Liwanag sa dilim at “unity”

Two days after the election, para bang mas nag-sink in sa akin na ito na talaga ang estado ng pulitika at ng Pilipinas. Mas emotional ako ngayon, at napaluha ako habang homily ng DLSU community online mass kanina. Swak na swak kasi ang ebanghelyo ngayon. Literal na nitong mga nakaraang araw, karamihan ng sumasagi sa utak ko, kung ano ba ang magiging kinabukasan natin.

Sa mga nakikita ko sa news feed ko at sa mga kaibigan kong kakampinks, iba-iba ang coping mechanism. May galit. May malungkot. May mga gustong mag-move on na rin at tanggapin na agad ang pagkatalo. Ang coping mechanism ko ay magsulat ng mga pagninilay ko, para maisaayos ko ang naiisip at nararamdaman ko.

May mga pro-BBM naman na isinasabuhay ang campaign message na “unity” at nagpapakita ng optimism at nirerespeto kahit paano ang “pagluluksa” ng kakampinks (dito ako umaasa na sana tama nga po kayo at makakapagtulungan pa rin tayo). May iilan naman na medyo mapang-asar ang tono, puro trash talk lang ang alam (ignore na lang!).

Maliban sa “unity”, magiging focus daw ng bagong administration ang ekonomiya at oil prices. Mukhang si Sara na rin ang magiging secretary ng DepEd. Maliban dito, hindi pa klaro kung ano ang mga susunod na habang at plano. Ika nga ni BBM sa mga presidential interviews niya, ayaw nila magplano beyond May 9, hanggang di pa sigurado na panalo na sila sa eleksyon. Marahil ito ang nagbibigay ng pakiramdam na “madalim” o walang katiyakan, kasi hindi pa nakalatag ang mga plano nila.

Kung tinatadhana na maulit ang kasaysayan, hindi natin masisisi ang mga hindi pabor kay BBM na makadama ng takot. Well-documented ang mga masasamang nangyari nung panahon ng tatay niya, at ni minsan, hindi humingi ng paumanhin ang kampo nila dito. Medyo fascinating: may sinabi si BBM, “Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.” (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61381594)

Supporter man ng UniTeam o mapa-kakampink, sabihin na natin na bilang mamamayang Pilipino, responsibilidad natin na maghanap ng resibo mula sa mga hinalal natin.

Sa mga tulad kong nakakaramdam na parang naliligaw sa dilim, siguro ang hamon sa atin ay suyurin ang Liwanag; at parang mga kandila, sana ay mahawaan Niya tayo ng alab ng katotohanan, tapang, hustisya, at radikal na pagmamahal.

Si BBM na mismo ang nagsabi, “Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.”

Sinulat nga ni Rico Blanco,

“At sa paghamon mo sa agos ng ating kasaysayan
Uukit ka ng bagong daan, oh, oh-oh (oh-oh)
Ikaw ang aawit ng, ‘Kaya mo ‘to’
‘Sang panalangin sa gitna ng gulo”,

Tumindig tayo at magsilbing liwanag sa dilim, para sa isa’ t isa, at para sa bayan. Tututukan natin na isabuhay nila ang “unity” na pinangako nila.



John 12:44-50. I came into the world as light

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 131: MAY 11, 2022]

Kampihan at barahan

Bigla kong naalala ang isa sa mga kalokohan namin nung high school. Pag may nagsalita o sumubok ng joke tapos tunog corny, sisigaw lahat,

“Weeeeeeehhhhh!!!”

Tapos, related dito, meron ding mga pa-joke na hiritan or barahan. Pa-witty-han ng hirit, talo ka kapag di ka nakabanat pabalik.

Looking back, these could be harmless humor, but doesn’t this encapsulate our norms? Madali tayo maantig ng mga matatamis o mga bonggang palabas o kaya online rambol. I feel, therefore I am.

Kampihan sa UAAP. Trash talks. In good fun, ok lang. Pero pag dinala sa pulitika o kaya sa trabaho, nagiging toxic at troll-ish.

Masarap kumampi sa lamang kasi masarap yung feeling ng nananalo. Siguro, sa hirap ng buhay natin, bumabawi na lang tayo sa mga pagkakataon na pwedeng kumampi sa sure-win. Para kahit paano, maramdaman natin manalo kahit minsan.

Pero, pagkatapos, ano na?

Panalo sa laban ang team mo, so, ano na?

Sa sobrang witty ng clapback mo, napatahimik mo ang bashers mo, so, ano na?

Napaiyak mo ang pinikon mo, so, ano na?

Para ba itong NBA, pagkatapos may mag-champion, offseason na, tapos kalimutan na?

