Windows of Philippine Politics

Same old designs but different fellows on the rein

2010-11-06T05:28:00.001+08:00

With the swarming problems that besets the Philippine economy today, the Philippine Congress has also been observed to have turtle-ducking the passage of the 2011 National Budget. The house of representatives alone seem to have been scrutinizing what they believed are "unjustifiable increases in budgets" which would also increase possible deficits in the national budget. Until now, the people believed that there is approved draft of final significance that would indicate that the national debate for the national budget has already been reached.

Although the recent visits of Pres. Noynoy Aquino to the United States brought back assurance of additional assistance in terms of loans and other trade agreements, but, this would not surely assure the whole country that we really are on the right track. The people themselves are now beset with lack of sufficient opportunities to land a job; still the poor people are clamoring for a greater change, even if it includes heaven.

The way the Aquino administration is handling matters of national interest, it would seem that those people who are handling power and authority remained at bay, as if waiting for the glorious outflow of blessings from heaven. No significant difference yet observed that would outdo what has been achieved by the previous Arroyo administration. In fact, people are getting started to doubt the ability of the Aquino administration to resolve national issue that would provide ease of burden on the populace.

The situation on energy, agriculture, and many others do not indicate difference. It's the same cup, but the content is different, as people say. Graft and corruption still thrive that even some provincial offices are inclined to engage to it more boldly. Say for example the recent Barangay and SK elections.

Reports said that some COMELEC offices in the provinces and municipalities are allegedly collecting certain amount of money ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 from the candidates of the Barangay and SK elections. I just can't believe it! The COMELEC, entrusted with the task of determining fair, honest, and credible elections has already gone awry. What would happen then when people of this Office are more inclined to commit graft and corruption than to stand put to the principles by which the office was intended for its existence.

Another point to reckon with is that law enforcers are more inclined to set aside investigation and let those who are more interested to the case do their thing. Some of the police forces are more inclined to spend time chatting with friends while on duty or just stray around like security guards of a big mall. And when there are cases that needs immediate action, it would take a lot of precious time wasted. These are some of the comments I've received from some ordinary people who encountered this type of problem with authorities.

Meanwhile, the local government officials who just took office last July 1, 2010, more particularly those who newly elected, are observed to have displayed impressive performance during their first 100 days, just like the President, they are more willing to sacrifice just for the good of all. But just recently, a lot of politicking is now taking place especially when we speak of the budget preparation for the next fiscal year.

Some of the LGU officials are yet to learn the many labyrinthine activities within their own offices and they are faced with problems of laying off casual employees or terminating contract employees. While the national government has been very problematic about unemployment and job creation, now local LGU is increasingly contributing to the same problem. So we can expect that in the next few months, there will be a significant increase in unemployment. It's been observed that there are more people who are laid off that accepted for jobs. Terms and conditions are still the same with that of the previous administration, the only change is the people manning the rein.

Finally, I should like to say that my country is still engaged in some unprofessional practices learned from previous administrations. The same pattern of management, the same objectives, missions and visions. It's all focused on poverty eradication. Although there are concrete programs and projects to address these problems, but it is not sufficient for the people to receive promises of salvation, a specific action will undertake an alleviating factor that will assure sustainability. But it's the other way around.

Anyway, people should learn from their own wrong choices and decisions. But the question is, when would be the time that they would realize this?... I believe only time knows.

Manual election is what “trapo” really wants

2010-11-04T19:14:00.001+08:00

One of the most controversial elections ever happened in the Philippine political history is the Barangay and SK elections last Oct. 25. It is so because the people have already tested the computerized method of elections though at first there was some kind of hitches along the way due to some minor problems in the wireless sending of the result into a database for the instant overall results; but, traditional politicians don’t really like this kind of election method. They still prefer the age-old manual counting of votes.

When you ask common people about the recent barangay and SK elections, most of them would say that it would be best when COMELEC used the computerized method rather than the manual.

Another observation can be noted when politicians are really determined to win the race, they would have to use their money and other available resources just to ensure their win. And the disadvantage of this kind of scheme is that it overwhelmingly surface the real power of money rather than the real power of the vote; and the real power of vote emanates from a singular power of one individual---this is the real election!

It would seem, however, that my country is undergoing a negative form of transformation from modern-day back to the old way of politics when people only recognize those with money and they would prefer to cling to these people rather than to stand up by their own principles.

