We all have dreams. For dreams are what makes our life meaningful. It is a thing which aspires us in living.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep our dreams alive. And at other times, our dreams can remain just daydreams for far too long.

Ngunit heto ako ngayon at hindi ko inaakalang matutupad ko na ang pangarap ko.

“At this point may we kindly request on stage President elect Hezekeiah Eurydice de Lara by the administration of the oath of office.”

Agad akong tumayo at naglakad patungo sa entablado habang nakakabingi naman ang mga palakpakan ng mga tao.

Suot ko ang isang kimona at ganoon din ang maluha-luhang nakatingin sa ‘kin na si Mnemosyne. Habang sa kan’yang gilid naman ay naroon si Mang Erwin.

Nakangiti akong naglakad patungo sa kinaroroonan nila, kahit may bahid pa rin sa sistema ko ng lungkot.

Hindi ko kayang ngumiti nang tuluyan, kung hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakikita si Mr. Guanzon.

Higit tatlong araw na rin ang lumipas mula sa pagkawala n’ya at hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring bakas na natatagpuan galing sa kan’ya.

Sandaling tumahimik ang paligid, lahat ng atensyon ay nakatuon sa direksyon ko. Sa hawak ni Mnemosyne na Bibliya ay ipinatong ko roon ang kamay ko sa sandali na nagsalita si Supreme court justice Andrew Leyones.

“Will you please raise your right hand for the oath of office and repeat after me,” said supreme court justice Andrew Leyones.

Kagaya ng sinabi n’ya, I raised my right hand and tried to hold back my tears and remain unemotional.

“I, please state your name,”

“Hezekeiah Eurydice de Lara,”

“Do solemnly swear,”

“Do solemnly swear,”

“That I will faithfully,”

“That I will faithfully,”

“And consensusly,”

“And consensusly,”

“Fullfil, my duties,”

“Fullfil, my duties,”

“As President,”

“As President,”

“Of the Philippines,”

“Of the Philippines,” my heart lightened like some cotton candy banged into it the moment I said those lines.

Patuloy lang ako sa pag-uulit ng mga sinasabi ng Supreme court justice, habang nakatingin sa kawalan.
And when I suddenly saw the smiling faces of my family not so far away from me, my tears fell. And yeah the tough woman is now getting emotional infront of everyone. Naramdaman ko ang marahang pagpatong ni Mnemosyne ng kamay n’ya sa kamay ko saka ito pinisil nang mahina.

‘Nay, ‘tay, mga kapatid ko. Nagawa ko po! Nanalo po ako! And seeing how happy and proud you are to me right now is beyond triumph...

Matapos ang oath-taking ay nag-si-upo na sila M maging ang Supreme court justice upang pakinggan ang inauguration ko.

“President Marco Catalan sir,” panimula ko, agad namang nagpalakpan ang mga tao.

“Senate President. Gelo Sandoval, and the members of the senate,” isa-isa ko silang tiningnan habang nagsasalita.

“Speaker finance Juliano Valderama, and the members of the house of representatives. Chief justice Lenila Sarino and as the justices of the supreme court,”

“This excellency does it have been to the members of the diplomatic core. Incoming members of the cabinet, fellow workers and government, my fellow countrymen.” Sandali akong huminto habang nagpalakpakan ang lahat then I took a deep sigh as I again begin my words.

“No leader however strong can succeed the emblem of national importance and significance. Unless she has the support of the people she’s tasked to lead and sworn to serve. It is the people from whom democratic government took strength, and this administration is no exception.”

“Therefore, we should listen to the outcries and to the rants of the every people or citizen that made this country. As a government official, we are tasked to supply their essential needs, and to protect their lives against any nuisance this world could give.” I said with my head held high and words full of courage.

“There are many amongst us, who would advance the assessment to the problems that bedevils our country today, which needs to be address with urgency are: those airheaded politicians with their bloated egos sitting comfortably in there positions while sucking the coffer of the nation — in both high and low columns of the government,”

“The rampancy of illegal drugs in all nooks of the Philippine society, the outgrowing criminality and breaking of laws which is true but some are not absolutely saw. The inconvenience of any varieties of diseases that creeps in the bones of the people, and the outspread of adversity which beguiles the innovation of our country. And lastly, the uncontrolled growth of terrorisms which was manifested by variety of groups that is continuously stealing the peace that each of us deserve.”

Muling nabuhay ang galit ko sa mga terorista sa sandaling binanggit ko ang pamemeste nila. Now that I have the greater authority, I will surely do everything just to erase their existence.

“I saw a problem deeper than those any mentioned above. It is the evanescing solidarity of faith and trust of the people towards the government. Which needs to be stopped. How can a government protect and lead those people who don’t even want to be under their authority? How can a leader lead a country towards peace and innovation without the support and trust of his people?”

Noon pa man ay ito na ang nais kong ipamulat sa mga tao. Gusto kong ipaabot sa kanila ang mensaheng kailangan nilang magtiwala sa gobyerno.

