The choices we face

A lot of people are not voting on May 13. They feel the choices before them in this particular election are not worth enduring the usual chaos of missing names and lost precincts, not to mention the long interminable lines in tropical summer heat.

Moreover, they have not been truly convinced the votes they reluctantly cast will go to the candidate they reluctantly vote for. Better not take part in a process the results of which will only torment them later.

This is, of course, a defeatist attitude that can produce nothing but negative results. For one, not all candidates are as unqualified as widely perceived. Some are in fact very worthy choices, with track records that have been proven time and again.

For another, taking no part in the process leaves the matter of choice in the hands of other people who might even be worse than the candidates they vote for. Whatever the outcome of the election forms part of each person's destiny -- hardly a matter to leave to anyone else.

This is not to say I do not understand the frustration and dismay that drives a growing number of people from participating in the coming electoral exercise. The presence of a few exceptions notwithstanding, the overwhelming poor quality of choices is indeed disheartening.

But then again, it is difficult to put the blame entirely on the candidates, some of whom are running with no other qualification -- if it can even be called that -- than that they happen to be the son, daughter or cousin of this or that movie star, personality or politician.

They are the ones running not only because this is a free country and that they are free to do so but also because, and more importantly so, many of those who are highly qualified and who could be the great leaders this country needs are not running.

The great taipans of business and industry who have proven their genius and mettle in the great corporate proving grounds of the world do not seem to have the stomach to transfer their expertise to public governance.

And who can blame them? These people are shaped by professionalism and discipline and thrive on challenges that require and demand the exercise of intelligence and character. They will go nuts taking a swim in the murky pond of Philippine politics.

The leading lights of the professions and the academe are similarly wary. They who lead well-organized and predictable lives cannot be expected to exchange all that for the topsy-turvy world of Philippine politics.

So it takes just a certain type to fit the mold from which are cast and drawn the choices from whom we elect the leaders of our country. And if the choices do not excite and inspire, it is unfair to blame them entirely. It is not their fault that they are the only ones running.

It would have made for pretty exciting times to see how things would turn out for the

Philippines if the Henry Sys, the John Gokongweis, the Socorro Ramoses and all the others who built their empires from near scratch applied themselves to national governance.

But for reasons that are clear to everybody, that is not going to happen. We are not going to see the truly great men and women of our time get swallowed up by some nonsense that is not even of their own doing. And thus we have the choices we face.

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The Mandaue City Fiesta 2013 Entertainment Committee, in cooperation with Les Pionniers, is presenting a showband competition called “Bandstravaganza” at the Mandaue City Heritage Plaza on Saturday, April 27, at 8 p.m.

Deadline for the submission of entries for the showband competition is at 5 p.m. this Friday, April 19, at the Mandaue City Tourism Office, 2nd Floor, Land Bank of the Philippines Bldg. For more information, please contact Rodrigo “Butchok” Bering at 3439091 or 3439092.