Filipinos still do not know how to choose good senators

Filipinos are still politically immature, clueless, and ignoramuses (pardon the irreverence), when it comes to choosing political leaders. I beg the forgiveness of Filipinos who participated in the latest Pulse Asia survey, where they persisted in choosing movie and showbiz personalities, as well as old and proven trapos from political clans and dynasties that are the root cause of the endemic poverty of millions of our countrymen.

Gone are the golden years of the Senate with such titans like Tañada, Diokno, Laurel, Salonga, Tolentino, Rodrigo, Pecson, Tecla, Ziga, Katigbak, Kalaw, Benitez, Antonino, Razul, Shahani and, the greatest of them all, Miriam Defensor Santiago.

The choice of Grace Poe as topnotcher with 99% awareness and 75% preference is the most indubitable evidence that voters are clueless, reckless, and uncaring when they select legislators. This is not a FAMAS award and Poe's record in the Senate is all political posturing, trying to imitate the pro-poor image of Fernando Poe and his “probinsyano” antics using “argumentum ad populum” to win votes.

This is followed by Lito Lapid who has not done anything solid in the Senate, just like his predecessors Robert Jaworski, Freddie Webb, Eddie Ilarde, Ramon Revilla Sr., and others. Bong Revilla got ninth place. Wasn’t he just acquitted for plunder but ordered by the Sandiganbayan to return millions?

Jinggoy, who won a temporary release (not acquittal) from detention, and his estranged brother JV Ejercito, who was acquitted of another graft charge, are number 11 and 14, respectively, in the survey. What have the Estradas done in government to merit such fanatical adulation of unthinking survey recipients?

Such great candidates like lawyers Allan Montano and Sonny Matula who have served millions of workers are in the bottom of the survey. Are the surveyed voters really using their brains? Such great bets like Raffy Alunan, Erin Tañada, Diokno, and Florin Hilbay are nowhere to be found. Popularity does not mean being qualified. Voters aren’t exercising due diligence in choosing legislators.

The only saving grace of that survey is that our Cebu favorite Serge Osmeña III is within the winning circle. He is honest, competent and dedicated, albeit he has some explaining to do on the submission of election spending reports in his last failed Senate bid. I also concede that Cynthia Villar is a good second placer.

Although a billionaire, she has demonstrated her heart for the poor by her advocacy for livelihood and on agri and aqua development. I also like Sonny Angara because he is level-headed, honest, and hard-working. He might become even better than his late father. But I reject Pia Cayetano, (the Cayetanos are making Taguig their virtual family corporation) Nancy Binay, Imee Marcos, Mar Roxas, Bam Aquino, all members of political dynasties that have brought too much pain to the people, and most especially Enrile (who can hardly walk but insists on running).

I really don't believe “vox populi, vox dei” (the voice of the people is the voice of God). God wouldn’t choose nincompoops, scalawags, and rascals, much less appoint them to rule the nation with their hidden agendas and selfish interests. We have enough non-performing assets in the Senate. Let us bring back the Rectos, the Dioknos, and the Tañadas in the Senate, and save this nation from being the laughing stock in Asia and the world.