The importance of June 30, 2010

June 30, 2010 was the inauguration of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

…which I did not witness at all. My only awareness of June 30, 2010 was that it was a holiday. And that yesterday, commuters enjoyed free rides on the LRT 1, LRT 2 and the MRT (which prompted some of my friends to travel the length of the Yellow and Purple lines).

June 30, 2010 was important and historic, but more urgent (and personally, more vital) things came up. Interestingly, the events for my day can be related to four issues that I feel should be addressed by the President:

8:00 am – 12:30pm My morning was spent rushing (I overslept) to work for a teachers’ training on Beginning Filipino. I was introduced to the Marungko method and planned a Reading-Writing program. Also consumed two cups of very cold coffee and spaghetti for breakfast, and gratefully received a blessing.

Issue: EDUCATION

12:30 – 3:00 pm. I had a quick lunch date with with a friend, then availed of the free LRT 2 train ride (my third for the day). I also had an impulse buy at an ukay-ukay. Then, I went grocery shopping for a hospital visit. The prices sent me reeling and took a healthy chunk of my first (and now much depleted) paycheck.

Issue: ECONOMY

3:00-4:30 pm. One of our ministry partners in PCCI, Ptr. Jess Alisbo, suffered from a stroke this week. He had to be rushed from Lagawe, Ifugao to the UERM Medical Center for treatment and observation. Yesterday, a dozen of us crammed into his tiny private room to visit him and supplied grocery items, stories, prayers and a reunion of sort. This septuagenarian never fails to inspire me with his testimony: three decades of fulltime mission work in the Ifugao region, over 30 churches planted, and a life dedicated to God.

Issue:HEALTH CARE (WELFARE for the elderly)

4:30 – 10:00 pm. Consulted another friend for my thesis topic at the Cubao Expo, which I happily discovered was an “emerging art district” with quaint shoe shops, clothing stores and cozy cafes. I was introduced to the Manila Collective Photospace and Cafe and ranted with total strangers about how a certain pop flick is taking up all the cinema space for the near future. Also witnessed the coalescing of the void / birth of the amoeba which should become a higher life form ASAP / Genesis of my thesis topic. Ahh, the joys and perils of creative writing.

Issue: CULTURE AND THE ARTS

But I concede thet June 30 is important. So right after I post this entry, I am going to read Pres. Aquino’s Inaugural Speech online.

Photos: Cubao Expo by Paul Lee, President Noynoy by AP.