I HAVE a friend who works for Duterte now. He campaigned for Miriam Santiago in the 2016 elections.
I campaigned for Duterte, and Leni Robredo. Both my candidates won.
When Duterte does something stupid nowadays (sadly, started even earlier in his presidency), my friend would tease me and blame me for the President’s idiocy. Like I have anything to do with what the President eats and shits. Or what drugs he takes to get perpetually high.
And I would defend what I have done in late 2015 until mid-2016 by saying that I am not ashamed that I campaigned for the President. But, it’s also true that I totally regret now that active participation. Regretted it since 2017.
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When the Diehard Duterte Supporters flooded my Facebook feed recently with infographics that said — People complain about garbage-filled Manila Bay, people complain about Manila Bay white sand beautification, Duterte can’t seem do anything right — I was just thinking, Can we clean up Manila Bay with less than P389 million? It doesn’t have to be white sand! Try pink!
But then, the comments showing their true colors made me think, My God! When will my poor people learn?
I congratulated myself for being more woke and morally self-righteous than the other 110 million.
I started writing: Hindi ko ikinahihiya na ikinampanya ko ang Presidente. Pinagsisihan ko lang po. (I’m not ashamed I campaigned for the President. I just regretted it.)
Two sentences. Beautiful enough for a Facebook status post.
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And as if to justify my breakaway from Duterte, I added: Pwede naman kasing magkarelasyon at magkahiwalay. (It can happen that you go into a relationship, and then separate ways.)
That’s when I felt a build-up of more than just a Facebook status post.
And then, I remembered my X issue with the “Filipinx” word idea, and those people who would harp on their relationships, and say that an ex is an ex, that’s why we need to move on.
If a lot of people can be so hung up with the idea of the “ex,” I would like to get a slice of that audience. So I built up to my ending, Doon po nagsisimula ang tinatawag na ‘ex.’ (That’s the origin of what we call “the ex.”)
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With that last line, I knew my little piece has now become more literary. I could feel my goosebumps.
Because it is creative. Imaginative and inspired. A true original.
That smooth segue of the personal from the big societal picture is a masterful writerly stroke. That’s signature Peter Solis Nery. Killer ending, too!
The elements of the social panorama and political climate rooted my piece in Philippine history and culture.
The personal scene (the deep hugot, if you wish) turns it lyrically into a classic. Something timeless.
Four sentences, and awesome:
Hindi ko ikinahihiya na ikinampanya ko ang presidente. Pinagsisihan ko lang po. Pwede naman kasing magkarelasyon at magkahiwalay. Doon po nagsisimula ang tinatawag na ‘ex.’
(I’m not ashamed I campaigned for the president. I just regretted it. It can happen that you go into a relationship, and then part ways. That’s the origin of what we call “the ex.”)
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In the final edits, I changed “presidente” to “pangulo.” Donald Trump is el presidente of the Latinos, but he is not ever going to be pangulo. “Pangulo” is decidedly Filipino.
I also corrected my grammar from “ikinahihiya na ikinampanya” to “ikinahihiyang ikinampanya.” That old balarila rule.
I kept the polite “po” in keeping with the fake politeness of service industry people addressing you as “ser” or “mad-dam” when they’re actually thinking, “you piece of shit!”
I also wanted to convey continuing regret, so I edited from “pinagsisihan” to “pinagsisisihan.”
And as if to explain my early support for Duterte, I added, Pwede naman kasing mauto ng mga pangako. (It can happen that one is fooled by [false] promises.) — Because that was the emotional truth of what happened to me back in 2016. I love the rhyme of “uto” and “pangako” there (even if I hate obvious rhymes)! And also, it’s a beautiful unifying sentence to the romantic idea of the ex that I have already included/exploited in the story.
But to continuously live in a mistake is defeatist!
So I figured I should add a truism which would further elevate my little piece into a better literature, something enlightening and instructional even: Ang masama ay ‘yong hindi nagigising sa katotohanan. (What is distressingly bad is not to awaken to the truth.)
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I was excited to attach the catchy title “Ang Alamat ng Ex,” which can be read as the origin of ex. But most likely will be read as “The Legend of Ex.”
It’s non-political. And it can even be mistaken as a title for an edgy, modern piece of romance.
I am very good with titles. Sometimes, I even feel my titles are better than the work they represent.
So, six sentences! 39 words in Filipino (43 including the title). 53 words in English (57 including the title).
Thus, from a plain statement of regret to a brilliant literary piece. Inspired by DDS posts on Facebook about the Manila Bay white sand scandal.
Worth doing? Definitely.
Needed to be done? You bet!
Creative and skillfully executed? You can argue, but the answer will be yes. That’s why I am a legend!
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“Ang Alamat ng Ex”
By Peter Solis Nery
Hindi ko ikinahihiyang ikinampanya ko ang pangulo. Pinagsisisihan ko lang po. Pwede naman kasing mauto ng mga pangako. Ang masama ay ‘yong hindi nagigising sa katotohanan. Pwede naman kasing magkarelasyon at magkahiwalay. Doon po nagsisimula ang tinatawag na ‘ex.’
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“The Legend of Ex”
By Peter Solis Nery
I’m not ashamed I campaigned for the president. I’m just regretting it. It can happen that one is fooled by false promises. What’s terrible is not to awaken to the truth. It can happen that you go into a relationship, and then part ways. That’s the origin of what we call “the ex.”/PN
