Sacrificing for a greater cause

BEFORE I start, I am amazed that the uncompleted work on Makati Avenue as you approach Arnaiz Avenue is still there, seemingly abandoned two years after the work was interrupted by Covid. How many months has it been since ECQ was lifted? It isn't even very big and literally less than 20 meters away new civil works are being done.

For the second straight time Macron beat Le Pen in the French presidential election runoff. A comfortable margin of 58-42 but less decisive than the prior 66-33 from five years ago. This is the third time a Le Pen made it to the runoff election. Her father did the same and all the main parties then, including the left-supported right-wing Gaullist Chirac. Same happened against his daughter as the main parties from left to right understood there were more important issues than themselves. They did not let their personal ambitions and agenda become more important than an existential threat to the country. They did not want an open racist to become president. Not that France does not have its faults and issues. There are many, but I admire their coming together three times in my adult life to push back an existential threat. The majority literally believe there are more important things than their personal political preferences and for the parties and their severely disappointed leaders and forestalled agenda. Still, while the increasing share each time of the racist right is worrying, at least they are unlike the US. They elected (even if he had fewer overall votes) the openly racist and misogynist Trump. That is a contrast favorable to France.