'Look what happened'

SKETCHES

- ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

In the US, says Filipino-American Democrat Gabriel Young, a person with a criminal conviction can't be hired at McDonald's, in line with corporate policy. But the person can run for president, and serve if he wins.

Young, the California-based secretary of the Filipino Young Professionals, noted this ruefully as the final numbers in the US presidential race showed Donald Trump romping toward a decisive victory, in both the popular vote and electoral college.

Speaking with "Storycon" on One News in the wee hours of Nov. 6 California time, a crestfallen Young congratulated Republican Fil-Am John PB Jose, founder and CEO of the American Tomorrow Project – a conservative outreach aimed at black, Hispanic and Asian communities in the US.

Like other Asian communities, the Fil-Ams were also divided between Trump and Kamala Harris. The general belief was that older generations of Fil-Ams were mostly for Trump while the younger ones were for Harris. John Jose is proof that there were also younger Fil-Ams who supported Trump – and enthusiastically went out to cast their votes.

Trump, speaking as his electoral college votes approached the winning threshold of 270, summed up the mood in his country, and around the not-so-surprised world.

"Hey, look what happened," he told cheering supporters. "Isn't this amazing?"