Reign of the Campaign

Wait; is it the start of the campaign? So, you mean it has not started yet? The candidates have been physically going on tours around the nation in motorcades and caravans, showing videos on TV and Youtube, and engaging each other in fora which are little short of a debate, and those are not yet considered campaigning? What are those?

When a video shows a sexy woman in bikinis in provocative poses, then a bottle of liquor shows, I don’t have to be directly told to “buy and drink this” to tell that I’m being sold some intoxicating drink. If a poster shows a big burger with a big piece of beef patty, oversized lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and dripping dressing, I don’t have to read explicit letters that say, “buy and eat” for me to tell that I’m being sold a Big Whopper. If I’m shown a celebrity who is obviously and inconspicuously using a particular model of a phone, I’m sure that they’re selling me the phone. But I guess, nowadays, we need to have someone to tell us directly that we’re staring at color red, even if a large red banner is staring at us in front of our faces. Isn’t it amazing what technicalities can do to common sense?

Candidate A is interesting. He reminds me of Santi Dumlao. (if you don’t know him, try to look him up.) I honestly admire the principle, but seriously, what chance does he have?

Candidate B says that before he was elected as chief executive of a certain local government unit, the city was all messed up that he had to do a lot of fixing, and now, it’s a magnificent metropolis. That sounds impressive. But wait, before he got into that position, he was second in command for quite a long time. Before that, he was in the city council for perhaps an even longer time. He’s been in government longer than he has been in the trade which he is popular for. If we’re going to believe that the city was all messed up before he got into office and he did all the fixing, then what did he do when he was presider of the council, and in that long time when he was in legislation? Now, don’t tell me that maybe he could not have done much because maybe he was at odds with the former leaders. He’s been allied with them all, before he turned against them all. So, what’s the deal?

Candidate C says that if he wins, he would be weeding out much of the government employees and supposedly just keep the essentials, to get rid of the incompetent ones and save money with the salary. That sounds good. But wait, would not that lead to unemployment? Should we not be creating jobs and not cutting them? Besides, I presume that every government employee is employed based on some law or local ordinance which would be violated when those employees are laid off in some way. Besides, according to my barber, had he run some 15 years ago, he would have had a better chance. I’m not really sure. Maybe, he’s right.

Candidate E has been skipping classes. Come on, cut him some slack, maybe he wants to review more before he shows up for recitation. He says he doesn’t have time to make promises. But maybe those which are considered as promises are actually plans which are included in the platform of government. So, if he doesn’t have time to make promises, does that mean that he does not have time to make plans on what to do in government? He also says that he’s pushing for the unity of the Filipino people. In that case, maybe he would consider for his anthem, the song, “Magkaisa”, the one which was the theme for the 1986 EDSA Revolution, the one that ousted a certain dictator. That would be interesting.

Candidate F wants to get rid of corruption. But don’t they all? He seems to be counting on the votes of all the Visayan speaking people. So, he assumes all Filipinos who speak his same language will automatically vote for him, for the basic reason that he speaks the same language as they do? So, is that his perception of the intelligence of the voters? Is that a solid south opposite the supposed solid north?

These are the thoughts that cross my mind while trying hard to catch a ride home because the roads are closed last Tuesday evening.

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” - Matthew 20:26