As our mission came to a close, and the final leg of our observer duties wrapped up in the various precincts across East Java, there was a palpable sense of fulfillment among the members of the Philippine delegation. The day of our departure came swiftly. We found ourselves once again at the Sukarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta—this time not arriving with anticipation, but leaving with reflection.
Airports often mark transitions, but on that particular day, it marked something more for me. I stood there watching travelers shuffle past check-in counters, airport announcements echoing through the halls, and I thought back to the first moment I landed here—a stranger in a place rich with history and emotion. Now I was leaving with new insight, humbled by what I had seen and experienced.
While waiting to board our flight back to Manila, I mentally retraced the entire journey. From the vibrant rally of PDI-Perjuangan supporters dancing in Jakarta’s streets to the solemn, exacting discipline of election day in the small polling centers of Jember, every moment formed part of a greater tapestry of democratic awakening. I remembered the young volunteers in East Java who, despite logistical constraints, worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth process. I remembered the quiet voters who waited their turn under the sun, their patience an act of civic pride. I remembered the teachers, students, and police officers who believed that change was not just possible, but underway.
Most of all, I remembered the calm courage of the Indonesian people—embarking on a democratic exercise after decades of authoritarianism, yet choosing peace over provocation, order over chaos. It reminded me of our own struggles in the Philippines, our own journey from dictatorship to democracy, and the sacrifices made along the way. There was a shared spirit that connected us—not just politically, but culturally, as neighbors, as survivors, as people hungry for justice and dignity.
There was also a moment of personal introspection. As a public servant who had worked in the legislative branch of the Philippine government for decades, I had studied democracy in theory and seen it in practice. But this mission brought it to life in a different, deeper way. I witnessed democracy in the hands of the people—raw, vulnerable, but real. It wasn’t perfect. There were still growing pains and many logistical gaps. But it was moving forward—and that movement, in itself, was history being written in real time.
I glanced around at my fellow observers—tired but smiling—and knew that we were all carrying home something far more valuable than credentials or titles. We were carrying stories, lessons, and a renewed appreciation for the democratic values we often take for granted.
As the call for boarding echoed through the airport, I took one last look around. The people of Indonesia had opened their electoral process not only to observation but to participation in spirit. They welcomed us not merely as witnesses but as fellow dreamers of a better future.
With that, I stepped into the aircraft—hopeful, inspired, and forever changed.
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