Hindi dapat. Hindi pwede ang ganon sa demokrasya at sa lipunan. Kailangan trabahuin. We hold the electoral winners accountable.

Hanapan natin ng ebidensya. Kung mga players nga sobrang daming advanced analytics, bakit hindi natin hanapan kahit simpleng track record lang ang mga pinuno natin?

Hindi tayo naghahalal ng pinuno para ma-validate ang sarili natin na “Tama ako ng kinampihan! Panalo! Panis ka!”

Naghahalal tayo dahil nagtitiwala tayo sa pinuno, at ang dapat natin i-validate, kung natutupad niya ba ang pangako niya.

Dahil ang bangungot na gusto nating iwasan, kapag humihirit na tayo o naniningil ng resibo, bigla lang tayo babarahin ng mga lider natin, sabay sigaw satin nang nakangisi,

“Weeeeeeehhhhh!!!”


John 10:22-30. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 130: MAY 10, 2022]

On election anxiety, unsurprising initial results, and heartbreak rants

Election anxiety was and is real. Haluan mo pa ng quarter/third-life crisis, minsan mapapaisip ka, “Ano na, Pilipinas? Ano ba ibig sabihin maging Pilipino at ipaglaban ang Pilipinas?”

Gets naman kung bakit ang mga kakampinks, umaasa sa Google Trends. But as a researcher myself, I cannot discount the validity of the surveys. Yes, there are “theories” kuno na “False Asia” or “mind conditioning”, but as professionals and personalities have vouched for, these survey firms try to be transparent and employ relatively good-but-imperfect methodologies.

For the past months, it seemed clear that the majority (not just a plurality!) were for BBM-Sara. Kaya in a way, now that ~50% of the unofficial results are transmitted, di na nakakagulat ang results. The early signs point to one of the most empathic electoral wins in recent history.

Nakakainis ang COMELEC. Ang daming incidents na sira ang VCMs. Di naman ganito nung 2016 at 2019 diba? Anyare po sa inyo? Paano namin kayo pagkakatiwalaan? At kung tunay na minority ang kakampinks, paano kami mas makakaunawa na walang anomalya sa eleksyon kung ang daming palpak? (Shoutout though to our poll watchers and volunteers na napagbubuntunan ng galit, di niyo po kasalanan! Mabuhay po kayo!)

It is not surprising, but fuck, it hurts. Sana may miracles pa, but all reasonable evidences point to an empathic BBM-Sara win.

My friends know that I tried to adopt a more balanced or neutral view since I did not want to be a blind follower. In 2016, I truly considered voting for Duterte (so I understand his charisma, disciplina kuno, and “change is coming”, yun pala change scamming, kontra oligarchy pero bagong oligarchy lang din). Ala Heneral Luna ang dating (kunwari). Pero kapag pinagnilayan… Rape jokes? Dapat daw nakauna si Mayor? Nasaan na yung jetski kontra XJP? Bumalik ako kay Mar-Leni.

VP Leni represented values and principles I believe to be manifestations of good governance. Pero di siya perpekto. Sabi ng mga iba, baka mahina si Leni, malalamon ng nga backers niya. So, pinag-isipan ko rin iboto si Yorme, baka mas mahinahon na Digong. Pero lumabas ang tunay na kulay, balimbing, minsan kontra admin, minsan kontra BBM, tapos presscon kontra sa Top 2 sa survey…? “Switch to Isko” is appropriate kasi si Isko, switch din ng switch! In the end, mas tumaya at tataya pa rin ako sa rosas na bukas.

Di ko lang matanggap bakit si BBM. Sa totoo lang, mas gets ko pa kung bakit si Pacman ang iboboto eh. Pero BBM? Bakit? Tapos maniniwala tayo sa TikTok at YouTube? Kahit nga Wikipedia na dinidiscourage na source ng mga paaralan, yun na lang, madaliang research, makikita na natin yung red flags. Bakit sa kulay pula pa rin?

Pag natuloy na naupo si BBM, mauulit ba ang mga Archimedes Trajano tortures sa mga paaralan? Bilang guro, matatakot ba ako magsabi ng totoo kasi baka mapahamak ang mga estudyante, kapwa guro, at mga mahal ko sa buhay?

Dadami ba sa mga mahal ko sa buhay na pipiliin mangibang bansa kasi nawawalan ng pag-asa at oportunidad sa Pinas? Hirap na hirap na, at mas nakakakita ng liwanag sa ibang lugar?

