Nearing the election

We're down to the final stretch of campaigning as the election nears. By now, the rallies have been made, paraphernalia have been given out and speeches have been said up to its final bow. However, I am imagining also the purok leaders going to houses at night distributing envelopes with money with the image of the candidate who offered the cash. I scoff at this idea as I remembered the first time I was about to cast my vote. Several family friends who were my neighbors went to our house to give me P70; P20 from a councilor and P50 from a mayor. I took a photo of the money that amused me and let social media be the judge.

Vote buying has already become a sick culture that we cannot seem to get rid of. We cannot seem to go through an election without any vote buying. It seems like there is no trust in the candidates themselves, that they have to pay just to get the seat. Welcome to the Philippines. Even the chief of the Philippine National Police said that it is okay to accept the money but just vote for the people that you deem is right to be in position. I guess the reason why the cycle of vote buying never ends is people will still accept the money. If we learn to refuse and insult the candidate then maybe they will understand that it is not all about what they can offer in exchange for their votes --not even a few kilos of rice and canned goods. For the past elections, several groups have been telling us to not give in, to make a stand, but still here we are in 2019 and it's still the same story.

Then there are the black propaganda made by opposing parties forcing the people to believe the wrong in others. There is the endless mudslinging and rants from candidates like children screaming over a limited-edition toy. Who wore it best? Who needs it more? That and so many instances are why we can say some candidates can be so immature. They think that entertainment is the key to keep supporters on the hook as their speeches drag on into the night. But these are just promises, easier said than done.

When will we ever learn to know who the candidates are? We have failed in our part as a people to get to know the credentials and the capabilities of the hopefuls. We don't listen to debates organized by various sectors so we may know their causes. We don't research and weigh which candidates deserve our attention. We are amused by songs and jingles whose copyrights were not paid for and video ads with catchy lines. This is the time for the Filipino people to rethink what they want for the next three years in their area.

It will be exciting times as we see the political landscape change and unfold. I only wish and hope for peace.