Sitti, A Patriot (The Manila Times)
I stumbled upon this article (dated October 2006) while surfing the net... I find it really interesting. It shows a different, more political side of Sitti
Enjoy!!
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HERE I STAND
By Geronimo L. Sy
Sitti, a patriot
Sitti, so young and so famous, totally oblivious to the sweet mystery that surrounds her and her bossa nova music is a patriot of the first order. She is fairly a newcomer to the arts and entertainment scene though she already has two best- selling albums to her credit. While still a student in the good old University of the Philippines, she worked as a lounge singer and began her journey to stardom.
Regardless of the swooning attention, Sitti is a patriot at heart. She feels strongly for the education system in the country, describing it as discouraging. Her eventual desire is to teach either at the elementary or high-school level to mold characters and shape personalities. She hopes to pursue further studies in developmental economics and has no wish to take up law. Ironic in that it was her lawyer-grandfather who picked the course for her.
A free marketer by ideology, she is for Charter change because she considers the present Constitution protectionist and believes in a liberated economy. This is attributable perhaps to her business and economics background. She considers socialism and the welfare state which have been around for some time and remains to be proven.
Her idols include Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga and a recent Ramon Magsaysay awardee and Bishop Gaudencio Rosales for being holy. She is against church meddling and looks up to the quiet ways of doing our own thing like launching the “Pondong Pinoy.” Her recent reading list includes Wuthering Heights and the Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew in nation building. Leo Buscaglia is a favorite author.
Finance-wise, her savings rate of 30 percent is triple the national average. Aware of daily realities and the fleeting nature of fame, she is entrepreneurial and looks to a business venture with regular income. She refuses to buy cars or indulge in real-estate deals in the meantime. For the present, she is seeking advice on the design and operation of a beauty and wellness center. Being the good citizen that she is, she is working on her tax compliance as early as this point in her career.
This is indeed a portrait of someone who deeply loves her country-informed of the burning issues of the day, firm in conviction and clear-headed in life’s directions. Always watching out for inspiring stories and role models and benchmarking her goals. It helps that she is obsessive-compulsive in fixing things to get a grip on the situation.
Is it easy to stay around and not consider migration if one is popular? Definitely a “yes.” But this answer can hold true if fame and fortune are anchored on a deep and abiding faith. We have seen countless blazing stars sputtering into the dark night. This is her early realization that drives her to plan for the foreseeable future while continuing to perfect a craft-she is learning to play the piano.
On a personal note, Sitti says, “Am boring.” (This, I vouch, is the understatement of the year.) She is a silent person who prefers to be alone, not lonely but enjoys solitude. She simply transforms into a different person when performing. Her continuous exhortation on and off the stage is for people “to be really, really nice and to share whatever love you have.” Her special message to politicians is “for those entrusted with authority, to do things wisely with the best interest of the people.”
Finally, she confesses her three wishes to the genie in the lamp, that there be no more street adults or children; that we become a truly literate country with each person having a book in hand; and that corruption finally comes to an end. Strange it is for a singer who doesn’t ask for more chartbusting songs or for all-time high platinum labels for a successful career, or for a Prince-of-Monaco kind of boyfriend.
Her heart is for the place where she was born, grew up in and that gave her all the opportunities to become who she is now.
Her three wishes, more than anything else, are reasons enough for her next show-Sitti, the patriot.
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/oct/26/yehey/opinion/20061026opi3.html