I’m in a bit of a rush, haven’t been blogging lately, there’s a lot of unfinished projects to do, personal things, and proffesional duties to attend to. But, since I’m at the airport waiting for a flight, no paperwork to do, let me congratulate the newlyweds Korina Sanchez-Roxas and Mar Roxas. Dubbed the wedding of the year, and I think it may be fit to call it that, and the headlines will indeed be full of their nice PR pictures for the press, still I think this wedding is no doubt still a political event.
In my world, most everything seems to be political, but in a politician’s world, everything is definitely political, whether it is personal or not. Mar Roxas is a married man, but the consummate politician, a thoughtful tactician, but hopefully a devoted husband for the sake of their marriage. I cannot know the inner workings of any persons mind, what’s in their heart, so I can only hope that this wedding was the start of a long wonderful life for this couple. I have to admit, I am the cynic when it comes to high profile marriages, there’s always the lingering feeling of a “marriage of convenience”. Hell, even in low profile ordinary cases, marriages of convenience occur on a daily basis, why would it be wrong for us to think otherwise for politicos and celebrities.
Just take a look at the headline pictures below of Mar and Korina’s wedding. To the right, a man to be married. to the left, the traditional political pose of endorsement in a rally. I know, what you’re saying, it wasn’t a political stump pose, but honestly the moment I saw the picture, it was the only thing I could think of. (photos from Inquirer.net and Business Mirror)
Sorry, to be so cynical, but heck, I know that all throughout their relationship, the proposal, and now their wedding, we’ve all thought about it, I just hate having the elephant in the room and not talking about it. Yesterday, I was glad there wasn’t too much politics, although I could be wrong, I did hear there were a few prominent politicos who did not even attend, which I’m pretty certain they probably received invitations.
For the rest of us, who weren’t around, let’s congratulate the both of them nonetheless. Politics aside, they do look pretty cute together. And sometimes, I have often realized, professional life can often reach the same peaks and valleys as ones own personal life. For Mar, it seems his personal and professional ambitions are coming along quite nicely.
But for both, I say: Mabuhay ang bagong kasal!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Ordinarily, the average student of political science will tend to think that some otherwise unknown souls in our universe will contract marriage with showbiz personalities to propel their own political ambitions.
Perhaps, just perhaps, that of Recto and that of Pangilinan are cases in point. Both did grab a seat in the Senate courtesy of their showbiz-world celebrities-marriage partners who propel their ascent to the corporate political ladder that was the Senate.
After all, one is the so-called ‘star of all seasons’ while the other is the so-called ‘mega-star’.
From where I stand, Mar’s marriage could really be one intended to slice for both personal and political. But that takes a lot of tact and luck. Having both, Mar, as signs indicate, will become a sure winner in the vice-presidential race.
Everything has been carved in.
Primer,
For crying out loud, it is an effin marriage. A vow to be recon with. Let us not get political about the whole God given matrimony. Let us give our Blessing, to the wonderful couple. We should all recognize the Blessing from above. May they have a joyous, and a prosperous life together.
Everything is politicial specially in the Philippies, Nick. Marriage, I read, started out as a social contract designed to keep wealth and political power within a family or clan. When organised religion came along, it merely did what it did to other formerly pagan or secular social conventions/institutions — put a spiritual stamp to it and wove a complex of dogma around it which formed the basis for the iron-fisted governance their clerics and clergy applied to the institution.
So effective is the gloss of the “spiritual” wrapper that the Church had coated around ancient institutions like matrimony that we balk at the suggestion that two people getting married is anything less than a union “that only God may put asunder”.
As Ilda mentioned as a contributing writer in AntiPinoy.com in her article Let’s all put a little Twist in the end:
The sooner we train ourselves to see beneath much of the pomp and ceremony of our medieval society, the sooner we begin to appreciate far more timeless and robust principles that have been corrupted and convoluted by layers of dogma that political personalities have sold to vacuous minds.
For now, we are entitled to lighten up a bit and take spectacles like Mar’s and Korina’s wedding at face value and wish them all the best in their life together. But beyond that let’s constantly remind ourselves to keep our eye on the ball and focus on what is important and relevant to our efforts to building a strong and prosperous nation.
benign°,
Very well said, and great disposition on your part theory on Social Injustice, Political Rhetoric, and Religous Phenomenon. I do agree. Mankind do have tendency; a fatal one at that. Self-preservation and self-development are common aspirations among all people. And if everyone enjoyed the unrestricted use of his faculties and the free disposition of the fruits of his labor, social progress would be ceaseless, uninterrupted, and unfailing.
