THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR

I consider myself fortunate to be in a company that gave me the chance to work while studying. I am thankful for my supervisors and team managers for being considerate when it comes to schedule adjustments. I am thankful to my collegues for being so nice.

I am thankful for my classmates. I am thankful for my fellow petitioners during our moot court competition. Although we failed to make it, the friendship that we had during those overnights while finishing the pleadings and memorandum, were moments that I would never forget. Thank you for giving me a chance to know you more. Even if there's so much differences among us, there's still a place where we are connected. There's nothing to cry for. As a tv commercial model said "Tomorrow is another day".

Thank you for those wonderful nights. Thank you for securing my safety by waiting outside our rendevouz during those nights that I have to finish my shift in the office. Thank you for being considerate. Thank you for the support you have given while we counsel during the moot court competition. I want you to know that you would never be forgotten by me.

Thank you for my friends. Thank you for the laughters. Thank you for the real friendship.Thank you for the hugs. Thank you for the unconditional love and support.

Thank you for my family, thank you to my special someone. Someday, we will love each other freely without hesitations, without fear, without burdens. You are the most wonderful person that I would be thankful forever. I want you to know that you are so much loved by me.

How much do you know about the Constitution?

I was saddened by the fact that lots of Filipinos do not even know some of the fundamentals of the Constitution. I mean even those provisons which I think are essential in the life of an ordinary citizen of this country.

While I am having my lunch in a carinderia near our house I was attentive while listening to a college student while she explains to a woman which I think, is in her 40's, the quailifications of a president of the Philippines. Well, that I think was a very good point on her part because she tries to inform the woman of a basic knowledge that an ordinary citizen like her should possess espeially at her age right now.

She explained that a person, to be qualified as a presidential candidate should be atleast forty years old. On that part she is correct but not until when she added that an additional qualification is that, he who has the intention of running for presidency should have served atleast 10 years in the government.

I was on the verge of spewing the food in my mouth the moment that I heared that.The Constitution clearly provides in Section 2 Article 7 that "No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election,and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election."

Now the question is where did she get that idea? Did she even browse the constitution or such are hearsays coming from unreliable sources. I pity not only the student but also the woman she's talking to because she was a recipient of a false statement and was deprived of a verifiable truth.

But I don't wanna blame them. Such case is an evidence of a weak system of education in this country. If there's an institution responsible for informing its citizens about the basics of the government, that should be the Department of Education.

Come to think of it, that woman, at her age might have exercised her right of suffrage for several times. And that college student may participate in the election in the future. It was just so sad to realize that maybe the reason of bad governance here in our country is that people are just plain ignorant.