CHAOTIC 2010 POLLS

In 1992, I wrote an opinion letter to the editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer that landed in the opinion page on top of other letters under the title, CHAOTIC 1992 POLLS. It conveyed my sentiments regarding my perceived hardships of the members of the Board of Election Tellers in the event that the proposed synchronization of elections gained support. As a teacher-member then, my misgivings fell on deaf ears. The synchronized elections prevailed. My small appeal for support paled in comparison to the advantages politicians got for themselves. The terms of office of the incumbents were extended.

Elections since then never solved the perennial problems of the people- poor health and sanitation, pollution, poverty, peso devaluation, graft and corruption, crime and violence, unemployment, human rights violation, defection and terrorism, oil price hikes, extravagant presidential trips abroad, questionable pork barrel, etc. The chaos is still escalating. Its rise and fall is usually felt during election campaign period and in the aftermath.

That I may be accused of being a paranoid, I can't deny. Even in the eyes of the ordinary Filipino citizen, the telltale signs of electoral viruses- self-interests, jealousies, hate campaign, mud-slinging, turn-coatism, grandstanding, lobbying, etc., are active again. As if people don't know what happened to the sugar-coated promises for improved services by these politicians!

Two years after the last chaotic polls, we still see news headlines of unsolved national and local level electoral protests allegedly due to fraud- vote-buying, ballot-switching, grandstanding, cover-ups, etc. Whatever happened to the much-celebrated "Garci Tape" scandal? The poor voters just watch- angry, repentant, and helpless.

The majority, composed of the marginalized electorate and the young voters, are really wanting in information and proper guidance. We can't blame them for their resulting reactions, especially so when they believe they were double-crossed and shortchanged. They must be provided with a working knowledge that will help them make intelligent decisions come elections. Teachers, parents, and other concerned groups must encourage their high participation, to listen to be able to discern political campaigns by those with pure intentions to serve the people above self-serving interests.

The all-out campaign to go out and vote and participate in clean and honest elections is not enough. The doubting electorate must know for example, what caused the snap elections in Marcos' time that led to his downfall; why people power that hostaged Cory and installed her to become president was almost crushed and rendered useless by coup attempts; why FVR conspired to effect cha-cha, when he would have made a difference among the presidents after Marcos; why ERAP was forced out of Malacanang passing the backdoor then and now is staging a comeback as if nothing happened; and why GMA is blowing her head off on what to do with the First Gentleman and the First Sons and how to save the First Family in the face of so many scandals rocking her presidential chair.

The filing of candidacy of the popular and not-so-popular figures hasn't began yet. But look at what's going on. I'm really rattled that I say again that 2010 Elections is Chaotic. Please tell me I'm wrong?

Photo by james sarmiento

MY POLITICAL NIGHTMARES

I'm not a politician. I'm an ordinary taxpayer. If you think that I should not bother myself with politics, I thought so, too, at first. But somehow recent political events are bothering me. I'm willing myself to monitor daily news mainly to gather bits of information about each politician posturing this early as formidable candidates. I honestly believe that this might help me make better decision come election day. This is also my duty as a concerned Filipino voter. However I'm not enjoying the whole picture of it. I don't think there is really a Mr. Right or a Ms. Perfect among them. That remains to be seen.

There they go again! Like in a street "karerahan", they're already off and running through all sorts of political gimmickry. What's disconcerting is that there seems to be gross lack of decorum, nay discipline, and the whole picture is more of a telenovela to the cynical and nothing of worth to the marginalized among our brothers, given the grumblings and rumblings I hear.

I welcome that move from someone who cried "foul" regarding the "infomercials" over the media. If I were to recall, when they were not yet under attack, I didn't give them a cent worth of my time. To me, they were simply amusing, alternative entertainment, if not, at other times, laughable. It's the issue raised about its high cost, who paid it, and what money was used that I realize I had to understand why infomercials can be regarded illegal. I'm a taxpayer. I know in my own little way that money appropriated by government for the benefit of the people must be properly disbursed and well accounted for.

Another, I haven't rested my mind yet about why the failed attempt to use automated machine voting was recently resurrected. Have the eager-beavers ironed out their differences along this scheme? I thought many opposed it because of alleged massive irregularities of contract for one and its susceptibility to fraud in another. Can COMELEC assure the voting public that there will be no more "Hello Garci" nor that popular "dagdag-bawas" scares of the past? How well can this government arm address problems that may emerge like technical malfunctions, if there be any, during voting?I pray that the billion peso cost of said scheme will be worth it after election.

