It’s Friday, and I’m facing another long weekend, but somehow, I don’t feel like this weekend is going to be relaxing. Sure, I’ll be meeting my friends tonight, I’ll be working out tomorrow and it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, but Monday is a whole new ball game.

Monday is the day when changes will happen. I don’t know if it’s for the good, but I’m pretty sure changes will happen.

I admit to being apathetic in the past few years. Truth be told, I used to not care at all, and I avoid reading newspapers or listening/watching news because I don’t care about giving an opinion or even just having an opinion about something that I can’t even defend, or I can’t even really understand fully. I suck at debates like that, so I avoid it, and in the process, I avoid anything that happens to talk about the society. Sure, I volunteer for Gawad Kalinga, I sponsor a kid in World Vision…but government issues? Politics? Who’s the next best leader? I’d rather research about the best weight loss drinks in the market. Seriously, get me out.

That’s one of the reasons why I chose not to vote in the last presidential elections. I didn’t even register, because I felt like my vote would just be wasted. Besides, it’s my choice not to vote, right? There’s no one deserving of my vote, anyway.

All that changed last year. I guess you could say this one side of me woke up, and I decided to start doing something, even if it’s just in my own small way, to help the country. The first time I felt that tug was when Former President Cory Aquino passed away. That was enough for me to actually go and be a registered voter, because I was born when she was president and was restoring democracy, and well…it’s a big thing. The second time I felt the tug — and a stronger one, this time — was when Ondoy hit. I talk about this all the time, but it really changed my life. I’ve explained it in this entry in detail, but I quote:

The point is, because of the flood, I’ve learned to care even more. I am determined to make my vote count, and to make sure I use my power to do my best to help put the right person in the positions in 2010.

With all these election talk, issues, campaign jingles (that have been driving me nuts, really) and posters, it’s kind of hard to believe that Monday will (hopefully) end all that. On Monday, we will all cast our votes, in hopes of electing the right people into the positions of power in our government. I may be one person out of millions of voters, but a vote is a vote, and it’s powerful. It may be highly improbable for two candidates to have only a vote in difference…but it’s only improbable, not impossible. My vote is that important, and in a way, it’s kind of scary.

But as I said, I care, and I am determined to make my vote count. This is probably the one of the few election-related posts I’ll be doing on this blog (the other one will probably be after the elections itself). I avoid these things because I hate having political discussions on my blog, and I still have to scrub off the years of apathy that is still in me…but I have to start somewhere, so I’m going to take this chance to let all these out. So on Monday:

• Vote. I know some people who are not going to because they feel like their votes won’t count anyway, or they just don’t feel like it…but please, please change your mind and do. It’s your right, and it’s one of the most concrete ways that we can make a difference in this country.
• And if you’re voting, vote for the right people. Don’t just vote for someone because they’re nice, or because they’re the most popular in the survey or because they’re the lesser evil and you don’t want the other one to win. Vote for the right people, the ones who are capable, who can face adversity head on, and can knock some sense into us. Read platforms, look at credentials, at track records. Read between the lines, don’t focus on the ads and promises they say on TV or radio. Being a leader is not an easy job, and we need a leader who is strong, who can do what needs to be done to bring this country up.  I don’t really care if you’re yellow or green or red or whatever color you carry, but do make an informed and educated choice on Monday.
• Pray. I know not everyone believes in God, but if there’s one day when you choose to pray to whoever you believe in, make it this day, on election day. Pray for a peaceful, bloodless and successful elections. Pray for the whoever handles the ballots, pray for the machines, pray for our country. There’s no harm in doing so, and to all who share the same faith as I do, we all know that prayers can move mountains. :)

And if you’d like to know, yes, I have chosen my president and vice president, and a handful of senators. I’m still researching for my senators, party list, and other local government positions, so I’m going to take my free time this weekend to do just that.

It’s time for a change. God bless the Philippines.