Year 2050: Dominated by Human Error

1: The Beginning

"Be strong enough to stand on your decision and wise enough to listen to the cries of every single Filipinos. That's how you can be a good president of this forsaken country," he said then kissed my forehead.

Sa halip sa sumagot sa kaniya ay ipinagpatuloy ko ang pagkain ng ice cream. Mas masarap kumain kaysa makinig sa lintanya na aking lolo, halos araw-araw ay lagi niya akong kinakausap tungkol sa ganitong bagay. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit niya ako pinapangaralan kung paano maging isang mahusay na pinuno, wala akong balak na tumakbo sa politika tulad niya.

"The equity and security must always be your top priority. No citizens should weigh lesser than the other. Neglect your personal grudge because even your enemy must be protected." Iniharap niya ako sa kaniya habang matamang nakatitig sa aking mata.

Nang maubos ko ang kinakain ay saka ko pa lamang siya binalingan ng tingin. Kunot ang aking noo habang nakanguso, sumasakit na ang tenga ko sa pakikinig sa kaniya. Gusto ko ng maglaro!

"Why do you have to tell me these things grandpa? I won't be a president like you," sambit ko at saka umalis sa kandungan niya.

He shook his head and patted my shoulders. "You are my granddaughter. The blood of leadership and authority is running through your veins. You cannot run from it, this is the fate of our clan Lhexi," seryosong sambit ni lolo bago tumayo.

Lumabi ako nang marinig ang sinabi niya. Ibinaba ko ang aking tingin sa aking mga daliri. Isa-isa kong tiningnan ang aking mga kuko habang patuloy na umaalma sa sinasabi ni Lolo Felix.

"But I don't want to grandpa, hindi ko kayang maging katulad mo. Isa pa, bata lang po ako at babae pa, walang karapatan para maging pinuno. I'd rather play and eat all the ice creams in the world than to be like you!"

Alam ko kung gaano kahirap ang ginagawa ni lolo, madalas kong masaksihan ang pagod niya sa isang araw tuwing umuuwi ng bahay. Iniisip ko pa lang ngayon na magiging ganoon ako balang araw ay naiiyak na ako.

Lumuhod si lolo sa harap ko, itinaas niya ang aking mukha gamit ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa aking baba. "The time will come when gender and age will not be a requirement to become an exemplary leader of this country. For now, you have to learn how to listen to your grandpa's sentiments and take it by heart. I don't know how long I will live. I can't promise to stand by your side as you vow your pledge of loyalty in front of millions of Filipinos."

Agad na nangilid ang luha ko nang marinig ang tinuran niya. Ang pinaka ayokong naririnig sa kaniya ay ang ganiyang mga salita, tila ba namamaalam siya sa akin sa tuwing sasambitin niya 'yon.

Niyakap ko nang mahigpit ang leeg ni lolo. Ibinaon ko ang aking mukha sa kaniyang balikat habang umiiyak nang malakas. Batid kong nakatingin si Mr. Theofilo ang sekretarya ng aking lolo pero hindi ko na inalintana pa ang presensya niya.

"Why do you always say that? I told you that I don't want to hear that kind of nonsense," galit kong sambit habang humihikbi pa.

Pinalo ko ang likod nito habang nakayakap pa rin ako. Nakita kong umambang lalakad ang sekretarya para pigilan ako sa pagpalo pero sinenyasan lang ito ni lolo kaya tumigil siya sa paglapit.

Lumayo nang bahagya si lolo para muli kaming magkaharap. Pinunasan niya ang luha ko habang umiiling sa akin.

"Bakit ka umiiyak apo? Hindi ba't ganoon naman talaga ang sasapitin ng lahat ng tao?"

Kamatayan. Sa edad na sampung taon ay alam ko na kung gaano nakakatakot ang salitang iyon. 

We are human and death is our final stage. That's the only thing humanity has in common.

"But I don't want you to die lolo. Paano na ako kung iiwan mo rin ako tulad nina mama?" Mas lalong lumakas ang iyak ko nang sabihin ko iyon.

I am an orphan. My parents died when I was seven. We were ambushed by my grandfather's political opponent. Yet, we did not receive the justice, which my parents deserves.

