WE cannot overemphasize the significance of next year’s elections in the life of every Filipino. Elections allow the people to choose their leaders and hold them accountable for their conduct in office. Through the constitutional processes of recall and impeachment, incumbent officials may be removed from office before they can serve out their terms. Otherwise, which is often the case, if these officials underperformed or failed their constituents, they could be voted out of office in the next election.
Our electoral process is competitive, which behooves that the office should go to the most suitable and qualified candidate. Political parties and their candidates that offer the best platform and program of government should get the support of the voting public. But such ideals do not exist in realpolitik. The sad fact is that candidates or political groups that have unlimited resources and logistics and the best organization end up the runaway winner. Thus, the likes of Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Raul Roco, Jovito Salonga and Raul Manglapus never became the official tenant of Malacañang Palace. They were not only cerebral but men of probity and integrity who could have brought honor and respect to the presidency.
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The kind of politics that we have is reflected in the quality of public discourse taking place in the political space. We know that our politics have gone to the dogs when, instead of substantial public issues, candidates speak of mundane things that pander to our worldly nature and the pedestrians. For instance, misogyny and sexism should not form part of a presidential discourse. When gutter and prurient language permeate the political atmosphere, relevant issues are relegated to the background.
The “masa” adore the sexist candidates who bragged about their sexual conquest and flaunt their adulterous relationships. Candidates seeking our support should take the high moral ground in conducting their campaign. Aspirants for public office should present genuine issues that will have meaningful impact on the electorates. They should tackle how they can fight Covid-19, trigger economic recovery, promote employment opportunities to the workers displaced by the pandemic, return to face-to-face education, and strengthen our health-care system, among others.
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Stopping corruption and the illegal drug menace have been the flagship campaigns of the present administration. It has even set a deadline to wipe them out, only to admit later that it could not be done. The fact that they remain to be the major headaches of the present administration betrays its dismal failure in dealing with them. Alternative candidates with proven track record in combating corruption and illegal drugs may be given the crack to resolve them by installing them into office.
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Voter education is critical in every election. Advocates for clean and honest elections do not overlook this aspect, but it seems that the task is overwhelming. As I have pointed out in my earlier column, many voters, particularly those from the marginalized sector, see elections as an opportunity to extract money from the unscrupulous candidates. Scarcity breeds corruption and this is a tragic reality accepted by the corrupt candidates and the needy voters. I acknowledge the efforts of many sectors to overhaul this anomalous system but this will be an awesome job. In every election, NAMFREL, PPCRV, LENTE and other election watchdogs actively participate in the electoral process to ensure a truthful and clean election. Other volunteer individuals and groups also lend their support. For instance, Fr. Tito Caluag leads the faithful in praying for the participation of competent and qualified candidates in the forthcoming 2022 polls, particularly those who will seek the presidency. He also admonishes the people to vote wisely. He recites the prayer in his daily mass, together with his parishioners. Let’s hope that our collective prayers will not go unanswered and get a good harvest of eligible candidates who will deserve our trust. Only last Saturday, 3 dioceses in Northern Luzon issued a joint pastoral letter to guide their flocks in making their choice of candidates. We are holding next year’s election at a crucial junction in our history amidst this dreaded pandemic and divine guidance will be indispensable.
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There is real danger when spineless leaders consort with the party in power to preserve, if not promote, their position. It reeks of betrayal of public trust when supposed principled public servants prostrate themselves before powerful public figures to ride with the latter’s popularity and capture a higher office. They become witting tools for abusive officials to perpetrate themselves in power and continue their demagoguery. They have totally lost their scruples and are willing to bargain their soul to survive the rough-and-tumble game of politics. They subscribe to the position that in politics there is no substitute for victory even at the cost of entering a pact with the devil. This is normally the case when one party becomes so dominant that it would be suicidal to present oneself as an independent and alternative candidate. The lesson of the Otso Diretso senatorial slate in the 2019 election is a case in point. So the prudent rule is: If you can’t beat them, join them.
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Holding an honest, orderly, and peaceful election has always been a formidable challenge to the Comelec. Upholding the will of the people and preventing the distortion of the people’s choice as expressed in the ballots is the ultimate test of a democratic state. I wonder how the 2022 elections will be conducted under the Duterte administration. Atty. Rowena Guanzon, the only non-Duterte appointee in the Comelec, is set to retire in February 2022, on the cusp of the elections. Can we expect an impartial electoral body that will objectively administer the 2022 polls? I’m not insinuating that the Comelec is incapable of conducting an election, which will deserves our people’s trust. A conscientious and courageous Comelec Chairman, Jaime N. Ferrer, was able to conduct an honest counting of votes in the 1969 and 1971 elections under President Ferdinand E. Marcos. While he was a Cabinet member of President Cory Aquino, he led the prayer during a cabinet meeting by saying: “Lord, keep reminding us that talent and ability without integrity are meaningless…” What we need is another Jaime N. Ferrer who will preside over the Comelec in the coming elections. We need his courage, integrity and decisiveness to guard and protect our votes—sterling attributes which he consistently applied while he was in the service of our people as the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government. Even at the cost of his life. Ferrer was assassinated on August 2, 1987 and on his tombstone is written: “The fight for democracy is a continuing struggle.”