I PRAISE Chairman [Banjamin] Abalos and the rest of the Comelec [Commission on Elections] for doing a good job last May election/

If massive cheating occured, then why are a majority of the GO candidates marching their way to the Senate? Why did Mike Defensor, the most loyal Cabinet member of this administration, not make it to the Final 12? Why did Lilia Pineda, a known close friend of the President, fail to sit in the Capitol of Pampanga?

Let us give where credit is due. We are all tired of loudmouths and baseless accusations that never cease to pull the country down. By the way, I like the way Chairman Abalos pronounced “senator” in proclaiming the newly elected lawmakers.

[PANFILO] LACSON wants to head the Senate blue-ribbon committee.

“I want to advance my advocacy of accountability among public officials. If only for it, I want to chair the blue-ribbon committee. But I won’t beg for it nor exchange my vote to get that committee,” he said, referring to his vote for Senate president.

Since majority of the Senate is now GO [Genuine Opposition] and they are serious about their anti-corruption drive and putting corrupt public officials in jail, will they prosecute Erap? Or will they go only for administration candidates and their allies?

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.”

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FROM TIME to time I would usually hear either from the administration or the opposition about their political bickering and how one is better than the other. However, I’ve been observing lately how politics is actually practiced in our country, and let me emphasize that this is from a college student point-of-view.

I am studying at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas taking up Political Science and I believe one of the precursors for you to be a student of politics is for you to love politics. That is why, let me share my opinion about Philippine politics.

When the Arroyo administration previously called for a change in the Constitution through constitutional assembly, it eventually failed. Next here came Lambino et al who started this people’s initiative; eventually it failed also. Later on, the administration then called for a constitutional convention but eventually election time came.

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ALL right. The Comelec has yet to proclaim the winners yet — largely due to the interference of TEAM Unity — but I think it’s safe to say that Genuine Opposition candidates are going to get most of the 12 seats up for grabs in the Senate. 7-3-2 (GO-TU-independent) the last time I checked.

Now what?

I don’t know.

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