I can't tell now who among the handlers of both the opposition and administration candidates are doing the right choice for their strongest standard bearer. Even they, themselves, can't seem to unite their own turf. Many things can happen yet. Election is still a long way to go. To prove my point, some strong contenders have already dropped from the rolls. May their reasons for giving way be heard and from their actions, the unscrupulous among them follow suit, so that legitimate conflicts will be straightened out for the good of everybody.

I can't understand why. But I hear names of old politicians with pending cases also on the run as if nothing wrong happened. They're at it tooth and nail, or do or die. Is it difficult to exclude them from the screening? Or are they very sure that the slow grind of justice is on their side? Therefore, I would like to disabuse my mind if I say that foremost in their agenda is to seek high position, stay in power, invoke immunity and evade punishment from the sins they committed, continue to evade the law and make the whole nation a mockery in the eyes of the world.

Now and then, I'm scared whenever Cha-Cha and how the law of the land could possibly be twisted to serve the ends of those in power. Although many attempted to revise our Constitution, there are still strong men in government who are there to defend it. But until when? Do our elite politicians really want political stability for the welfare of the people? Or are they there only primarily to guard their amassed wealth, questionable tax declaration and net worth and prospects of more wealth?You see, money is the root of all these nightmares.

I know only a little. Isn't little knowledge a dangerous thing? But this is politics, Filipino style. I'm just speaking my mind loud.

Photo by james sarmiento

THE WOOING OF AND FOR NOYNOY

.....and finally he said a resounding YES!

One moment, a surprised Filipino electorate saw on TV a beleaguered Mar Roxas , emotional and almost in tears, abdicating his lofty dream of running as presidential candidate for the coming 2010 elections, in favor of his friend, Benigno "Noynoy" C. Aquino, Jr. Noynoy's apparent nonchalance as he stood at the background, struck me. What was going on?

Another day, not long after, Noynoy, with his continued composure, was hitting the headlines right and left. He was being wooed to run for presidency. His courtiers practically hounded Noynoy, a political neophyte to the highest position in Philippine government, to consider the carrot stick they offered in a proverbial silver platter, and to come out clean and fast with an honest yes to replace his good friend, Mar. Knowing only a little about the ins and out of politics, or probably because I just have had my fills about past political maneuvers, you hear them now saying this, then on the deadline for submission of candidacy you hear them say another, I just raised my eyebrows and went on with my new-found daily preoccupation- blogging.

That same morning, I just posted in my blog my thoughts about Noynoy, "Noynoy for President in 2010". Ha ha! It was a write and forget kind of article. Politics is not my forte. But I followed through the every day's events just the same. Of course I witnessed, just as every concerned Filipino voter did, how the good Senator maneuvered a polite excuse to come to think about it. On one hand, he and his sisters were busy preparing for their expected appearances in a series of Eucharistic celebrations, in honor of the 40th day of Mother Cory's death, in still unnamed venues to the public those days.

The all-too-good-to-be-true courtship on another hand, caused Noynoy to seek retreat for short-lived refuge in some popular sanctuaries frequented by Mother Cory when she herself, needed an assuring shoulder/s to lean on during her rough times as President of the land while dispensing about her state duties. Thus, I could presume that Cory's built-in wisdom as God-fearing Roman Catholic also runs in Noynoy's blood and became a ready catharsis in his hour of deliverance from this current dilemma of that magnitude. He admitted though that he was not as religious as his mother was, although he had joined her in many occasions when she went over in the protective walls of said sanctuaries.

The sporadic demands for Noynoy to run for presidency catapulted him in leaps and bounds in the days to come(no official survey result yet).The whole world watched. It was also, to my mind, an unobtrusive test whether Mother Cory's Magic would work on him. And it did! I'm not a political analyst of a caliber, but my opinions as a voter encourage me to observe how Cory's Magic can be used to Noynoy's advantage. Today, I find my thoughts craving for more so that I can say more. After all, I'm a trying-hard intelligent voter.

