Eleksyon 2007... The Pinoy Way... Sigh!

"Ano ba ang pinaglalabanan ngayon? Perang pinaghahawakan, kasikatang pinangagalagaan o ang kagustuhang maglingkod sa bayan?"

San pa kaya sa ibang bahagi ng mundo ka makakakita ng mga kakaiba at kakatwang mga kaugalian kapag may halalan?

1. Vote for me as best actor / actress!

Kaliwa't kanan ang mga celebrity candidates. From the barangay council up to the presidency, nako, hindi nawalan ng artista. Ndi na basta kinukuha ang mga artista para magpasigla ng isang kampanya; sila na ang nangangampanya (kunsabagay, tipid sa talent fee hehehehe). Tayong mga Pilipino, hindi na rin nadala. Kesyo maganda ang mukha o puro box-office ang pelikula, iboboto basta tumakbo. Pero ang kapansin-pansin ngayong eleksyon, tila lumabnaw ang mga artista sa pulitika. Tingnan na lang natin sa senatorial race, malayo nang makalahabol ang mga artista. Sa mga lokal naman, umaarangakda ang mga mga sikat! Tingnan na lang natin kapag nakaupo na sila. Pero manalo man o matalo, publicity pa rin ng artista yan. Parang hindi na nalayo ang pulitika sa mga showbiz news. At masama nyan, kapag artista ka, mas maraming nauungkat ang kalaban mo sa nakaraan mo. Eh public entity ka eh, may lumabas ka lang ng near nude pic, ayun, ibabandera. Makita ka may hawak na baraha, sugarol ka na. May nakaakbay kang ibang babae, babaero ka na. Kulit no? At saan ka pa sa commercial endorsements!? (next item ko pala yan. ahem)

2. Commercialism... to death!!!

Ang kapangyarihan nga naman ng tv, radyo at internet! Bago mag Mayo katorse, araw-araw mong makikita ang pagmumukha ng mga kandidato. Kanya-kanyang estilo (production counts, bah?), kanya-kanyang hatak ng artista (less talent fee kung artista ang kandidato, flash lang ng mukha, pwede na!) kanya-kanyang jinggle (lakas siguro kumita ng mga composers last campaign period no?), kanya-kanyang theme (which is mostly pang-masa, para nga naman abot kamay lahat ng Pinoy) at higit sa lahat, kanya-kanyang gastos na shempre, walang nakakaalam kung saan nanggaling ang milyones na binayad. At talagang ndi pinalampas ang internet! Katangi-tangi mo na nga lang na libangan, ginawa pang campaign material. Bigla na lang maglalabasan ang mga mukha ng mga kandidato habang nagsusurf ka ng internet, kainis diba? Sa tingin ko nga, tila nalaos ang mga streamers at mga flyers. Salamat sa MMDA at nagmukhang malinis ang Maynila kahit paano dahil pinagbawal ang mga unauthorized na pagdidkit. Pero pasaway talaga ang Pinoy, kahit na bawal magdikit, hala, salpak ng posters kahit saan. Ang trend pa ngayon , mas marami kang commercial (with matching trademark na action/pose, panalo ka hahahahahaha)

3. Eleksyon na, handa ka na ba?

Ang pangyayaring ito ay binase ko sa nangyari sa elementary school na presinto namin nung kami ay bumoto. Ok sana ang setup nung umpisa, kase pagdating namin sa elem. school, punta agad kami ng voter's assistance center, bigay kami ng pangalan tapos hinanap kami sa database para malaman kung ano ang precint no. namin. Ito na ang masaklap. Naikot na namin ang buong skul bago namin nakita ang aming precint, na nasa pinakaitaas pala at nasa pinakadulo pa. Kamusta naman diba? Sana may directions man lang kung pano makarating sa kabilang ibayo ng planeta. Buti na lang, at may dala akong listahan ng mga iboboto (Kainis, sana 13 ang pwede iboto, nagminimi-maynimu pa tuloy ako between the last 3 on my list). Tapos and indellible ink, ga-garapatang busog ang pinatak sa aking finger, ayun, para tuloy may bagong manicure ang aking index fingernail. At paglabas namin na skul, tsaka tumambad sa amin ang map ng mga precints. Kamusta naman talaga?! At muntik kong makalimutan, ang nanay ko na anim na taon nang patay, nasa listahan pa. Goodluck naman...

4. Election Violence... before, during and after

Hindi na naging bago sa atin na gabi-gabing may headline na... Mayoralty candidate ng ganitong lugar, inambush! Mga supporters ni ganire, nagrally! Ballot boxes sa ganito, sinunog / inagaw / pinaanod / nilangaw / kinain / pinulutan! Wahahahaha... Grabe talaga. Pero kung titingnan nyo, may mabuti ring maidudulot ang eleksyon violence. Mas maraming job openings: bodygurads at sekyu, diba?