From listening and reading the thoughts of neutral political science and sociology experts, I think the real mechanism that led to these: the erosion of Truth and the preference of personal truths and narratives. Guilty tayo diyan. Dahil tinuring na mala-santo sila Ninoy at Cory, nabulag din tayo sa mga mali at pagkukulang ng gobyerno natin. People Power became an imperfect representation of democracy; narrated more in terms of saints versus devils, and less about virtues versus vices. Personalidad pa rin.

The age of social media highlighted our immature democracy, which is susceptible to narratives, conspiracy theories, and propaganda. Naging labanan ng kwentuhang gusto, hindi ng katotohanan. The first to realize this context were the Marcoses, and as early as the 2010s, they were investing in social media to revise history and form pro-Marcos groups.

We allowed and our allowing ourselves to be sheeple. We are all guilty.

So, I try to ease my anxiety and that of my loved ones. At least, we are learning. And the majority seems to have spoken. Okay lang. I respect our due process.

Pero para sa mga naniniwala at naniwala na kulay rosas ang bukas, hindi ito tungkol kay Leni lang. It is a movement about courage, bayanihan, and humility – we shall be a vocal minority. Maraming kwento na gusto ng kakampinks i-unfriend ang mga pro-BBM. Huwag. Mas kailangan natin ang isa’t isa.

If the UniTeam does proceed to win (I’m still hoping, but not expecting a comeback), the first step is to hold the UniTeam accountable to their message: unity.

For kakampinks, radikal na pagmamahal. For the UniTeam, unity.

Simulan na natin ngayon. Let’s walk our talk.


John 10:1-10. I am the gate for the sheep

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 129: MAY 9, 2022]

Are we called to be ‘sheeple’?

John 10:27-30. The Good Shepherd

The analogy of Jesus as the Good Shepherd may make us think that in this representation, we are powerless sheep incapable of living without a leader. In a sense this may be true, because we recognize the Higher Power, and in our humility, we realize how powerless we could be in the grand scheme of things.

Thus, a meme is born – sheeples. This is a pejorative to describe behavior that is perceived to be blindly complying and conforming without sense of reasoning. But at the same time, conspiracy theorists would exclaim, “wake up, sheeple!” to provoke us into considering a radical or absurd worldview. As a meme, this is done in humor or via satire; but taken seriously, this characterizes how gullible we could be as a society.

As I try to reinterpret the Good Shepherd representation, I think this is less about the sheep and more about the responsibility of an authentic benevolent shepherd. The Good Shepherd dignifies and treats His sheep as creatures of importance, not subjects to be exploited. In a way, the Good Shepherd is less about a leader’s power but more about the vocation of servant leadership, to know the needs of the flock and find ways to care and nourish the flock.

We are called to think both like a shepherd and a sheep, like leader and follower. The foundational principle is dignity: a shepherd cannot be without sheep; and the sheep loses the social identity of the flock without the guidance of the shepherd.

As we vote tomorrow, we are not called to be sheeple. We are called to be authentic people capable of understanding the role of a sheep and a shepherd – follower and leader – towards societal flourishing.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 128: MAY 8, 2022]

Loyalty + Trust + Time = Faith

John 6:60-69. To whom shall we go?

Mr. Morj, a One Piece YouTuber in his analysis of the Wano arc, contended that a key theme of the manga series is faith, which is based on loyalty, mutual trust, and the passage of time.

In a way, human loyalty and trust are initially borne from witnessing reasonable evidences. A child that experiences the care of a parent grows to be loyal and trustful; believing that the parents’ track record of care is worth having faith in.

The tragedy is that we equate loyalty with fanaticism. We equate trust with unquestioning obedience. Fanaticism + unquestioning obedience = blind faith.

When we choose to have faith in a person, it’s not about having cult-like fanaticism. It is about fully appreciating, as in listening to both our gut and our brains, the authenticity and integrality of the person we believe in. Does the person have a body of work and a track record we can ground our beliefs on? Does the person explicitly make herself accountable to the values and principles she believes in?

Most importantly, if the person does falter and commit mistakes (and this is inevitable), will she be likely to pass the blame or take accountability and improve her mistakes?

On Monday, our vote is an act of faith. I have explicitly mentioned who I will vote for, but I’m not writing this reflection to campaign.

Maybe the invitation is that an authentic faith and an authentic vote is an act that also holds both the believer and the believed accountable. But in this sense, accountability is less about fear, but more about love.

Therefore, whoever we vote for and whoever becomes the next president, let’s hold them accountable.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 127: MAY 7, 2022]

We vote for the candidate we commune with

John 6:52-59. The one who feeds on me will have life

From a more secular perspective, the dictionary defines communion as “the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings”.

