Last Wednesday, I had the chance to meet with Yoly Ong, the President of Campaigns and Grey, one of the country's top advertising companies. During our meeting, she showed me the latest Pulse Asia Survey which showed who were the top candidates for the 2010 Senatorial Elections and I was no longer surprised to see familiar family names dominating the survey and that most of the people who belonged to the Top 20 were either incumbents, former senators and their family members.
Although I expected this would be the case given that majority of our country still votes based on popularity, I was saddened with the thought that if we continue to elect many of these same politicians then naturally, we can expect the same kind of service that we have been getting these past 20 years.
Looking back at the past 20 years since the EDSA Revolution, millions of Filipinos continue to live with less than 100 pesos a day while many of these prominent government leaders continue to live lavish lifestyles. Yesterday, the Social Weather Station (SWS) released a survey wherein almost 25 percent of Filipinos or almost 20 million Filipinos have grown hungry these past months. Yes, I agree with the argument that not all of them are perpetuators of graft and corruption and that there are still those who continue to do a good job but I'd like to believe that it may be time for us to start looking for new faces which will bring new values, new politics and new ideas in our resolve to finally put an end to the poverty cycle in our country.
Also in the news these past weeks are pronouncements of deposed former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada that he is still interested in running for the Presidency despite being convicted already of plunder.
On the other side of the fence, we have our current President and her minions in the House of Representatives trying their best to perpetuate her reign beyond 2010. At the rate things are it would be sad if we would be left only with two choices in the 2010 national elections, a deposed former President or the anointed one of our very unpopular incumbent President.
The challenge for us is to go beyond our apathy and indifference to politics since if we continue to choose not to be active in looking for morally upright, effective and God-fearing leaders for our country, we will always be left to choose between who is the lesser evil. I think the Filipino deserves more than the kind of service that many of our current government leaders our giving. We have seen in Naga City through the leadership of multi-awarded Mayor Jesse Robredo that if you elect a good leader then the people can expect good governance which will translate into better delivery of basic services. Now, Naga City has been transformed from being a sleepy third class municipality to the premiere city of the Bicol Region.
Yet, amid all these problems in our country, there are still rays of hope such as the recently launched Movement for Good Governance (MGG) which aims to gather 10 million votes for a Presidential candidate that will represent the values of effective, principled and ethical leadership. This group led by civil society leaders such as former Finance Undersecretary Dr. Milwida Guevara and Ayala Foundation's Bill Luz face a daunting task ahead but if every Filipino will join them then at least we can all hope that maybe 2010 will be the year where genuine change can finally reign in our country.
Merry Christmas to all! May the year 2009 be a more prosperous year to all of us!
For more information about MGG, you can send an email to mguevara@synergeia.org.ph.
Help promote Good Governance in our country by sending free Kaya Natin! Christmas and New Year E-cards at http://www.yehey.com/ecards/ .
Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government.
December 2008 Archives
IN last Friday's Interfaith Prayer Rally against Charter Change held in Makati City, one of the most controversial scenes was that of Senator Mar Roxas shouting expletives to describe the kind of situation that our government has put us in. Since then, Senator Roxas has been criticized for being un-statesmanlike and for saying words that bring dishonor to his being a duly-elected Senator of our country. I do not personally know Senator Roxas nor have I worked with him in any capacity but I believe that many of the criticisms thrown at him are unnecessary and that the situation wherein he spoke should be put into perspective.
Firstly, although I do not condone Senator Roxas' shouting of expletives, I believe that he did this to show and emphasize his growing frustration with our present administration, which never seems to run out of graft and corruption scandals, such as the Fertilizer Scam and the NBN-ZTE Deal. Being a duly-elected public official, I believe Senator Roxas' main duty is to be able to serve as a representative of the people and thus, his actions merely echoed out the hunger for change that millions of Filipinos have right now.
Secondly, I have attended several rallies and during rallies emotions are at a high especially when an issue, such as Charter Change before 2010 and the possible term extension of our incumbent President is the main issue. Recent surveys have consistently shown that majority of Filipinos do not trust the President anymore and yet despite these, her cohorts in the House of Representatives continue to try their best to the point of even twisting the highest law of the land to make sure that she will continue to stay in power beyond 2010. Most likely, the usually calm and collected Senator Roxas became very emotional during the rally given the fact that the present administration has tried to push for Charter Change before the 2010 elections while continuing to turn a blind eye to the millions of Filipinos who continue to live with just less than a hundred pesos a day.