5. Canvassing Boo-boos!

Ayan, may nabalita kanina lang, isang van ng mga election returns, nakita sa Pasig mukhang balak ipuslit. Bakit naman sa Pasig pa? At eto pa, sa Taguig den, kahapon pa dapat natapos ang bilangan sa mga precints, hanggan ngayon may sinusubmit pang election returns, edi shempre nagtaka ang madlang people ng Taguig! Kamusta naman talaga?! Sa bilangan daw nalalabasan ang mga tunay na madyikero, ang 1 nagiging 11 ang 8 nagiging 3, alam nyo na ibig sabihin. May mga election returns na bigla na lang lumilitaw at nawawala. Natalo pa ata sa David Copperfield sa now you see... now you don't!

Sa kinaaasam-asam at pinagdadasal kong payapa at maayos na eleksyon. Ayan, samu't saring kalokohan. Ano ba ang pinaglalabanan ngayon? Perang pinaghahawakan, kasikatang pinangagalagaan o ang kagustuhang maglingkod sa bayan? Ano pa ang makakayang gawin sa ating naghihinagpis nang Inang Bayan? Ilan pa ang masisilaw sa mga suhol at paanyaya ng paggawa ng mali? Ilan pa? Hanggang kailan tayo daranas ng ganito? Kapangyarihan na nga lang ba ang pinaghaharagan makuha ng mga kandidato?

Hay... Onli in da Pilipins!!!

Vox

This article was made last Presidential Election as an entry to an essay writing contest... of course by yours truly... its like two years ago... good thing a copy is saved to the PC...

Votation is synonymous to making an architectural plan for an edifice to be constructed. It starts with making pencil guidelines to be soon darkened by inks. Each inked line should correspond exactly to every detail that the structure should posses, or else it can never be built.

In the upcoming Presidential elections, all registered voters will once again draw a line in our nation’s history. All will be given a chance to take a stand and choose the persons we know has all the capabilities, determination and courage to lift this country into new heights. In this undertaking, what we all hold at stake is the future, which can be either better than the past, or be left to the mercy of its damnation.

In the coming weeks, endless shouts of campaigns will be imminent and flowery words will fill our ears and wash away our principles. Added to these are controversies and anomalies, though not really a new scenario in every election that instigates different impressions in the eyes of the public. Political rivalry is impeccably obvious, which might lead to a social disorder that is hard to cure – diversity.

It is a fact that by merely casting our votes, we can be considered as good citizens, for voting is not just a right, not even an obligation, but basically a responsibility. And to harness such responsibility will confide no one’s welfare but ours. It is written in the 1987 Constitution that all Filipinos of right age are given the RIGHT TO SUFFRAGE, or the right to vote. It is the high law that constituted this right and responsibility, and all is expected to support this bill and hereby forge the nation.

Presidential elections are done every six years, and at the gap of these years the whole Philippines face the consequences of an event that only happens in a day or two. So it is a very must to be WISE in voting or else everyone will have to wait for another six years to attend to a minute of mistake.

But how do we know we are WISE in voting? Is it by our choice of the most flowery quotations and hit musical adaptations? Is it by choosing the most prominent and influential? Or perhaps the choice by the profession of the person vying? Or by simply selling our votes for a sum of money irreplaceable to a right banished?

Being wise is connoted with being knowledgeable. It is our knowledge that will light the way. Seek ourselves what we need, and what we want our children and future generations to experience. It doesn’t stop there by merely meditation, for it is also recommended to know every candidate up close, even personal if possible. Thanks to our brothers in the media, this is now a possibility. Knowing these persons’ background, both in service and in privacy, will help us make up our mind on how they will carry the nation, inside and out.

In the voting population, a large fraction falls on the youth. Though they contain the youngest of the voting realm, it is considered that they are the most demanding, unveiling all means to know in depth the person or persons who deserve their vote. They are the common denominator of protests and rallies voicing out against election arguments. However, it is a sad thought that the most number of unregistered voters also falls on them. Why? Most of them are losing hope, for what they perceive in the present, as they think, is irresolvable even by the means of national awareness and campaign. Eternal incongruities rip the high powers of the state apart, leading to all sorts of “complications,” from the economy, down to the industry and commerce. For them, election is but another outlet of all atrocities, further subduing the nation.

“The youth is the hope of the nation.” Words coming from our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. This clause may seem too cliché for others to heed, but this moment needs every youth to prove this long-lived quotation. These times calls for a cumulative awareness and an unconditional surrender for nationalism, not diversity and selfish compliance. What this country needs is a unified body pursuing change and prosperity, not individualism and negligence in civil status. The nation might be experiencing the difficulties and surging the bondage of hopelessness at these times, but this is the time we have to show the world what Filipinos are really made of.

In weeks’ time, we will all work hand in hand to draw the future of our nation. The guidelines and the plans are all set, all we have to do is to make these guidelines permanent and shape the plan for the country we all foresee to flourish and thrive for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Everyone might say that a single vote may not be enough to change the future, but all the courage and hope for betterment is tucked in that piece of paper. It is not the persons that we will put to position that will lift this nation, but the choice of making it better and that choice is given to no one, but to us.