July 25, 2021

if not you, then who?

Hello friend, thanks for opening! Hope you’re staying warm and safe! This week has been jampacked–here’s my best attempt at a summary. Hope you find something useful here! -K

What a week! I usually associate rainy days with slow days but this week was anything but slow, despite it being rainy as hell.

On top of persistent floods and the confirmed local transmission of the Delta variant, we also have Saturday morning’s 6.6-magnitude earthquake just off Batangas.

None of these Old Testament-ish cataclysms (plague, flood, earthquake–what’s going for me is that though I am a firstborn, I am not a son??? wow silver lining??) have somehow deterred political developments related to the 2022 elections–we have a Sotto-Lacson tandem, now with former Vice President Jejomar Binay as a potential candidate in the lineup.

Earlier this week, Vice President Leni Robredo, in an interview with ANC’s After the Fact, answered questions about her plans for 2022 candidly. If you missed it, here’s the video on YouTube.

After the Fact | ANC (20 July 2021) - YouTube

Watch here the full episode of After the Fact, July 20, 2021.For outside the Philippines visit: http://tfc.tvFor more ANC full episodes, click the link below…

Among the things she said that stood out for me is how, while she is not completely discounting the possibility of running in 2022, she is:

1. trying to make this decision as inclusive as possible and consulting as many stakeholders as possible

2. not entirely sure that running with a popularity rate of 6% in the latest surveys is the best thing to do for the country right now, and

3. focusing on COVID-19 response instead of campaigning, which is the right thing to do at this point

–and it is infuriating, because while definitely the right person for the job, she is:

1. running against the admin, that is basically using our taxes to extend their hold on power

2. likely running out of time and

3. will take on the burden of rolling out this country’s COVID-19 response while the rest of them go ahead with their campaigns

I MEAN SERIOUSLY. As columnist Ceres Doyo asks: If not Leni, then who?

Anyway, the volunteers over at #DapatSiLeni are doing really good materials for social. Let’s help them get nice metrics by viewing, liking and sharing their stuff I guess.

They’re looking for volunteers too: bit.ly/DapatSiLeni.

ANYWAY.

Also this week, speaking of things that have gone on anyhow despite the pandemic: The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have opened in Japan, and this is my favorite part of the Opening Ceremonies:

Media Recs

• That time of the year for SONA BINGO CARDS and I have created mine here:

• Make your own using these Canva templates: Big SONA card | IG Story version

• Have you tried the Google Doodle specifically made for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?!? Shades of old-school Pokemon and Stardew Valley!

• This is my favorite dance cover of TWICE’s Alcohol Free

• We watched the first season of Never Have I Ever on Netflix in one sitting. So awkward and tender all at once, and as usual, you never see the onion ninjas coming! We’ll be pacing our consumption of the second season hehe.

• I am kind of… interested in… Valve’s Steam Deck? Especially if they will let me play PowerWash Simulator? So satisfying.

• I have been waiting all week to share this meme in this newsletter. (Sound on)

Happy Sunday! (hehe) Here’s to sunny days soon.

XO,

K