Naaalala ko pa kung gaano kalakas ang iyak ko noon habang pinapaulanan ang sasakyan namin ng bala. Walang tigil na pagputok ang tangi kong naririnig habang nasa bisig ako ng aking ina.

Papa's endless curse. Mama's assuring voice while crying and the sound of gunfire. That was the first time I encountered death. Unfortunately, I survived. I didn't want to live. I want to follow my parents to the afterlife, but everything changed when the president of the republic of the Philippines bent down his knees to beg for my forgiveness.

"You will be fine even if I am gone Lhexi. I am sure that your Uncle Rhodes will take care of you."

No, I don't want that. I only want to be under President Felix Sawyer's custody. I will never leave lolo and he will not die either.

Matalim na tingin ang ipinukol ko kay lolo. Mabilis ang aking paghinga at ramdam ko ang pagtulo ng sipon sa aking ilong dahil sa sobrang pag-iyak.

"No!" matigas na sambit ko at saka lumayo kay lolo.

Tumakbo ako palabas ng kwarto. Bago pa ako makaalis ng silid ay narinig ko ang tinuran ng sekretarya ni lolo. "The Russian Minister of Technology Communication and Robotics Innovation is waiting for you at the Palace to sign the paper, sir."

"Tell him that I'll be on my way and contact the heads of the Industrial Technology Department, we are meeting the very first robotic artificial intelligence that the Philippines will adopt." 'Yon ang huling narinig ko bago lumabas ng silid.

Year 2032 when Philippines began to embrace the modern civilization by the help of foreign countries. The industry's change in terms of robotics, technologies, transportation and communication are the proof that the country is now catching up to the other modern nation like USA, Russia, Australia etc.

My grandfather, President Felix Sawyer, brought out the Philippines from the Third World Country through the initiation of the first robotics database system. They named this A.I. as NADA or New Artificial Database Ally.

Katulad ng mga napapanuod sa Netflix na science fiction movies. NADA is a robot in a humanoid form. Kung hindi lang siya tila robot kung magsalita ay talagang mapagkakamalan mo siyang tao. Lahat ng katangiang mayroon ang tao ay taglay ni NADA.

"NADA will be the key to maintain the country's security, this robot will lift our country out of poverty," seryosong sambit ni lolo habang nakatitig dito.

"Bakit po maraming tao ang nagpoprotesta sa labas kung si NADA pala ang sagot sa kahirapan ng bansa lolo?"

Magmula nang ipakilala sa masa ang artificial intelligence na si NADA ay tumaas na ang bilang ng mga taong nagra-rally. Halos lahat ng mga galit kay NADA ay kabilang sa mahihirap na pamilya, tanging ang mga may kaya lamang ang nasisiyahan sa desisyon ni lolo.

"The masses think that NADA will be a threat to their employment. They are scared that one day, these robots will replace them and the government would forsake them," saad nito.

Lumakad ito palapit sa robot, NADA immediately sense my grandfather as he slowly walks closer to her. Her green eyes resemble the eyes of Uncle Rhodes, the typical color of a Russian eye. Even her freckles, small nose and thin lips is too perfect. NADA's features is a mixed of Asian and Western people.

"Will they not dominate our world in the future lolo? Who will rule the Philippines someday? Is it human or robots?" takang tanong ko.

Kung maisasakatuparan ang proyektong nais ni lolo, hindi kaya magkaproblema kung dadami ang bilang ng mga katulad ni NADA? Paano kung hindi na makontrol ng tao ang mga robot? Paano kung dumating ang araw na magkaroon ng sariling desisyon ang mga ito sa halip na sumunod lamang sa utos ng tao?

"Even if these prototypes look exactly like us, they are not human. They are purposely made to serve man to make our life easier, you have nothing to worry apo," dagdag pa ni lolo.

Tumango ako bilang pagsang-ayon sa kaniya. This girl in front of me has no feelings, she never bleeds, she cannot make her own decision and she will run out of battery.

New Artificial Database Ally's lifespan depends on human hands. We will decide when to use them or to take them down, they have no right to say 'no' to their masters.

That's what I think that day as I look at NADA's green eyes, I clenched my jaw and whispered in her ears, "Toys can never dominate the world of humanity."

Never.