideally fought

The country cannot afford to have a citizen drowned in hopelessness – Raul Roco

The moment Roco ended up fourth in the 2004 election, he never lost alone. We the youth who have believed in him and volunteered to partake with his mission of nation building, also lost. We have spent two years of our lives trying to help his candidacy the best way we knew how. We have joined aksyon kabataan for the single reason that we knew that it was Raul Roco that this doggone country needs.

But we lost and it felt like seeing all our efforts going down the drain.

We felt so betrayed by our own countrymen, the same people whom Roco trusted to have had the idealism to finally vote for who they see fit to become the country’s president. And with all the hooplas going on in this country, it is clear that indeed, the voters have once again failed the country and ultimately the youth.

One year after we lost, we saw ourselves going back to the same office we have frequented. The MRT ride was all too familiar. The steps we took from Ortigas station up to Emerald Avenue, on the same route that we have took for two years, drowned us in nostalgic ride with memories of our idealism and our burning desire for Roco to win the election.

One year after losing the election we find ourselves staying in the same organization, not because of Raul Roco anymore, but because of the principles and because we have never really lost the idealism that our political gospel have taught us.

Yes, Roco may have lost the election, but we have learned more and we have developed ourselves to become the leader that this country needs. Now the hope of raising this country from the loony bin does not rest on Roco’s shoulders alone but also on ours.

Yes, the country cannot not afford to see its youth being drowned in the in the same pool where our geriatric political clowns are. And we will continue where Roco has left off. He did not lose because he taught us to become like him. And tomorrow we will become the same hope that we wanted for this country.

Somehow, we have to keep on believing that the Filipino people learn. And we have to keep on struggling for a better society. Because if there ain’t going to be any, then who will?