Finally, I think our government leaders who continue to criticize Senator Roxas and say that he did something which is not fit for an honorable Senator should first look at themselves before saying these things. For me, the greatest dishonor that our government leaders have done is not shouting expletives during a rally; it is that many of them, especially the cohorts of this present administration, continue to have the gall to corrupt millions and even billions of pesos from our country despite the fact that millions of our fellow Filipinos continue to go hungry and live in the streets.
The issue at hand is not Senator Roxas' tirade last Friday. The issue continues to be the ineffectiveness of our government to improve the quality of life of every Filipino, most especially the poor and powerless. So, while ordinary Filipinos like you and me continue to work hard here and abroad just to put food on the table and send our children to school, our so called "honorable" leaders continue to use their positions and power to enrich themselves. That I think is what we can call un-statesmanlike and certainly, dishonorable.
Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government.
by Harvey Keh
EVERY time I ask my friends about whom they will vote for in the coming 2010 Presidential Elections, I usually receive two different answers. The first answer is, "May magaganap bang election? Mukhang ayaw talagang bumaba ni Gloria eh (Will there be elections in 2010? I don't think the President wants to step down)."
The other answer is, "Wala pa akong mapili sa mga gustong tumakbo, kasi mukhang pare-pareho lang naman silang lahat eh (With the current crop of Presidentiables, I can't seem to choose any one of them since all of them seem to be the same)."
It is therefore not surprising when former Bulacan Governor Josie Mendoza-Dela Cruz informed us yesterday at a forum hosted by the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung that there are still more than 40 percent of Filipinos who continue to be undecided on whom to support for the coming Presidential elections.
If the trend continues and we will have 5 or more Presidential candidates, just getting a majority of the 40 percent of these undecided voters will give a candidate a fighting chance of winning the elections. More likely these undecided 40 percent is looking for a reform and alternative candidate given that many of them feel that there is no one among the current crop of Presidentiables, which will effectively address the main social problems of the country particularly food security, housing, education and health.
Aside from these undecided voters, one of the other gamechangers in the upcoming 2010 National Elections aside from the large number of young voters is the growing number of Filipinos who are either living or working overseas.
Estimates have shown that by 2009, a year before our elections, the number of Overseas Filipinos will be around 8.5 million given that more than 3,000 Filipinos continue to leave our country each day.
These overseas Filipinos, most of which work in progressive and first world countries, such as the United States of America, Singapore, Italy, Japan, Australia and Canada, have seen how governments of these countries have been able to function effectively towards providing opportunities and a better quality of life for most of its citizens.
More importantly, because of their experience living and working in these countries, many of them would aspire towards also seeing the Philippines move out of its current state of rampant poverty and underdevelopment.
Like I said in one of my previous articles, if only 20 percent of these overseas Filipinos become active volunteers and contributors in electing a reform-minded, effective and ethical Presidential candidate, then I believe that we do not have to always settle for the lesser evil among those that we have right now.
With the absentee voting law now in effect, overseas Filipinos now have an opportunity to make their voices heard but it doesn't end with just voting, with the new wealth generated by Filipinos working overseas, they can actually contribute small amounts to a candidate that they feel would represent the real needs of the Filipino people.
We all know for a fact that Philippine elections cannot be won without the right amount of financial resources and many of these good candidates by virtue of them being honest leaders do not have the amount of resources needed to run an effective campaign.
Aside from this, they can also influence their families in the Philippines to vote for this candidate especially since they are most likely the main breadwinner of their families.
Next year will be critical since we will be a year away from choosing our next leader, it would be interesting to see if there will be a reform or alternative candidate in the Philippines that will generate the same excitement and passion as U.S. President-elect Barack Obama did for his own country.
We saw it happen already in Pampanga through Gov. Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio's victory against well-entrenched politicians and also in Isabela through Gov. Grace Padaca's defying of all political odds to beat a half century old political dynasty not only once but twice! Can we make it happen for our whole country? If you ask me, I believe so.
Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com .
Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government. He is also one of the convenors of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership.
By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net
WITH the 2010 elections not so far ahead, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has initiated the registration of millions of voters.
Apparently, not all Filipinos eligible to vote are familiar with the registration process. In light of this, we went to several Comelec offices in Metro Manila to find out the registration process.
