Proud and Prejudiced


Former president Erap Estrada warns Sen. Noynoy Aquino not to be too cocky. And why not? Aquino seems oh so complacent these days — what with the latest survey results showing him leading by a comfortable 12 point margin against Sen. Manny Villar.

And since he has concluded this to be a “two-man race” which, you might guess, was what invoked Erap’s ire, he must be rather self-assured that his ultimate destination will be Malacanang — no less. Otherwise, expect another EDSA (God forbid!), he prophesies. After all, considering how spankingly well he’s been doing at the surveys since he announced his intention to run (and even shortly before that) how can his loss be possibly justified? Such a scenario could only mean one thing — that he was cheated.

Noynoy must be forgetting one thing — that never in the history of pre-elections survey history has a ‘leading’ candidate ever won in actual elections. But this has been highlighted in many opinion articles already, so much so that repeating it here will simply reduce its impact — so forget I said that.

Now if that perceived cockiness isn’t enough, his recent statement regarding the continuous Exodus plaguing cousin rival Gibo Teodoro’s Lakas-Kampi CMD all but add credence to Aquino critics’ observation — that this country’s accidental savior with a supposedly Ghandi-like disposition is succumbing all too soon to the temptations of power.

Aquino said that those ex-LKC who have transferred to Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party are their (Liberal Party’s) rejects — supposedly because they adhere to certain ‘standards’ which a party applicant must also satisfy. I wonder what that ‘standard’ is. Because the only standard I see from where I’m standing is the ‘double standard’ by which we judge these turncoats, er, ‘transferees’.

If all the NP’s getting are ‘rejects’, I guess we the electorate can judge them for ourselves, thank you very much. We don’t need someone dictating us who’s ‘good’ and who’s a ‘reject’.

See, when you get forced to answer questions from reporters trying to incite you to a word-war, you always have a choice not to comment. Just because you always have something to say about anything doesn’t mean you should always say it.

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” (often attributed to Abraham Lincoln but taken from Solomon’s Proverbs)

There are times in a politician’s life (campaign season’s a best example) when choosing to keep quiet makes a louder statement than blabbing needlessly at the drop of a hat.

If Gibo is doing ‘loyalty checks’ within the party ranks, maybe Noynoy should do a ‘complacency check’ in his.

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  1. […] the “Donkey Vote”Who’s to blame for Villar’s drop in surveys?Just BecauseProud and PrejudicedYou are What You ReadAre you ready for Erap […]

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About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com