Still waiting for things to change
Currently, it is crowded and noisy as the midterm elections campaign for local (governors, city and municipal Councils, and House of Representatives and Senate at the national levels heats up. Thousands of positions are up for grabs locally, while 12 spots are up for grabs for the Senate.
Various campaign jingles serve as alarm clocks and wake people in their neighbourhoods. They use the music of different international and Filipino artists, like the collaboration of Bruno Mars and Rose, changing the song's lyrics to promote their cause or what they would do if elected.
It has always been like this since I earned my right to vote when I turned 18, eons ago. The same old message where candidates say they are pro-poor and would prioritize the rights of the ordinary people if elected.
However, some elected officials stay faithful to their promises and are genuinely helping improve the lives of poor and marginalized Filipinos. Take, for example, Vico Sotto, the current Pasig City mayor running for his third and last term in office.
Posters and other campaign materials are hung or posted everywhere.
Despite coming from the Sotto political clan from Cebu, Sotto worked tirelessly for the people of Pasig and helped his constituents make it through the COVID-19 pandemic. He topped the City Council election and ended the Eusebio family's dynasty when he ran for mayor in 2019.
He is also the son of veteran comedian Vic Sotto and former actress Connie Reyes. Mayor Vico decided to keep a low profile, concentrated on his studies, and entered politics, where he made his mark. There is a growing clamour for him to seek office at the national level.
Let's return to the senatorial elections, whose list of candidates are filled with former actors and television personalities, and the same old names. God knows why they decided to run for a post usually held by lawyers, economists, diplomats, and former Supreme Court judges.
Some of the candidates are Philip Salvador (former actor), Bong Revilla (charged with plunder), Benhur Abalos (member of the Mandaluyong-based Abalos political dynasty), Camille Villar (daughter of billionaire Manny Villar and the youngest sister of incumbent Senator Mark Villar), Abby Binay from the Kingdom of Makati, Bong Go and Bato Dela Rosa who are known loyalists of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Pia Cayetano (although a lawyer, is a political survivalist), Imee Marcos daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., TV host Willie Revillame, controversial pastor and self-appointed Son of God Apollo Quiboloy, boxer-turned-politician Manny Pacquiao, Ben and Erwin Tulfo and the list goes on of personalities of questionable characters.
However, there are alternative candidates to choose from. Progressive and known labour, women's rights, and Indigenous peoples' advocates; leaders from the urban poor, farmers, fisherfolk, teachers, nurses, public transport and trade unions. Some have been red-tagged due to their progressive views. It is time for new names. New blood.
Filipinos are literally trapped in a cage of political immaturity.
Here are the alternative candidates worthy to win one of the 12 positions in the Senate chamber: Jerome Adonis (labour leader), Jocelyn Andamo (representing nurses), Bam Aquino (though part of the Aquino political clan, authored more than 40 laws including universal access to tertiary education providing free tuition to students in state and local universities and colleges), Ronnel Arambulo (fisherfolk), Arlene Brosas (women's rights advocate), Teddy Casiño (Partylist representative, opposition member, and former journalist), France Castro (teachers), Leody De Guzman (labour leader), Mimi Doringo (urban poor), Atty. Luke Espiritu (labour and workers' rights lawyer), Mody Floranda (public transport sector), Amirah Lidasan (Moro and Indigenous peoples), Sonny Matula (trade union leader), Liza Maza (anti-poverty advocate), Heidi Mendoza (former UN Office of Internal Oversight Services Under-Secretary-General, wants to promote accountability and transparency in government), and Danilo Ramos (farmers). Mindanao, especially Indigenous groups in the region, needs representation from Lidasan and Matula.
I might also get red-tagged for endorsing progressive candidates. This election again stoked the fire of activism and progressive political views I learned while being active in the College Editors Guild of the Philippines while writing for the UE-DAWN, University of the East's weekend student newspaper.
The problem with most Filipino voters, especially the poorest of the poor, is electoral maturity and proper voter information; making the right decision of choosing what a candidate could do to help alleviate their situation, instead they would rather be entertained by some candidates who dance and sing during campaign rallies. It is only in the Philippines that a candidate like Quiboloy is allowed to run for a senate seat despite being in prison due to charges of alleged human trafficking activities. The job of a senator is to create laws or amend existing measures that would benefit all Filipinos. They would spend hours studying, researching and crafting each bill they would file and not rely on their legislative staff to interpret and compose drafts.
I am currently in the Philippines to take care of some personal matters; spending a few days at our house in Bulacan, visiting my brother-in-law and his family in Las Pinas, and staying at my sister's in Mandaluyong. I still saw the same faces in Marilao, from the jueteng kubrador (collector of the illegal numbers game), beggars, the barkers (callers of passenger jeepneys), and those who still live in the slums near the Marilao River bridge. These are the same people fooled by politicians who think of themselves and keep them reined in using patronage politics and the Filipino cultural value of utang na loob or debt of gratitude, where entitled officials want voters to show their obligation to repay favours by continuously electing them of any member of their family, thus creating political dynasties.
Even if my family and I are now based in Canada, I hope to see changes in my lifetime. I want to see marginalized people have an authentic voice in the Philippine legislature, where their rights will come first and their lives will improve. Where common labourers and workers would get paid higher wages they deserve. Where every child can access better education and have the opportunity to get a job after they graduate. In other countries, like Canada, workers in trades like construction, plumbers, masons, carpenters, and HVAC installers have higher wages than those working in offices.
Pilipinas, bakit ang hirap mong mahalin? (Why is it hard to love you, my beloved Philippines?) Hanggang kailan ka magdudusa LuzViMinda? (How long will you suffer LuzViMinda?) LuzViMinda is a shortened version of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the Philippines three main island groups.
Comments
Post a Comment