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June 2009

Oppose Constituent Assembly

Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. He who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or decisions possible or impossible to execute.
Abraham Lincoln

Visit notoconass.com for the manifesto
In the baby book of my daughter, Lauren, there is a blank space written there for current events on the day of her birth. You know how moms are. We want to document everything and reminisce on those good old days. I clearly remember scribbling down …Today, March 25, 1986, THE 1986 PROVISIONAL “FREEDOM” CONSTITUTION was proclaimed. What joy it was to whisper to my first-born that she is going to live in a democratic society. I stroked her chubby little fingers and told her that “A new government was installed through a direct exercise of the power of the Filipino people assisted by units of the New Armed Forces of the Philippines and the heroic action of the people was done in defiance of the provisions of the 1973 Constitution.” Oh yes, our country held so much hope for her future.

The following year on February 11, 1987, the 1987 Constituion of the Philippines was proclaimed and took effect, just six months before I gave birth to my second daughter, M. So full of hope and love of country, I threw the US immigration papers aside that my sister sent over to me, as I read the Preamble:

We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.

And what happened just a few hours ago? It took only a few seconds for the House of Representatives to approve a resolution that would convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution. (click here to read Proposed Charter Amendments).

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Loving Philippine Fashion

I don’t consider myself a fashionista. I have never owned a single dress designed by a fashion designer, or designers slated to become the industry’s next big names. Probably the most expensive dresses I ever owned in my life was when I was single and I had a very generous father who doted on me and bought me trendy Ready-to-wear (RTW) clothes from Rustan’s Department store. The only fashion show I attended was in the UK when I was in my mid-twenties. I was struck with the cobalt-blue fashionable dresses that were presented before me and my sister. I am totally clueless when it comes to catwalk fashion though that doesn’t mean I don’t dress up in style.

So, what was I doing at Philippine Fashion Week Holiday Collection 2009? Well, maybe it was time to take that big leap of faith when it comes to choosing dress styles. Perhaps it was time to fantasize and imagine myself trying out unique creations. Secondly, I am in the lookout for fashion designers that use our local materials. There were just too many shows to cover but I narrowed myself down to Sunday’s show where I thought Premier Collection E might cover unique designs. I covered Premier Collection C but thought their designs were just too un-wearable for my taste.

Just as Premier Collection E started, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney took the vacant chair beside me in the “Reserved for Media” seats. Tessa Prieto seated across me motioned US Ambassador to move to her vacant chair but Kristie said she was fine seated beside me. The US ambassador turned to me, offered her hand and said “Hi, I am Kristie”. Oh wow, I found her so gracious and humble. I turned to the media man beside me and whispered “What’s her family name again?”. He was just as clueless as I was so I plurked and asked my plurk friends if they knew Kristie’s family name. Thanks plurk buddies.

The Buensalido PR provided me with a press kit before the show and it came in quite handy when I whispered some information to Kristie as the show unfolded. Like me, Kristie adored the designs that used native materials. Hmm, we seemed to have the same taste.

jaki penalosa
Jaki Peñalosa
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a mom blogger who advocates constructive engagement in issues on family & society.
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