What can I say about Philippine elections? They’re exhausting as hell! In hindsight, I find it silly to get caught up in all the hoopla when, at the end of the day, no matter who we vote into positions of power, we navigate our own ships and chart our own course.
Since my thoughts are all over the place right now, allow me to siphon them here, on this blog, as though I’m looking at my very own Pensieve. I hope these insights will help expand perspectives and add clarity to deeper issues active participants of democracy may have failed to see:
1) “Good governance” is subjective. As I always say, no one has monopoly of the truth.
2) Basic Political Science should be taught at the elementary level. People engage in politics without prior knowledge of the constitution, government/political systems or how each government branch functions. It’s a misconception to think Philippine presidents post-EDSA are still all-powerful or that the quality of your life depends on them, because…. NO. The 1987 Constitution made sure of that. It seems today’s voters know little of or don’t trust the constitution, despite it being an important achievement of People Power. Oh, isn’t it ironic?
3) Different people have different ways of loving their country. Just because someone voted for the opposing side, doesn’t mean they love the Philippines any less. No one wants to hear self-righteous people insinuate that if you don’t share their preference, you’re as evil and immoral as the candidate you chose. Our prejudices, biases and inability to see where others are coming from will be the true death of democracy.
4) Mudslinging is a worn-out campaign strategy that no longer appeals to the masses. Some campaigns sounded like organised bullying, impassioned yet invalidating. Maybe young people have the stamina for it, but after Odette and with the pandemic still upon us, such aggressiveness is the last thing the silent majority needs.
5) Martial Law atrocities shouldn’t be forgotten. The Mendiola and Hacienda Luisita massacres, equally so. Both the dictator and the face of People Power had their respective misgivings when they served as presidents. It’s not as simple as one being better than the other, or whose rule produced more unjust deaths and upheavals. From Aguinaldo to the present, almost every administration had blood on their hands. Still, even if some of us find it difficult to overcome the past, shouldn’t there be an expiry date to this vicious cycle of hatred and pointing fingers? If we can’t move forward from there, does anyone else have a better idea? Should the sins of the father be laid upon their children? (This also applies to everyone with criminal relatives.)
6) Not everyone puts achievements/credentials/education background in high regard. You can say it’s “sad,” but doing so often isolates members of the grassroots who work hard but have no access to the same privilege. Whether they be action stars, political butterflies or sons of criminals, many voters from marginalised sectors prefer someone relatable and aligned with their sentiments over highfalutin credentials. How do you think PNoy and Erap won? BBM’s lack of a baccalaureate degree actually worked in his favour as it made him “less elite” in the eyes of the electorate.
7) The regions have spoken. Thus the results. As a regionalist, I consider myself a Cebuano first before I’m a Filipino. What good does it do to be a Filipino, if we from the regions continue to be sidelined whenever we try to lobby for Federalism or bills/laws that would empower us? Why are we still remitting 60% of our income to the national government, mainly composed of lawmakers from the capital, when we could’ve used it to develop our localities? Heck, why do we keep electing people who don’t represent regional interests in the first place (only when it’s convenient to them)? Where are our BRTs, LRTs and MRTs? Merely an example but just sayin’.
8) The senatorial bet who placed 1st in the polls is also the most criticised and underestimated. It’s funny ’cause we have a bunch of “highly qualified” and experienced senatoriables, yet he’s the only one who consistently explained about Federalism and the ills of a unitary system in ways that even ordinary people could understand. May not have voted for him, but if through his efforts Cebu finally recovers all the income wasted on NCR, I’d be truly grateful.
9) Lots of clamour for change but whenever there’s an attempt to amend the constitution, some people immediately think it’s a ploy to set up a dictatorship. We’ve been at it for decades now, this contradictory behaviour. The ones noisy for change are also the first ones to block it. Although the government’s lousy information drive is not helping either, Filipinos (especially those in NCR) should make up their minds. If you want change, stop sabotaging yourselves.
10) You can still live a happy life regardless of who sits there. Don’t anchor your happiness on a candidate, the election results or the government. You have your family, friends, pets, dreams, life goals, what have you. There’s no point in ruining relationships over passing administrations and candidates, and ideals/ideologies you’ll eventually change at some point in your life. Politics can only do so much, but with or without it, you have to look after yourself and be accountable for your own actions.
Am I Pleased with the Results?
I’d be a hypocrite if I say I’m not happy with the outcome, because to some extent… I am. The ultimate goal was for the now presumptive vice president, Sara Duterte, to win. And she did. With a tsunami of votes. Partial and unofficial results have already covered nearly 99% of all ballots, so the probability of a plot twist (as wokes call it) is slim.
Truth be told, I was on the verge of voting for Bong Bong Marcos as president, but his refusal to tackle certain issues, not even giving a subtle answer, prevented me from fully entrusting my vote to him. One of my mottos in life is to never decide whenever something confuses me. It encourages a strong mindset, where you don’t have to settle just because of limited options. I’m glad BBM still won (presumably) and I’m by no means offended or bitter about it.
The other camp was out of the question. I voted for Leni Robredo over BBM way back 2016, but I think this particular presidency requires a different skill set. Nothing wrong with her skills per se, Leni did well as VP, but I doubt she’d champion Federalism or decentralisation if voted into a higher office. Not to mention her team packaged her in a cheesy and soap opera kind of way, attracting one too many celebrity supporters and privileged young folks who won’t hesitate to call you dumb for simply having your own preference. Even more off-putting for majority of voters is their colour-driven campaign, which highlighted a rosy future through good governance but stood in stark contrast to their mudslinging fest.
Don’t get me started on the rest of the presidential candidates. No. Just NO.
Martial Law is a hard subject to broach especially for the victims’ families and I wish with all my heart we can find healing and redemption moving forward. Little by little, as we slowly succeed in dealing with the traumas of the past, may we look towards what unites us as Filipinos, as citizens of the same country.
Deconstructed Sisyphus 