Philippine election is just
around the corner and in a matter of few days we will have a new president.
Never in my life that I have been this vocal on whom I will support for the
presidency. This election is different for me maybe because I am already in my
mid-life and I consider the remaining years of my life in this beloved country
so precious that I do not want a lousy government to ruin it in the next six
years. The Aquino administration did a great job stirring this country in its
current economic status but in my opinion, half of the good harvest that this
administration is currently enjoying is also a product of the economic reforms
that the Arroyo administration imposed during her term. Some of those reforms
like the imposition of new taxes are actually keeping our government's coffers
very healthy. This on the other hand helped boost our credit rating, making our
country attractive to creditors and ensures our interest rates from our
borrowings very low. As a result, businesses are booming as they take advantage
of the cheap cost of credit which they are using to fuel their expansions.
Banks are also spreading the low interest rates by making it very accessible to
their retail consumers in a form of personal loans, housing loans, and auto
loans. No wonder you see constructions of high-rise condominiums here and there
and lots of new cars on the road. I also believe that employment is booming.
Because of the extra cash of the Aquino government, more roads, bridges, and
other infrastructure are being built throughout the country. Construction
workers are happy now a days because of this. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program or 4Ps is another way the Aquino administration is spending their extra
cash. This program provides certain cash value plus social services to the
poorest household throughout the country on a monthly basis. Though this
program has many loop holes as claimed by others, the government has already
spent more than Ph 27 Billion as of August 2015.
Believe it or not, our economic
standing is so far one of the best not only in the world but also in our
Philippine history. The numbers will prove it and numbers do not lie. But I
cannot argue with those who do not believe in our economic success. In fact, I
agree with them in some ways. For instance, how can you feel economic growth if
you are a victim of the horrible Metro Manila traffic every day. You may have
food on the table, you might have extra savings on the side, but how can you
enjoy those things if you have no time to enjoy your food with your family or
you are too tired to spend your extra money. The situation in MRT and LRT, the
long lines outside the terminal and the bo-boos of their trains on a regular
basis, is that what you call economic growth? How about our airport congestion,
the tanim-bala program of our NAIA airport personnel? Is that what you call
matuwid na daan? And how about the daily crimes that is flooding my Facebok and
Twitter feeds every day? Is this government really solving it?
Economic growth should make our
lives comfortable. Yes, we may have extra cash in our pockets but how can you
have a comfortable life if your energy is being eaten by the daily 3-6 hours of
traffic ordeal and how can you say that you have a comfortable life if you are
scared to leave (or stay in) your house alone. How can you say that there is
progress if you see social injustice every day? This is the reason why most
Filipinos do not believe in the economic numbers of President Aquino. This is
also the reason why Mar Roxas, the chosen presidential candidate of the Aquino
administration, despite his credentials and experience as a public servant is
not a favorite presidential candidate according to the surveys. The
frustrations of the Filipinos who voted for Noynoy Aquino are hitting back on
Mar Roxas. Poor Mar. He can be a good president though.
The frustration of the Filipinos
with this current government are being used by other presidential aspirants to
zoom up their ratings. Jojo Binay was the first to ride on these issues and he
was an early favorite in the surveys. But his attacks in this administration
back-fired on him when his corruption activities while he was still a mayor in
the financial district of Makati went viral. Now, his popularity is going down the
drain. So long Mr. Binay.
After Binay, was Grace Poe, the
adopted daughter of a famous action star - Fernando Poe Jr. who by the way also
ran for President but died later on after his heartbreaking lost with the
former president Arroyo. Grace Poe was also an early favorite but she was
initially disqualified because of her citizenship issue. She left the
Philippines and then she became an American citizen. For whatever reason, she
came back to the Philippines, held a government position and then she renounced
her American citizenship (though it is still not clear which came first, her
holding a public office or her renouncement her American citizenship). Her
being a "natural-born Filipino" is also being questioned. The
Philippine Constitution clearly states that any individual running for
president should be a "natural-born Filipino". Mrs. Poe, a
"foundling" is one indication that she might not be a natural-born.
Unfair it may seem, but law practitioners consider a foundling who cannot
identify the nationality of their real parents, are not considered natural-born
Filipino, that's the law period. But wait! The Supreme Court of the Philippines
reinterpret the Philippine Constitution and allowed Mrs. Poe to run for
president. This was the turning point for Mayor Duterte. After declaring many
times that he will not run for president, he finally blew his top when he heard
the news about the decision of the Supreme Court. He said that he will not
allow an American (referring to Mrs. Poe) to be the next president of the
Philippines. And there goes Mayor Duterte. He is everywhere, and Filipinos love
him even if he say "putangina" in an audience with children, he
simply does not care. In fact he even cursed the Pope. He is proud killer of
criminals because according to him there is a law that allows killing of
criminals in certain situations (really?). He jokes about rape despite the
admission of his daughter that she was once a victim of rape, poor girl. Where
was his dad when that happened? His rape joke towards an Australian-national
who was raped and killed in Davao was very funny in fact all of his audience
that time was laughing. When that video of him delivering that joke went viral,
his supporters violently defended him. Scary. And after that rape joke, his
rating shoot up even more. That's very scary!
And lastly, there is Miriam
Defensor-Santiago, the most educated, wise, and dignified among all the
Presidentiables. At the back of our minds, she is the most worthy of our vote.
Unfortunately, she is down with cancer. I am not sure if she is healthy enough
to become our next president. Even if she is healthy, she is the likes of Doy
Laurel, Gilbert Teodoro, Jovito Salonga, Dick Gordon, and Mar Roxas, who are
qualified to become a president but the masang-Pilipino's unmellowed
philosophies will find them unattractive to be their president.
One presidentialble is promising
change. We do not need a new president to change. Change should start from us.
Vote wisely.
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