3.1.07

:: What A Journey It Has Been ::

I'm proud to say that I can now vote. What a journey it has been, literally.
Tina informed me at about 10 am Decemeber 30 that THAT was the last day for the registration for a voter's id. I got up and ready so fast, my mom even scolded me about why I didn't register earlier. I couldn't answer.

Anyway, so we were there at the Magsaysay Park, where I swore never to go back to since the area was really dangerous. I mean, with all those hooligans living near there. We saw tons of kids our age there, waiting for something and so we lined up too. Not knowing which District was which. From here on, I have wanted to complain about the unorganized system of the Comelec. They handed out forms and the people acted all crazy, grabbing each paper they could see, as if it was money that was being given away. Me and Tina decided to NOT continue on for that day, since one of the police officers said that there were no more applicaton forms. As we walked away, bearing in mind that we will return the next day, we wondered that how can they run such a system and tell the people that there weren't any more forms when in fact the working citizens here in Davao has been paying and contributing so much. How can they not have enough budget for this sorts of things. I told Tina, there was a conspiracy behind all this. (hehe)

December 31, 2006. I didn't sleep at all, I got dressed at around 1:30 am. Supposedly I was going to eat at Beiah's house, unfortunately my mom told me it was too risky to go out that early, and so I just lied down and watched TV. I left at about 4:30 am. I went to Tina's house so we could go together along with her friend (who by the way wa a really big help to us). Seeing from afar, people had already piled (take note, not line, but pile) up. Waiting for the gates of the park to open. When it's strictly supposed to open at 8:00 am. We waited there for about 3 hours. Good thing it wasn't that hot and being small is a great thing since I could just easily use a taller person as my shade. (hehe). I didn't have anything to eat that day, so i munched on some fresh mints Tina had with her. While standing there, in a crooked line, there were a lot of annoying people there, cracking unsolicited jokes and talking as if there was no tomorrow. My ghulay! Buti na lang I kept my composure, else I would've screamed my head off.

The gates opened and people were like, running towards the office. Running like mad, as if there was a Tsunami phenomena. Really, if you were only there, you can see how stupid people really are. We walked normally, looking for any line. And so we got in the line as well. Waiting, under the slowly burning rays of the sun, for our turn to get the forms. May sumingit, some pushed and some were just plain unhygienic. Haven't they ever heard of a deodorant? A body spray perhaps? We had to be persistent in getting a form. But I was too weak to continue on with all the standing and smelling of those horrendous scents. Syet. Mix dog poo and a pig sty plus a sweaty underarm right beside you. Who would stand such unsanitary situation. Anyway, I told Tina I couldn't breathe anymore since it was already suffocating to just be in there. Iniipit na kasi nila kami, to think we have the bodies of a kid! No mercy talaga. I looked for the nearest canteen, I figured I was getting dehydrated. Tina joined me after a few minutes, I guess she couldn't stand it too. We strolled around for a bit and went back to see how the line went. Kumonti na lang yung tao, because this certain police officer said there weren't any more forms, naubos na raw. So ayun konti na lang, but I remembered what had happened the day before, yun lagi nila sinasabi just so they can get rid of the other people. How rude! So ayun, nakipila na kami, kapalan na ng mukha, although di pa rin ako nakipagsiksikan ever, I don't want any foul stench sticking on my shirt noh, as well as greasy arms. Eww. We got the forms, filled it up and passed it.
What a journey it has been talaga. After that, I got my hair cut. Went to Church for Sunday mass. Went home. Slept for 30 minutes and went to church again, this time with the family for the New Year mass. Got home, ate and slept a bit. What a way to celebrate the last day of 2006 and to start of with 2007.


January 01, 2007. Went to our cousin's house and nakikain. I ate everything I could put in my stomach. Everything looked so yummy. Fortunately, di pa naman ako tumataba. Hehe. The offered me some wine too, to which I hesitantly accepted. Nung Christmas pa kasi nila ako pinapainom nun. Masarap. I didn't get the name of the wine though. :P

January 03, 2007. Went back to Magsaysay to have my picture taken para sa voter's id thing. And luckily, konti lang talaga ang tao, as in mabibilang mo lang. I worried before that the place would be swarmed by the same smelly folks and my preppy look would be ruined, pero hindi. Wahahaha. Everything went smoothly, I still had to make Tina come with me, kasi wala lang, para may kasama ako. Hehe. An optimist and a pessimist. After everything we've been through, I've realized that it wasn't the Comelec's system that was the only one at fault, but of the people there as well, shoving, yelling and acting like monkeys. Truly we are Pinoy. We went to school afterwards, chatting with the teachers. Talking about the OJT(On the Job Training). I had them make me a form for applying as an OJT at link2support. hehe.

Indeed, it has been a remarkable day. I feel so blessed and lucky. It is the year of the pig, but I don't care about that. All I care about is the fact that it's the year 2007. 7.. siyete.. pito.. Seven. My favorite number. A starting point of my career, spiritual and psychological growth. Be a better me.

6 comments:

-pAm- said...

ah lintek na comelec.

haha.

dito sa baguio..well picture this...i was in the line for almost 3hours..and all i get is a freakin appointment slip.

wtf.:D

Anonymous said...

naks! voter ka na! congrats!!

ako hindi ako nagregister eh..

nakakatawa naman yung mga pinagdaanan mo para lang makapagparehistro..

nakakatawa pero mahirap talaga.. =)

take care! have a prosperous year ahead!

MeL said...

Kelan daw ulet pwede magpa-register? imagine, 22 na ko this year (1st quarter this yr) tapos d pa rin ako pwede bumoto. waaah. Pucha! Antamad ko. *:(

joy said...

hay.. buti ka pa at registered na... ako... wala na akong balak bumoto... sa susunod na eleksyon na lang... bwahahaha!

L.A said...

wow buti k p nakapagregiser na ako hindi pa...huhu nakakaamad mg rgister e ang haba ng pila

Anonymous said...

Hello, i found this post by searching on technorati on different experiences from different people on the voters registration.

(almost) same case here, But i started on Dec 27, 2006 and ended Jan 5, 2007! Read more about my story on my blog. Thanks!