I WOULD be hard pressed to say that I am a diehard kakampink, having only attended the Miting de Avance (MDA) and the thanksgiving rally. Out of the only two rallies I attended, my first was simultaneously Leni Robredo’s last campaign rally, her MDA last May 7. It did not take much for me to realize the unprecedented importance and potential of the pink movement.

The rally oozed with selfless volunteerism and bayanihan. I had met some millennial volunteers who had just finished their last house-to-house earlier that day, and what was interesting about their stories was their formerly apolitical attitude. They had never voted before. But now, they suddenly saw themselves registering to vote for the first time just for Leni, even going so far as to volunteer in constant house-to-house efforts.

Two absolutely new phenomena characterized this elections: A political rekindling of our bayanihan ethos and a transformative departure from the failures of post-EDSA liberal democracy. Proof of the latter can be seen in apathetic Filipinos returning to the democratic arena and fighting for a better future.

I understand why many of us may be grieving for our electoral loss last May 9. It felt like having your heart broken 31 million times by Filipinos who chose otherwise.

Truly, she may be ‘the one that got away’ in terms of changing our administration for the better. It is okay to grieve, but trying to understand what happened can help us move forward and keep the spark going.

Learning to be better

Our electoral loss was not only an emotional defeat but also a wake-up call. It was a call to be better democratic citizens with a love for country. In line with this call, I criticize two unsavory—even childish—reactions that do not help our cause.

First, our post-election coping mechanisms of delusion and conspiracy are only delaying the learning process. We need to stop denying the results and eventually face the truth. Apolinario Mabini in Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018) challenges us so, “Kaya na ba ng Pilipino na marinig ang katotohanan nang hindi mapipikon? (Are the Filipino people ready to hear the truth without being pissed?)” We can only improve once we learn, and we can only learn once we’ve recognized our own shortcomings.

Second, I am highly critical of those who would abandon their country after one electoral defeat and not out of financial necessity. Just when their countrymen may need them the most, they do not show up—much like a certain someone. That is how fickle their love for country is. At the first setback, they would rather take the easy way out than stay and fight. Dahil kung mahal mo, ipaglalaban mo.

The future of pink

However, the future of the movement we created is bright. Last May 13 in her thanksgiving speech in Ateneo, Leni showed us its possible future.

Now, you could say that the pink “mission-vision statement” finally found itself. In January, the mantra and vision was born: “Sa gobyernong tapat, angat buhay lahat. (In a just government, everyone is uplifted.)” Leni then solidified the current pink mission last May 13 by announcing the creation of “the biggest volunteer network in the history of the country” through the Angat Buhay NGO (non-government organization), and the fight against disinformation and historical denialism on all fronts. I believe that this NGO is a great way to sustain a passionate volunteer movement and transform it into one for social change and alternative politics.

Moving forward, we need to keep our hope burning and continue learning. Learn from our opponent’s strategies. Find new strategies. Fight for a new ‘pink politics’ that is fundamentally progressive and anti-traditional politics. A pink politics of transparency, accountability, participatory governance, grassroots volunteerism and bayanihan, and radical love and hope.

Gisingin ang lakas at magpatuloy para sa rosas na bukas. Ika nga ni Leni, “Ang paghilom, hindi darating habang nagkukulong o nagmumukmok. Darating ang paghilom kapag sinimulan na muling ituon ang sarili sa ating kapwa… Kapag itinutok ang mata sa abot-tanaw.”

Enrikko Sibayan is from 4 AB MA-POS. He is a Research staffer at The GUIDON. You may contact him at enrikko.sibayan@obf.ateneo.edu.