Just as I believe that poverty is the very cause of our own deterioration, I do also believe that as many people are believing that their government is corrupt and they can’t do otherwise to avert it, the more that they become corrupt. Just as long as leaders in the government are known to be corrupt, people also remains corrupt. And the only cleansing instance would be anarchy, or when people choose to die for their own foolishness.

In a democracy like the Philippines, when people would choose that which are beneficial for their own lives and do not recognize the good values that their community can bring for all, a point of reckoning would come when they would just have to live life and let chances chart their own destiny---a gamble that only money can only make it up as well.

This self-destructive view is what would seem to be prevailing in the midst of many challenges that face our country today. It seems that we are not far from experiencing lawlessness because people who are supposed to uphold the rule of law are the ones exposing themselves breaking the law. Thus, lawmaker are lawbreakers themselves; or they would just have to prevent their own selves from observing the same.

I just want that the light of hope will rise at the shores of disbelief when every one is an active participant to either success or failure.

Bad things happen when youth are involve in bigtime politics

2010-10-30T20:29:00.000+08:00

The recently concluded barangay and SK elections was generally peaceful but was observed by many to have been marred with a lot of corruptions.

The barangay election as conceptualized and instituted under RA7160 known as the Local Government Code of 1991 was supposed to be non-partisan now became involved in partisanship. Majority of the local barangay officials are directly or indirectly representatives of politicians; they are either related by affinity or consanguinity to certain moneyed-politicians who aims to perpetuate their political influence and enjoy the power and authority that they have been holding for quite a period of time.

Barangay officials who are supposed to be non-partisan are now protegees of bigtime politicians or former henchmen employed and paid under government funds allocated by those who are in power.

Another observation was that the cost of vote for each individual sympathetic to certain barangay official has a range from twenty to fifty pesos for poor candidates who aspire position in the barangay; but these amount even increased from one hundred pesos up to three hundred pesos for barangay councilman position. The bitter part is that barangay captain candidates can buy votes from five hundred pesos up to a maximum of two thousand pesos.

Of course, local COMELEC officials have no knowledge about these schemes of candidates because some of them also were involve in some kind of corrupt practices. Reports in TV or radio broadcasts expose these people collecting ten thousand to fifty thousand pesos for a position in the barangay. One a candidate paid the amount as demanded, there is great possibility that those who paid the right price will win elections.

Local COMELEC officials would always deny such report because they also knew very well that in certain halls of COMELEC offices, bribes has been collected by some unscrupulous election officers, who, by all ways and means, are already paid by political stalwarts who controls their work appointment. Those election officers who played clean and safe would certainly not last long in their coveted positions because there are a lot of unqualified or qualified people who are most willing to accept such appointment when they are needed.

In this election day, October 25, I should say is the worst of all the barangay elections conducted. Why? It's because the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK for short) elections was also conducted.

As these SK youth have registered with COMELEC for them to be able to vote, certain barangay officials (of course, moneyed barangay officials) gathered them all together and either provided vehicle so that they can visit the COMELEC office or certain amount of fare is given. They are now listed among those potential voters of their beat for the SK Council in the barangay.

The bad thing that happened was that SK voters were gathered or collected by parents of certain SK chairman candidates and provided with money from one hundred to five hundred pesos, free board and lodging, foods and a lot of amenities as if these SK voters are the most important persons for three days before the election day.

Moneyed parents of SK chairman candidates would gamble certain amount of money for their child win the elections even if they know that what they do was wrong or even illegal. I should say that about 90% of SK chairmen win because of this kind of scheme.

This is the most painful reality that I have witnessed already for quite sometime. The youth at their early stage of engaging into politics have already learned the bad ways of politics. And parents themselves are the ones corrupted or being corrupted by those moneyed individuals. I should like to say that I could not blame these parents of these poor youths because they really need money to sustain a few days of good food and comfort that they were not able to experience since birth. This is the only time that they would enjoy those things that rich people usually experience. They felt that they are the king by their own right, thus, they are entitled to such excellent accomodation and comfort.

I really pity the future generations on politics. At this point in time, the seed of corruptions has already been implanted within their midst and it can never be redeemed unless those people who are entrusted to defend the constitutions, uphold its ideals and purpose, as well as those enforcers who love societal order, will enforce the very purpose of the law. But, if not, then it would certainly be the beginning of a long days of slavery for money.

My vote?... No, I won't vie for any political position, neither I would have to cast my vote because somebody paid money to vote them. Because during the time that I casted my first vote, I believe what my teacher said that my vote is sacred and valuable in the sight of God and country.

I will always cherish that day, because I believe it would never come again, even today.