THE RESULTS of the recent elections showed that Filipinos are not yet mature, although growing. Many based their analysis and decisions on what they hear and see, less on what they read, because many are tired of reading. There is more analysis actually when reading.
This resulted in education through media. It is now a powerful tool to build up one’s image, as what actors and actresses do to build up their careers. People now cannot differentiate fiction from half-truths or from truths. Political events are watched like soap operas on prime time. And media would take advantage of political gossip and scoops to make stories more valuable for money. Errors in reporting are justified by icing them with more controversial ones.
This is the “education” that Filipinos have had after Marcos. Democracy was abused like the phenomenon of “people power.” “Will of the majority” is falsely equated with what is “right.”
“People power” is wrongfully used for protest while, in fact, it must be used for reforms. It is easy actually to incite protest but too hard to campaign for reforms given human nature. Politicians would also take advantage of the Filipino attitude of fanaticism as many will follow them blindly because of the image media has made for them. It is not very different from being an actor with many fans (which is actually short for fanatics). No wonder a politician even after tainted with graft and corruption would still have many followers and loyalists. One would not be surprised that even after the evidence presented in the impeachment trial, the PCIJ reports of his properties and “Darth Vader” friends, the well known stock manipulation in the Philippine Stock Exchange, Erap can still gather people at the EDSA Shrine or still win in a snap election, if one is held.
A politician can easily change his position and principles as long as he has many fanatics that will put him in the Senate or presidency. Many have seen how many senatorial candidates have crossed party lines, and ate their principles but still managed to be in the Top 5 of the senatorial lineup. These filthy political tricks were hidden under the rags of issues like “Hello Garci” and election cheating. Another trick of “throwing the garbage on others’ backyard and exposing it” in the form of gossip is being maneuvered to hide behind inefficiency and incompetence. Political sugar-coated media speeches are used to lure fanatics to his side, like courting a lady persuaded with enticing poetry.
Many young opinion-makers and also bloggers would say that what is wrong is the system as a whole but they must realize that the voting public is part of that system.
– Henry Delgado, MD, EMAS Offshore Pte Ltd, Singapore
May 31st, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Sad to say youre absolutely right. Im pretty sure the people voted for people who had a lot of press exposure. and just left out the unknowns.
While it is good to exercise the power to vote, people must realize that “with power comes responsiblity” yeh, its from the spiderman movie but it is 100% true.
Protest rallies almost always conveys one message…that the people who are given power are not doing their responsibility.
Im not barging on the people’s right to have a public demonstration. Its just that, if youre crying out loud that some people arent doing their job for you (and the nation for that matter), you might as well say youre not doing your responsibility either.
Because for whatever its worth, the election is the true form of democracy….Shouting out loud that the government is THE PEOPLE. That the people has the power to shape the government. that with this power comes the greatest national act of responsibility a commoner can do. The people has all the power to choose.
In 1 to 2 years time after the election, will the winners make a difference? or are they just gonna gobble some more press time.
In 1 to 2 years time after the election, will the people be relieved that they made the right choice? Or are they going to go on hunger strike until Mr. X or Ms. Y resigns?
“We had 37 senatorial candidates….did we take a look at all of them???”
May 31st, 2007 at 9:02 pm
kitang kita nmn sa election results n mas popular ang mga nanalo.ung laging may exposure sa tv.ung laging may interview.pero khit papano may natutunan na rin ang pinoy dhil ni si richard gomez d nanalo (yipey).
May 31st, 2007 at 9:01 pm
I was almost convinced that Filipino voters are maturing after seeing the results of the senatorial election, which I suspect was a strong statement by the young voters to go for the candidates they perceived as the lesser evils.
At the same time, I could sense more emotions than objectivity in the results(hence I said almost convinced) which I sincerely hope would meet the voters expectations, before they start “swearing” and regretting that they voted for the same rotten politicians whose main objective is to benefit from the unaudited spending in the upper chamber.
God bless us all.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:35 pm
I entirely concur with your opinion.
I also think the Philippine media of today with the likes of Inquirer and ABS-CBN have become powerful king makers. They manipulate the conduct and result of elections via their biased editorials and news reporting.
It’s a crying shame what is happening to Philippine Democracy. We complain about vote-buying and political dynasty, but the blatantly biased reporting of Inquirer Editors is as muc to blame for eroding real informed voting in your country. I wonder who are these elite owners of newspapers today and how they are linked to political dynasties. It will make interesting study indeed !!!
Oh well. As they say in computer technology GIGO-Garbage In, Garbage Out. That’s what the media has fed to the voters, so you might just as well concede that the election was rigged from the start.
Just my thoughts. I will not be surprised if this comment will not be published.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I agree with you. We have never matured as voters. The results of the recently concluded election show how easily still Filipinos are swayed with what is controversial. I would tell my friends, “Huwag magpaniwala sa mga taong mahilig manira.” Know what? The majority of the Filipinos just did.