First it was the hostage taking in Manila's biggest park by former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, which brought shame to our country and second, the Miss Universe pageant.
Before I go any further, this is just my opinion. And please don't take this against me.
So here goes...
To tell you honestly, I never really knew about the hostage taking until it was over. Yes, shame on me. But what can I say, I never liked News anyway. Yes, I know I should be aware of anything and everything happening around the world but really, it could end but I wouldn't really care. Well, not really. Basta, I choose not to watch it. It irritates me.
ANYWAY.
I've watched a lot of CSIs and NCIS, Monk and all those tv series that has hostage taking scenarios. Maybe the Philippine National Police should watch them too. It could give them an idea or two. Just saying. My point is that, they could have just said "yes we'd give you your friggin' job back just please don't kill the hostages." I do not know the whole story but the thing is they could've just said yes and not mean it. Do anything to stop the crazed man from killing those tourists. Or they could've shot the man when they had the chance. Shot as to disarm him not kill him or do whatever is the right thing to do in the situation, provided that there'd be less people dying. Strategize. Plan. After the negotiations had failed, it was pretty clear that the SWAT team had to let Mendoza go. They had to sacrifice the life of their former colleague to save the lives of the tourists who were taken hostage. Yes, I do understand that it's not easy. But it was also clear as crystal the SWAT's priority was to save the lives of these innocent people. They can not save both, no matter what they do. Someone had to lose. It didn't have to be the innocent ones. Period.
I am so not going to the lack of funds, the lack of everything. I'm just going to give myself a headache. so not doing that.
Let's move on to lighter topic.
The Miss Universe Pageant held in Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.
Everything was going great for the very gorgeous Philippine Representative. She was the crowd favorite and I loved her. She nailed it, from the swimsuit to the evening gown. She was a-ma-zing. She was very elegant, poised and beautiful. Until the Question and Answer portion came. I must say it was a bad answer to a difficult question. She could've given a better answer considering that she thinks she has not made any "major major" mistake in her twenty-two years of existence. She could've said it better. (I am not mocking her. I am still a fan. After everything. I love her spirit.) Say, Instead of her answer she could have said this: "I did not make any major mistake in my life but I have made wrong decisions but I do not account them as mistakes because if I haven't made them, I wouldn't have learned anything."
Yes, people, she was nervous as hell. Given that situation, who wouldn't be? Even the hosts were nervous at some points. I don't even do well on interviews. I get nervous and just like her, I blab.
Let me share my college interview in CDU.
Our interviewer asked me what my stand on cheating was. We were five in the room including her.
I was the first one she asked to answer. Being the girl that I was, I was not confident, I was shy around new people and I was scared to say the wrong things. Plus I went blank.
I said, "Uhmm,(tried to look her in the eyes) I think, cheating is.... bad?!?"
And I blabbed some more.
After a month, I returned and inquired if I got in.
Guess what, I was for REINTERVIEW. Then the dean interviewed me with the same question.
I guess I nailed it since I got in and I graduated from there.
All I'm saying is that no matter how bad a question is, there is bound to be some good answer out there. And no matter how we try to go around these situations, these could NEVER be undone.
I must say these are MAJOR MAJOR mistakes. But we do not have to dwell on these. We are Filipinos, for crying out loud. We move on great. WE ARE RESILIENT. We just have to learn from these mistakes and make sure that the next time these kind of things find their way into our lives, we now know how to handle these better. And we do not have to settle for "Pwede na."
Can't we at least settle for BETTER if not the best?
After everything that we've been through, we deserve at least THAT.
From the hostage-taking to the Miss U pageant, I say it's a double whammy.
But we, Pinoys, can get through these together. Just stop criticizing each other.
TO Venus Raj, you made us proud. You did your best and we are proud of you. keep the fighting spirit. AJA AJA!
xoxo
dee