“How can a country have a name without the unity of its citizens and leaders? Dear people of the republic of the Philippines, unity is what we all need in order to make this place a better place for all of us. Citizens, you are the pillar of the government, and without you, we can’t establish a good and strong government,”

“Your cooperation is indeed an essential to have a peaceful and innovative country. And to my fellow officials in the government, I ignite you to join me in my vision of having a better and a peaceful country. As a newly elected President, I therefore conclude the following measures in order to clean this country; Whoever you are, that is comfortably sitting in your position without having your full loyalty towards it. Whoever you are that keeps on fulfilling your own desires and thirsts of power and money. I warn you already to secede in your position before I could even officially sit on my designated position. Because in my administration, I don’t need an egoistic and a corrupt official.”

Matapang at puno nang determinasyon kong saad. Dahil isa sa mga hangad ko ang tanggalin sa pwesto ang mga opisyales na mga corrupt.

Sandali akong tumigil at hinayaan ang mga taong magpalakpakan. Masarap sa tenga at mata ang marinig at makita ang suporta ng mga taong nakapalibot sa iyo. At bilang isang nakatakdang Presidente ay iyon nga ang kailangan ko — suporta.

“And as for you a citizen of this country, I ignite you to wake up in your rotten mentality. Stop complaining and stop using your big mouth to defy your own government. Instead, use your brain and think of ways if how can you help to put in success those whatever changes you want for this country. The officials in the government are not the only leader here. ‘Cause as long as you are standing inside the responsibility of this country then you are a leader yourself! You are obligated to make this country a better place for its people.“

Muling nagpalakpan ang lahat at kabilang na doon si mang Erwin at M na kulang na lang ay magtatalon sa tuwa at pagmamalaki.

“I know some of you or probably most of you doubt my capacity in leading this country. But as the second elected female President of this country, I will assure you, that I will give all my best to manage and to lead well this country. And before I end this, let me say this to all of you. I don’t believe that the means of being a good leader depends on your gender and age. Because I, Hezekeiah Eurydice de Lara, a 29 year-old resigned Lieutenant and a former Mayor of Quezon city, will prove to you that the strength of a leader doesn’t depend in a visible and tangible strength. But to thy intelligence and in the strength of thy heart lies a good leader. Yes I may be young but my mind and heart is not!”

“But before I thoroughly end this, let me express this. I am here, not because I was obligated to serve a particular person. Instead, I am here because I was obligated to serve everyone. And I am here because I am fully ready to embark my journey and my work in serving and leading this country. I challenge you all to join me in this battle. I challenge you all to help me win this! Thank you and good afternoon everyone!”

Isang masigabong palakpakan ang tuluyang tumapos sa inauguration ko. Pigil ang luha akong bumaba at niyakap si mang Erwin at M.

If there is someone who’ll crying right now, then it is Mnemosyne. She’s so emotional but I don’t have the idea of teasing her like how I used to, because I know that she is just proud of what I achieved.

But it didn’t end in this. Rather, I’m just starting on my journey of conquering my dreams— and it is to serve justice to the death of my family and to other people, and to give the peace and saltation that this country deserves.

Isa-isa akong nilapitan nila Mr. Alejandro at ng iba ko pang kasama sa partido. They all congratulated me for the second time around.

Lahat sila ay kitang-kita kong proud at masaya sila sa narating ko. Pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilang manlumo. I’m expecting to see his smiles and pat my head and congratulate me in this time. But he’s not here nor any shadow of him doesn’t exist. Where could’ve been you grumpy man?

Nagulat ako matapos makita si Mr. Perez sa labas ng Malacañang. Nakatayo sya ‘di kalayuan sa ‘kin. Nakangiti man ay hindi pa rin nawawala ang sama nang tingin n’ya sa ‘kin. What’s the problem of this damn old hag?

Dahan-dahan s’yang naglakad papunta sa ‘kin habang nakangisi pa rin.  When he reached my location, he extended his hand infront of me, igniting me a handshake. With hesitation, I took it while trying to smile casually.

“Congratulations ma’am. I doubt if you can lead this country. Well you know? You're too young. Oh pardon me for my words Ms. President it's just that, I'm worried,” I suppressed a grin after hearing his words.

Harap-harapang pang-iinsulto Mr. Perez? “I really understand your concern Mr. Perez. Pero anong magagawa ko? Ako ang nanalo at ibinoto ng mga tao. One thing, should I change my age in my birth certificate?" Ganti ko sa kan'ya sabay tawa.

Humalakhak s'ya pero ang mga mata ay puno ng tensyon na nakatingin sa 'kin. I was surprised in his immature attitude.

Can't he take his hatred to me slowly? Ngayon lang kami nagkaharap at pang-iinsulto na agad ang ipaparinig n’ya sa 'kin?

“You’re funny Ms. President,” he uttered with his eyes contrary to his words. 

“It's my pleasure to finally have a word with you Mr. Perez,” sarkastiko kong sagot. Magpapatuloy na sana ako sa paglalakad nang marinig ko ang sunod n'yang sinabi na nakapagpakuyom sa kamao ko.

“Wolves are their to eliminate you in your position Ms. President. Just becareful all the time...”

|End of chapter 12|
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Ps: Since I am not into any political stuffs. Kaya ginamit ko na lang ang sariling pananaw ko para sa inauguration sa chapter na ito, and honestly some parts of the inauguration ay ibinase ko mismo sa inauguration ni President Duterte.

And also, I changed all the names of the officials aforesaid in the positions in this chapter. Dahil since this is all fictional ay binago ko na lang ang mga pangalan nila.