For better or for worst

In church the marriage vow recited by couples and the officiating priest says the union should be “for better or for worse.”
In governance, we wish this presidency to work for us in the next six years “for better or for better.”
This piece is written at least four hours before the 17th President of the Republic takes an oath which in effect says, “Ako ay taimtim na nanunumpa na tutuparin ko nang buong katapatan at sigasig ang aking mga tungkulin bilang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, pangangalagaan at ipagtatanggol ang kanyang Konstitusyon, ipatutupad ang mga batas nito, magiging makatarungan sa bawat tao, at itatalaga ang aking sarili sa paglilingkod sa bansa. Kasihan nawa ako ng Diyos.”
At the historic Manila Hotel which is less than a minute drive to the National Museum, the site of the old Senate where my nomination as then youth representative was confirmed, I look around the well-dressed and dignified gentlemen and ladies waiting for the shuttle first, to the antigen testing, then to the site.
Everyone seem geared up to witness Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ascendancy to the presidency, which his late father occupied. Thirty-one million Filipinos said it is a vindication and although some may disagree, the vote speaks for itself.
Sad though that not even one percent of the masses who catapulted him to the highest office were allowed to witness the historic event. No apologist but the over-strict security measures, the erratic weather, and the continuing threat of the Covid-19 seem to dampen the will of those ordinary men and women, who should have been the priority in the first place and not the bootlickers who suddenly shout to the heavens that their favorite color was red naman from the start. Sayang!
Up close and personal, the President and so with wife, Lisa, and their kids are teary-eyed as his trembling voice repeats after the Chief Justice the solemn vow.
The air is full of hope and unlike a marriage, every one of us trust and pray that his term would be for the better.
That also goes to those taking their oaths locally and here in our city, we are one in saying the new officials led by Mayor Benjie Magalong be given our full support as he dreams of making our city a better place to live in.
This time around he had a legitimate win and deserves congratulations from friends and foes alike. O ha, Sec. Baby Pascual.
We extol the new officials and say “do your best, and God will take care of the rest.”
Of course, we will be watching from the sidelines to see to it that the city will not go to the dogs or worse the gutter under your watch. We too say “for better or for better”.
Sigh.