Perya & Making Satan Blush

Superficial July 25th was.
Stuffed into a coral red gown
She, Madam President, was
Shouting war from 4’10” up then down.

Superb was house speaker’s best comic
Stint of the year with a
Simple “Handa na po ang sambayanan,”
- Stopping our dearest – “na awitin,” – a few
Steps before the podium – “Ang Pambansang Awit.”

Shocked yet composed, she tried to be, our
Small speaker, with a ribbon
Stamped behind her dress
Scaled back up near the republic’s flag; the
Session hall was bloated with laughter –
Sardonic was mine.

Subsequently, house speaker JDV continued
Sarcastically: “The real moment has come.”
Sinister as she is, GMA rebutted with
“Salamat house speaker,” then
She fixed a calculated smile just below that
Stigma concentrated on her mole.

Oh! “I am not here to talk politics,” she said.
Of course not.
Of course, she didn’t have to be
Overly defensive that early.
Oppression? Imperialism? None of that was evident.
Obvious, it wasn’t, that she loathed “respect”
Of the “international community.”

Overshadowed were the realities
Of the nation’s destabilization;
Of a true imperial Philippines;
Of foreign impertinence on our sovereignty;
Of extrajudicial slaughter; Of selfish ambitions;
Of rights compromised;
Of every god-damned stero that smells
Of economic disparity, social inequity, and
Of political neurosis.

Opposed by delivering falsehoods
On suppressing lawless violence;
On “condemning political killings;”
On fostering harmony instead of anarchy;
On fighting corruption;
On the “good” of constitutional change
On which she has committed crime against;
On sweet, appealing ideals
Of a pro-poor, pro-growth, and
Of a pro-peace office.

Operated by a clever presentation
On an agribusiness quadrangle,
On an urban beltway,
On tourist spots battered with airports,
On a cyber corridor, and
On things coming together for Mindandao;
Outshone were the realities.

Nightingale singing of utopia, she was.
Naked, stripped of every single pinch and
Nanogram of truth, she was.

Nightmare she was; seduction decent in a
Nationalistic guise, every now and then,
Nurturing the hungry ears of
Naïve, functionally-literate Filipinos.

Now, she never could have “won” without
Narrating about poverty reduction;
Nagging about “the government working well;”
Narrating about “having a better way;” and
Nagging about “joining hands.”

Next, she’s “game to pick old fights.”
Now that’s pro-peace; she certainly could
Not have advanced herself in another way.
Noteworthy? Historical.

An hour and a second of
A, nonetheless, choreographed drama,
Announcing future competitive, unrealized programs,
Autonomy and rightful share for localities,

An hour and a second of
A sophisticated opera, pawned with
Actors of successful autobiographies, and scripted with
Acknowledgement to the Everest teams;
And to the national athletes;
Acknowledgement to an international beauty title holder,
And to minions with arms and medals.

Apathetic Madam was when she dragged
A lolo, and his apo from Kalinga to
Appear in her show of deception
Asserting her so-called pro-poor government.

Administration in question,
Arroyo aims a continuing grip on power
Alongside the imperialist U.S.,
And the feudalist elite families –
An anarchy of self-centered sperms swimming
Around peoples’ fears and helplessness,
And savoring their ponds of lies, as they
Applauded and stood in ovation for the
Arrival of their supposed victory in the
Armageddon.