Firstly, unless this Cory Magic springs to real life with tangible proofs of positive change in the lives of the people, the great majority of whom are living deep in the quagmire of misery and poverty, it remains just that. Without follow-up by a nation under a good if not a better leader, the democratic principles which Ninoy and Cory died for, their charisma which is still gaining support, will die a natural death. Therefore, Cory's Magic must be institutionalized in the Filipino people's culture. Election 2010 gives us the chance. Noynoy, together with his political analysts and advisers know this, in broadest terms among these seasoned politicians.

Secondly, the gargantuan task ahead necessitates careful planning as well as execution by someone who must possess a formidable character to be able to unite a divided opposition- with or without an administration's anointed one. The neophyte presidentiable's winning or losing power rests heavily on majority support from the camp of a newcomer. This support must be turned into votes come election. The preponderance among the incumbents who are contented and happy in their perks is of course a risk to depend on for support.

Thirdly, as Senator, Noynoy is still wanting in know how as far as the powers of a president mandated by law and by the Constitution are concerned. His having a mother for President in the past gives him an edge alright but this is not an assurance of winning. He should also read the Constitution and must read it well so that, if he wins, upon assumption to office, he already has good working knowledge of the oath he must make- to preserve and defend it against tyranny. Then as he gains further knowledge and establishes a foothold, he will come to gripes with the naked reality that in order for him to stay, he must possess furthermore an unswerving willingness to sacrifice his personal and family interests above the peoples' national interests; to make himself in constant struggle to arise with highest morality; to lead with an incorruptible leadership; to adhere to the principles of democracy; to listen to the pros and the cons when state matters are threatened by partisan motives; and most importantly, to work with and not against people in a spirit of mutual trust for the common good.

To the Honorable Senator, Benigno "Noynoy" C. Aquino, Jr., the days of courtship have only just began. To the intelligent electorate, your romancing with the best presidentiable not of your own choice, but of a people's choice, start - now !

NOYNOY FOR PRESIDENT IN 2010

So, what's new about it? If this gathering storm for Noynoy's endorsement for presidency materializes in fullest force come election 2010, there's nothing new to it. Obviously, the good senator is a political nobody for this highest position in government. He has no political clout, no political ascendancy, no political machinery . Noynoy is simply riding the euphoria of his Mother Cory's so-called "Cory Magic" of recent times. That's barely 40 days after her death of natural cause.

So, what's new? Mother Cory, a plain housewife, rode too, on "Ninoy Magic" of her times. Ninoy was then the Filipino people's last card against a tyrant government. The volatile social condition caused by Ninoy's assassination and later by fraudulent elections angered the people and their raging madness was so powerful that it swiped instantaneously the grieving opposition candidate Cory that she gave in to people power to be installed as president. She was upheld by the world as a fitting symbol of democracy and the first woman president of the Philippines. The time element and the exigencies of circumstances favored her unquestionably.

Election 2010 is still a long way to go. Noynoy will be facing all conceivable risks- time, sincerity of support by his endorsers, machinery, funding. He will be banking on "Cory Magic". That he cannot deny. Therefore he is faced with maintaining people's honest and sincere consensus not only among the opposition but much more among the electorate. His chance for the presidency might be another history record-breaking episode of peoples' initiative. This is not impossible in this country of people agitating for reforms in government since the days of his father Ninoy.

Cory (a plain housewife), against Marcos, was installed by people power. And so was GMA ( a brilliant economist), against ERAP(a school drop-out). ERAP and FVR (a seasoned military gentleman) have something in common. They have strong personalities (many fans?) never mind if they were articulate or not about good governance. The collective actions of the people at the end of their terms spoke for each of them. For sure, despite Cory's limitations in governance, ( there had been several failed coup attempts under her administration), she stands out from the rest in eternity. GMA has yet to prove her worth.

The time element that favored Mother Cory is now put to test on Noynoy's case. The recent move by his immediate comrades to usher Noynoy( a political newcomer) into presidency may now be gathering in power. But it's all up to the good senator to discern and make e deeper introspection. His retreat is a very welcome personal decision. He can't just make decisions by himself, let alone in haste. He needs good counsel and honest ones, too.

The political arena awaits him. While in wait, we must not forget that things happen as they do today as a warning to all Filipinos that since EDSA I, leadership in our government has grown more unstable and is gaining momentum. Noynoy is not starting from a blank slate. In his blood runs his Father Ninoy's mercurial dreams for the country and his Mother Cory's Christian wisdom and magic. Let's just pray and wait.

Photo by makeastatment