There can be a tragedy in winning an election and a salvation for the losers. Perhaps the Lord wanted to spare Vice President Leni, Pacman, Isko, and Ping from the heavy burdens of leading a nation with a ?13.7 trillion national debt, 40% poverty incidence, 20% unemployment and more than 20 million homeless, jobless, and hopeless Filipinos.
Leni is in the US with her daughters, Pacman is resting in his Forbes mansion, Isko and Ping enjoy the comforts of their Ayala Alabang mansions. Many election losers have millions contributed by Chinese taipans that are unspent. They are not required to return them to the donors. All they need to do is to file a statement on donations and expenses with the Commission on Elections. And the Bureau of Internal Revenue requires them to pay taxes on that income. But no one is taking taxation seriously now since the courts decided that not paying taxes is not a crime involving moral turpitude. The poor who voted for the presumptive president have no food to eat. The winners are allegedly savoring their victory in Amanpulo, the paradise of the rich and famous. Then they supposedly will be seeing Broadway in Singapore.
The incoming officials have been reported to have promised ?20 per kilo of rice, a share of the gold, and a paradise of unity built on windmills in his dreams. Let's see how these promises will solve those mountains of woes.
How will senators Robin Padilla and Raffy Tulfo help legislate to alleviate the poverty of the people? They should perhaps consult their more senior colleagues, senators Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada and JV Ejercito. How will Senator Mark Villar fulfil his promise to give year-round jobs to the working class? Where shall he get money to fund more “Build, build, build”? By “Borrow, borrow, borrow?” His fellow senator and mother Cynthia should know the answer.
It is reported that if senators Cynthia Villar, Loren Legarda, Win Gatchalian, and Migz Zubiri cannot agree among themselves who shall be the senate president, then the beauty and brains, and the brightest child of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Senator Imee is ready to become senate president, the number three top official of the land. And once congressman Martin Romualdez, first-degree cousin of the presumptive president takes over the leadership of the House, then this country will be virtually under the Marcos monopoly. Who knows that is good for the country too, according to Professor Clarita Carlos of UP, the presumptive secretary of foreign affairs.
The next six years will be very difficult for our country. The poverty of the Filipinos is becoming worse. There is no food security. There is no assurance against runaway oil prices. Minimum wages can never catch up with the cost of living. The threats of China invasion ala Russian invasion of Ukraine is hanging in the air. The communist insurgency, crime, corruption, and drugs are still very much around. Now, how will the incoming administration solve all these problems? We will see a group of officials who think they can just make a call and presto, a problem is solved. This is the style of a TV bully I know who used to terrorize humble career civil servants based on one-sided, self-serving complaint of many people.
Meanwhile, Senator Frank Drilon will enjoy his retirement. Tito Sotto can go back to Eat Bulaga and earn millions each day, much higher than being senate president. Dick Gordon has the Red Cross waiting. Jojo Binay has billions to enjoy. Trillanes is doing well as an Ateneo professor. Leila de Lima may be released and the International Court of Justice may elect her to the post vacated by a senator. The losers are really winners.
The true losers are the poor Filipinos who still believe in fairy tales, that there is a gold pot under a windmill, placed there perhaps by Yamashita or Picasso.