Ideally, we vote for candidates that represent our values, thoughts, and feelings. We do not vote because the person is somewhat we put on a pedestal, a personality that is always right.

We do not vote because we are fanatics; we vote because we discern and commune with our chosen candidate.

Which among the candidates are we most willing to exchange thoughts and feelings with?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 126: MAY 6, 2022]

What does it mean to teach?

John 6:44-51. They shall all be taught by God

If insights are based more on one’s internal conditions and cognitive processes (and less about external stimuli, for the same set of clues can be apprehended by one and not by another), what does it mean to teach? What is the role of a “teacher”?

The foundations of our educational system are built on standardizing skills that one must know, which is mostly true in the primary levels. Basic reading, writing, scientific, and mathetical skills are taught. Simultaneously, we guide kids to learn about how to behave in society, teaching ethics and values.

But as we reach higher and vocational education, we are called to engage in highly technical, critical, and creative thinking skills. The challege is that compared to basic education, higher-order skills precisely tackle making sense of ambiguity and a seemingly indeterministic or at least a multiple-causality type of reality. In these situations, it would be hubris for a human teacher to claim absolute knowledge of what is right.

Thus, there is some comfort in a belief in God, the Higher Power, and the principles of Truth and Love. These are guideposts, meta-frameworks, under which we can derive our own context-specific frameworks for action.

Indeed, only God is perfect. But this does not mean that teachers and students cannot aspire to be excellent. And excellence, in this sense, is an iterative journey of harmony and accompaniment, built on feedback and dialogue, towards flourishing in Truth and Love.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 125: MAY 5, 2022]

Spiritually hangry

John 6:35-40. I am the bread of life

The feeling of hunger plus anger (feeling “hangry”) is very powerful. These emotions seem to indicate that a person is in “survival mode”; the body and hormones signal to the mind the need to prioritize oneself first, to eat and to find a safe space. Our stomachs feel empty; our minds easily irritated at slight inconveniences. This is what being physically hangry means.

However, it’s harder to describe spiritual hunger plus anger. Is it that nagging void inside one’s head and heart? Is it that creeping anxiety that can lead to questioning and doubting God? Is it the feeling of languishing, drowning amidst a billion voices, feeling irrelevant? These experiences create a vicious cycle, like a child drowning in a quicksand.

It is in experiencing spiritual hangriness where we can appreciate simple yet encompassing principles of our faith: to love. That the other name of God is Love, and that Jesus is the Bread that can infinitely give a piece of Himself to commune with us. We’re invited to choose meaningful suffering as well as meaningful celebrations; but beyond the thorny crowns and heavy crosses we’re supposed to grit through, we can take comfort in the fact that the default of life is love.

And maybe, love can nourish the spiritually hangry.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 124: MAY 4, 2022]

The romance of journeys

John 14:6-14. I am the way and the truth and the life

Stories about the hero’s journey or typical shounen anime heroes are somewhat formulaic: the hero discovers his talent, he is called by the unknown and is reluctant, the hero takes a leap of faith, he fails and rises up again by transforming, succeeds, and returns home.

In a sense, the knowing the destination seems boring. Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory suggests that for a person to be optimally engaged, a challenge must be somewhere near the person’s skill level. Too easy, the person is bored; too hard, the person is anxious. Therefore, what makes journeys romantic is less about the destination but more about the challenges and suffering one chooses to overcome.

Being top 1 in a game through hacking only gives a momentary thrill; learning the game and developing skills to reach top 1 provides immense pride.

Thus, knowing that Jesus is the Way and believing in Him is the smallest fraction of an active faith. It is our agency to find our own framework and niche in doing the work that makes our virtuous journey more exciting and compelling.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 123: MAY 3, 2022]

What does it mean to be nourished?

John 6:22-29. Food that endures for eternal life

The accessibility of restaurant deliveries, GrabFood, and FoodPanda may make it easy to take for granted how precious food can be. We have developed various rituals when it comes to consuming food — snacking during recess, desserts and treats as rewards, buffets and function rooms for milestone celebrations, “pantawid gutom” in between busy moments, so on and so forth.

But do we eat because we want to be full? For a person who is hungry, perhaps such is the value of food. But for a fortunate person who can summon food on a tap of a finger, food does not merely make one full. It can satisfy a craving.

But the miracle of the multiplication of bread can be framed as a story not of consumption, but of giving. And in this sense, this is aligned with the message of Jesus to focus on giving instead of mindlessly consuming.

In consuming food, maybe we can become full; but in giving food and a piece of ourselves, maybe we can become nourished.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 122: MAY 2, 2022]