Even before you get to the Comelec offices to register, you need to remember the following:
You should bring an acceptable identification card that shows name and address. It can be any of the following: postal ID, student ID, National Bureau of Investigation ID, passport, Tax Identification Numer ID, Social Security System ID, office ID, senior citizen ID.
Rosalinda Radin, Manila Unit Comelec Coordinator, stressed that as long as the ID provides the holder’s address and name, it would be accepted as proof of your identity.
Six months of residency in a certain place is required to become a qualified voter, Radin said.
When you proceed to office of the Comelec, you will have to state your name before the election officer assistant or an official assigned to interview you.
The interview will find out if you’re not registered in any other locality. They usually check this against the National Listing of Registered Voter (NLRV), especially if you are a new voter. If there are no conflicts, you will be given a white form to fill up.
Comelec uses color-coded forms. A yellow form is given to those requiring reactivation of their registration as voter. This usually applies to those who have failed to vote for two consecutive regular elections. A blue form is given to those who require correction of entries like a change in their marital status. Finally, there is a green form for transferees or people moving from one area to another area to vote.
These forms come in three copies. One will be given to the election officer, another kept as a copy of provincial (in the case of NCR, it will be given to the office of the director) office and another to the national central file in main office of Comelec in Intramuros, Manila.
After filling in the necessary information, you will be asked to sign a log book as proof that you have registered. Then you proceed to the capture biometric information. This procedure requires the taking of photograph, fingerprints and signature electronically.
Once you’ve completed the above procedures, you will be given a small portion of the form you have filled out as copy. You can leave the office with the thought that you’re now an eligible voter.
According to Radin, a person’s registration can be challenged by election officials. But when the registration is over, the list of the names are later posted on a bulletin board.
The continuing registration of voters has begun on December 2, 2008 and would last until December 15, 2009.
By Harvey Keh
One of the major issues that has hounded the present Arroyo administration is its lack of transparency and accountability in the way it conducts its dealings as evidenced by the numerous scandals that has been left unresolved such as the Hello Garci Scandal, the Fertilizer Scam, the corruption-laden NBN-ZTE Deal and North Rail Project and more recently, the Euro Generals Scam that has brought shame to our country in the international community.
Last week, the House of Representatives particularly the Justice Committee formally trashed the impeachment complaint lodged against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and by doing so this again dealt a big blow to the millions of Filipinos here and abroad who continue to seek truth and accountability in our government.
As many of us know, impeaching the President doesn't necessarily mean that she is already guilty of the crimes that were being thrown at her but it simply means that there is enough basis for her to be subject to trial by the Senate.
If the eyewitness testimonies of Jun Lozada and Joey De Venecia are not enough evidence that there is probable cause for her involvement in these shady dealings then I don't know what is. I have always stated in my conversations with my friends that it may be good for the President to stand trial since this will finally put closure on the many issues that continue to plague her government but as things stand right now, an impeachment is far-fetched given that majority of our congressmen continue to be at the beck and call of this administration.
Now that the impeachment against the President has been laid to rest, her allies in the House of Representatives are now working towards pushing for Charter Change (Cha-Cha) despite the fact that according to the recent SWS Survey, majority of Filipinos do not want Cha-Cha.
Worse, these congressmen are even trying to railroad the process by trying to deceive the public by saying that the 2/3-vote needed to amend the charter should not be the House of Representatives and the Senate voting separately but it should be together. Thus, if this is the case, then our so-called honorable congressmen would only need 192 votes combined to be able to muster the needed 2/3 and begin the process to amend the present constitution.
Of course we all know that this is the wrong interpretation given the fact that even for ordinary laws that need to be enacted, the House of Representatives and the Senate have to even vote separately. What more for the highest laws of the land which is the Philippine Constitution.
If the Supreme Court decides to vote in favor of these congressmen then this will compromise the integrity of the highest court in our country and may eventually lead into chaos given that some adventurous military may want to take matters into their own hands already.
In the end, it wouldn't take someone with a Doctorate in Political Science to know that the main aim for Cha-Cha is to postpone the upcoming 2010 National Elections and for President Arroyo to continue to govern even after 2010.
However, the President and her allies must think millions of times before trying its best to push for Cha-Cha before the 2010 elections because this may eventually work towards uniting all Filipinos again and lead to a tipping point that may eventually find her out of power and like her immediate predecessor, in jail.
Harvey S. Keh is Director of Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government
