It begins there

I posted the following last Monday on Facebook:

“I drove a total of 164 kilometers round trip from Lipa City in Batangas to Pasig City and back to Lipa City to perform my duty as a citizen by voting this afternoon. Those who get elected into office, whether for national or local position, better make sure they perform well because I intend to make it my civic duty to publicize their failures as much as their accomplishments. We all need to do so. It does not end on election day…IT BEGINS THERE.”

After voting last Monday, many of us expressed hope, prayers as well as exasperation in relation to our experience at the polling places. I can at least say that in my Barangay, voting for me has consistently been without difficulty or drama. Yesterday, one day after elections, many in my Facebook community expressed disappointment and disbelief over those who were leading in the Senate race as well as for those who were not even in the top 12.

The overall sentiment is that once again, the ignorant “masa” has made the majority decision and chose mostly trapos, children of trapos and political creations of media and PR. By and large that would seem true and if so, it’s clearly about name recall and reputation. That being the case, those who lost in last Monday’s elections have only themselves to blame for not campaigning right after the 2010 election and not creatively and actively making sure their names are a household name before the next election. I even know of a few who only decided to run a few months before the election.

If you happen to be one of those utterly disappointed that your candidate did not win or make it to the Magic 12, well we now know that the simple act of voting is not going to win an election. Posting tributes to them on Facebook is not enough. You don’t just go out and vote, you have to go out and convince people, beginning with your employees, relatives and neighbors why the good candidates deserve our votes. It is said that: “the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Well, last Monday some evil triumphed along with a lot of incompetents. Sadly, we only have ourselves to blame. The Titans of America spent money to have their own President, the businessmen invested on their puppet politicians, even the corrupt politicians had to buy voters to get elected. Your vote by itself does not win an election.

When my friend Pastor Ferdie Cabiling of Victory Christian Fellowship posted” “Vote Wisely”, a comic by the name of Jay-r asked: Sino po ba si Wisely? (who is “Wisely”). Pastor Ferdie replied: “yung kaaway ni Vote Buying” (“the enemy of “Vote Buying”).

That’s when I joined in: “Napatay si Vote Wisely sa kabilang Barangay. Ang pumatay si Vote Buying. Tig-lilimang daang pisong hiwa ang inabot niya” ( Vote Wisely was murdered in the nearby Barangay. He was killed by Vote Buying. He was slashed to death with 500 peso bills”). While many people “liked” the post, it was comic relief for me after learning from a worker that a congressional candidate had visited a barangay nearby and a staff member gave away P500 bills for the merienda of those who attended the meeting!

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I also wondered what the results would have been if the learned and economically better off were left to determine who should sit in the Senate. Would we actually vote wise individuals with integrity, or would we end up with the other extreme, where those who have will receive even more and those who have little will lose even that which they have?

Many of us, me included, have suggested that only the legitimate taxpayers and property/homeowners should be allowed to vote. But in reflection many of us educated taxpayers don’t display much wisdom and knowledge once the friendship and family cards come into play. At the end of the day we will always vote for our friends, those we know, who’ve done us a favor, or share our politics and logic. The truth of the matter is very few can actually separate politics from personal issues. At the end of the day we cannot see past personal, cultural or even religious differences.

In a way while the ignorant masses are simplistic by basing their choice on popularity, charisma or cash, they are simply a simpler version of the same things we are. At the very least they actually get paid upfront for their votes, while we the smart and the educated end up getting robbed with our taxes and having to address an idiot we would not even hire as “Your Honor”.

The truth is we are not sophisticated political scientists who observe with objectivity and candor. We are Pinoys. If we ever want to see the day when our politics actually improve, we will simply have to change our system and go to something more representative of our culture and the region we belong to. Considering how Rome fell apart under its senators and ruling class, considering how America is tearing at the seams from political differences in their Republic, and considering how we come from “islands, tribes and villages”, the only way up is “together” in a parliamentary type system and not in this democracy controlled by the rich and the powerful. Venting our frustration in a day or getting involved for a “season” won’t cut it. We need to stick to it until the change we want happens!

 If we who can afford newspapers, I-pads and Internet connectivity are dismayed by the electoral results, how long will it be before the ignorant masa begin to feel hungry and forsaken. We have jobs, income and disposable cash, all they have are disposable votes good only every three years, non-transferable. Soon the Mahirap would have to knock on heaven’s door in order to get another version of “Erap para sa Mahirap”. So you see, we do live in a democracy. We are all free to suffer for not really doing something about the politics.

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