Tomorrow, 14 May, Dabawenyos will once again go out and catapult into power our city’s and our country’s elected government officials. I hope that the turnout will be considerable, so that the populace will have enough confidence in whomever assumes public office.
I have mixed feelings about this, though. I will go out and vote, definitely. But with a heavy heart. Even up to now I still don’t know whose names to write in my ballot…. The city councilors are a relatively easy deal: I get to see them a lot here in Davao. But what about the senators?
You only see senatorial candidates on TV, read about them in the news dailies. To their ads, though, I pay no attention at all — whose politician’s ads ever say anything negative about him? So how do you ever decide for yourself that these people are really sincere about their intentions?
Bloghopping across the Philippine blogosphere, I see varying sentiments regarding tomorrow’s elections. Some are pretty aggressive about their chosen ones; some are apathetic, even unapologetically so; some, like me, are confused. I would like to see Davao City and the Davao region progress economically and socially. And one way to participate in this goal is to vote. But whom to vote??
Even though I still try to retain my idealism, a part of me believes that anyone who runs for a government post has some hidden agenda. I dislike this part of me, but whenever I listen to it, it sure sounds credible! Think about it: it takes millions of pesos to run for senator. A fellow blogger posted an article about Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s revelation, about the millions that senators make beyond their P36,000-per-month salary. It’s dismaying, to say the least. And it is indeed very revealing: it could well be that senators are in power for the money.
Congressmen aren’t very far off either, if reports are to be believed.
However, should these seemingly incontrovertible facts be a hindrance to the public’s participation in politics? I believe not. Tomorrow I will go out and cast my votes. And hope.
Beyond that, I am also volunteering in the quick count. Just to lend my time and energy towards ensuring free and honest elections. In the Philippines, the electoral process is fast becoming an oxymoron when spoken in the same sentence as “freedom” and “honesty”. But if we let it slide, if we continue to be apathetic, then we get what we deserve, don’t we?
This may be last-minute, but I would like to appeal to all Filipinos who are of voting age, go out tomorrow and fulfill your right to participate in Philippine politics. Want to make it cleaner, want to make our country a little bit better? Vote!
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