Ballot Box

In about two weeks millions of Filipinos would troop to voting precincts for the midterm elections. The campaign period had been a protracted orgy of mudslinging, odious shifting of allegiances, and absurd (not to mention expensive) campaign extravaganzas. For the impoverished Filipino, the elections is that occasional time in his life when politicians actually give him attention in the hope of getting his precious vote.

After the melee of the elections, when the victors emerge and the losers bemoan that they were cheated, the poor would be lucky to ever see again the very same people who pledged to fight for their cause. The politicians strap themselves in the Senate or Congress while squandering the people's money and occasionally participating in more mudslinging just to seem relevant until the next elections come along. It's a vile cycle.

So far I've only voted twice, in 1998 and 2001. After which, I did not bother to step in another voting center again. For one, there's really no good choice of candidates. Second, and in the slim likelihood that there'd be some candidate worth voting for, I have no assurance that my vote would be honestly counted anyway (refer to the Hello Garci scandal). Third, if my vote for a particular candidate were actually counted and he/she wins, it would be a matter time before he/she is sucked by the system (think Loren Legarda).

I realized however that this is exactly the kind of apathy that has been further pushing our country to breakdown. A large portion of people has simply given up, content of watching Filipinos being swallowed by the quagmire. Unfortunately I think I am part of that disenchanted lot. Really, I wish I had the wherewithal to take part in anything that at least would give this country some hope. Isn't doing nothing just as bad? Because between me, who is fast becoming a politically jaded prick, and the politicians, who is more heinous?