But there is also another tendency that is common among people. When they can, they wish to live and prosper at the expense of others. This is no rash accusation. Nor does it come from a gloomy and uncharitable spirit. The annals of history bear witness to the truth of it: the incessant wars, mass migrations, religious persecutions, universal slavery, dishonesty in commerce, and monopolies. This fatal desire has its origin in the very nature of man — in that primitive, universal, and insuppressible instinct that impels him to satisfy his desires with the least possible pain.
Let us keep an eyes out for these Presidentiable candidates. We surely don’t want to plunder ourselves either…!
To shake the foundations a bit and get people re-thinking at least for 10 seconds their romanticisms about Blessings from above and benedictions from the CBCP.
Pinas should enact divorce laws. Divorce laws are not invitations for those in happy marriages to fool around with their secretaries, bosses, office-mates or neighbors nor to see the flaws in their spouses and to harangue and berate each other. The happily married should stay married, and may there be more of them.
Enactment of divorce laws is the recognition that marriages in the twenty-first century will break up as marriages in the previous century have been breaking up. Laws are needed to protect the interests of the children and to establish equity as two people part ways.
UP n grad,
Gonna make this short and quick.
Must be unhappy man, or for that matter a woman…!
People espousing divorce laws can be in an NGO watching the assault and battery regularly happening inside marriages that can’t be pulled apart; an up-close audience to the damage to the children of these marriages.
Or can simply be a bachelor wanting to have more weekdays with his married girlfriend, not just the weekends.
Or a friend watching a seriously neglected marino’s sister.
Or a lawyer eager for more business.
UP n grad,
The three “Or’s” sounds pretty legit.
One can be opportunistic, and establish a Law Firm on divorce case settlement issue(s).
There are plenty of “Or” to be associated with divorce.
Looks like social injustice, is a par play for all lawyers.
We wish the newlyweds success, happiness and a lot of children.May
they live happily ever after!
Best of luck to the newlyweds, and may their minds sharpen towards the condition of their country.
I used to know Mar many years ago when we were both young. Time has passed and we have not seen each other for some time. I had followed his political career with some interest and even hoped he would be a new type of leader for a country still mired in poverty and misery and betrayed for so many years by the empty promises made by those who have been elected by a generous people who still believe that a better future is attainable. Just last week “The New York Times” published an article on the growing population of the Philippines which remains a largely Catholic nation with no visible legal birth control programs and/or abortion on the books–where is the courage needed to face the Catholic hierarchy? I have never visited this site but did see the spectacle of this week’s “wedding of the year” (officiated by numerous Catholic bishops)in Manila in various websites and simply could not believe my eyes! The sheer arrogance of this larger than life wedding is absurd. The opportunity to do good, to really lead a nation is something the senator has lost sight of. The larger than life extravaganza made me ill. Who advised him to go along with this Hollywood production? His family? This is such an affront to nation that was dealt some horrific natural disasters less than a few weeks ago. Yes, it is his money and he can do as he pleases but at times, a little humility and empathy for one’s fellow citizens is what is called for–especially if one is in the position of leadership. Perhaps this is why he has decided not to run for president next year. Let’s hope the senator enjoys his honeymoon and upon his return has the good common sense to come down to earth, roll up his sleeves, and claim some of his dignity and prestige he does not realize he has lost, and work for the people that put him in the Senate. I can only wish him the best and hope he realizes that he is, after all, a public servant and confronts the challenges of his office before he is morally bankrupt.
I admire them both and they really deserve each other (destiny) *just to lighten the mood*
HI EVERYONE. I am 26 years old and just came from a 17 month gf-bf relationship. I really thought that I have met the last guy on Earth that I will ever love… but it turns out that he is just a jerk. I really hope that being married is fun and I congratulate Mar and Korina. A year from now, things may change.. i may see things differently.. i just hope there will be other people who will still get married, popular or not.
nakakalungkot talaga. ang dami kong naririnig na break up stories o di kaya yung mga sad side of love.. nakakawalang gana. woot kila mar at korina.. mapulitika man sila, di rin naman joke na magpakasal sa edad nila. dahil madami ng bumatikos sa kanila, dun na lang ako dadagdag sa mga positive ang tingin, hindi para magpaka-indifferent, para lang may balance.