Tag: philippine election 2016

How the Wind Blows (Philippine Election 2016)

Philippines

DSCN1294How the Wind Blows (Philippine Election 2016)

It is now the morning of the Philippine Election day in the Philippines as I write this blog.

The Polling Centres are not yet opened and Filipinos still have some time for a last minute think who to vote for as President and Vice President of the country.

Remember!  You deserve who you elect!  It is up to you to vote for the best man or woman as it would be a six years term, that is a long time!

Think!  Do not sell your vote; do not let anyone frighten you into voting a candidate that is not your original choice.  Do not vote for a candidate just because you think he will do you a  favour.

We were in the Philippines the whole of February 2016.  We visited a lots of places and we saw placards and banners of candidates pasted in fences, walls, stores and sometimes even on trees.

From Laoag, Vigan, Nueva Ecija, Baguio, Banaue, Sarrat, Paoay and other parts of Ilocos Sur and Norte, Bongbong Marcos was obviously the preferred candidate, though he was only running for the Vice Presidency.  This is only expected as the Ilocos Region is known as the Solid North because they are still loyal to the late Ferdinand Marcos, father of Bongbong Marcos.

It was rather curious that Miriam Santiago, Bongbong so-called running mate was not plastered anywhere expect for one banner in Sarrat.  There were a few banners for Duterte.

We asked some people along the way who they would prefer to win as president. it was always Duterte that they mentioned.

We also went to Bicol and Palawan, where there were more banners of the other candidates.  Again Duterte seems to be the favourite.

We asked our driver/guide who he will be voting for in the election.  He said that he was not going to vote at all “because politicians are all the same, what is the point?”  In the end we did manage to convince him that Duterte may be the conduit for the change needed in the Government.

Duterte proved a winner everywhere but there is a catch!  The people(we spoke to) who wanted him to win can’t really vote because they have not register!!! 🙁

Remember people, to enable a change, you have to do your thing as well, be proactive.

I still smile whenever I remember what my favourite Auntie told me.  She was a campaign worker for Mar Roxas.  Being me, I put her under a minor interrogation, lol,  I asked her to sell me Mar Roxas.  She said that he will make a good president.

“But Auntie G, he was ineffectual during Typhoon Yolanda, he was all about following protocol of letting the typhoon washed out local government run the show rather than lend a helping hand himself being the right hand man of PNoy?”

My Auntie backtracked.  Suddenly reminiscence of a British political comedy sketch, she said “Mar Roxas treats his worker very well.  He serves a good buffet, I was only going for the food” 🙂

I just love my Auntie G! LOL

 

Vote For Change Tomorrow, Philippines!!!

ANNOUNCEMENTS Philippines

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As Socrates had intimated, POLITICS, is a dirty business, where honesty has no place.  Perhaps it has something to do with a politician wanting to please everybody, which of course is an impossible task.  That is where little corruptions are born and grow into huge injustices, detrimental to the people the Government deemed to protect.

Vote For Change Tomorrow, Philippines!!!

Tomorrow, Filipinos can have their say and elect whomever they wish to become President and Vice President of the Philippines.

Binay, Duterte, Poe, Roxas & Santiago

Binay, Duterte, Poe, Roxas & Santiago

They can choose from five presidentiables.

Jejomar Binay   Of all the candidates, Binay is the most professional one.  He has mastered the art of self-promotion. He gives away little goodies wrapped in plastic bags embossed with his Binay name (in case you forget who gave them).  He is forever campaigning.  He never misses a chance.

Unfortunately, Binay has a very murky history.  He expects respect and first class service duly given to his children, who are also in public service, even when it meant  bending rules and regulations.  It sounds like Binay thinks that  if you are in charge you are somehow above the law!

There were plenty of alleged corruption issues that have surfaced against himself and his family as well.

The issue that really annoyed me the most was his alleged air-conditioned piggery.  While majority of Filipinos are living below the poverty line, Binay’s pigs are living it up in the lap of luxury before they are carted to the market.

Rodrigo Duterte  I am not sure whether he is a rough diamond or just plain rough 😉

From out of nowhere, Duterte has become the front runner candidate a la Donald Trump.  This is really no surprise because of his platform.  It really touched the very core of most Filipinos wanting real change; desperate for a real change.

Duterte said that within few months of becoming a President, he will rid the Government of corruption.  He will use maximum force, which sounded like summary killing, especially to drug traffickers.  He will also eradicate the unbelievable traffic in Metro Manila.  A constant source of grief and stress to workers, students and tourists.

As much as his intentions are well and good for the promotion of good government, Duterte comes across as rather uncouth, a lecher, tactless and disrespectful.

When he was a mayor, an Australian woman who worked in Davao jail was raped and killed.

Duterte was heard bragging: “I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first.”

He also had to apologise to Pope Francis I for cussing him because Duterte was inconvenienced by traffic for five hours during the Pope’s visit to the Philippines.  There was an uproar from Roman Catholic Filipinos (You don’t want the Pope being called ‘son of a *****)  The Pope very graciously told Duterte that he need not worry about it.

Grace Poe Llamanzares  Grace Poe Llamanzares or simply Grace Poe is a neophyte.  I would hazard a guess that some of those who would vote for her are really proxy voting for her dead adoptive father, Fernando Poe, Jr, the king of Filipino movie industry.  The late Fernando Poe, Jr also ran for presidency, which he lost, but according to conspiracy theorists, the election was rigged.

It should be easy for Grace to run but her candidancy has been mired in controversy as well.  Firstly, she acquired American citizenship,  which she gave up only recently, she is also married to an American citizen.  It would not be good to have an American as the First Gentleman.

Another issue is the controversy of her birth. The rumours that Ferdinand Marcos was her real father refuses to die a natural death.

Grace has not really made a great impact yet in the senate, her Freedom of Information is still lagging in the bottom annals of ‘to do list’.

Something positive for Grace is that her name gives her justice.  She is graceful. 🙂

Mar Roxas  Is the proverbial born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He was born into a very well to do family.

Ordinary Filipinos don’t really take to him.  His empathy appears to be sadly lacking, which was made more prominent during the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) disaster.  Despite images of Filipinos suffering from the heinous effect of the calamity, shown to the world audience, where thousands lost their lives, Roxas was insisting that the point of contact was the local rather than national government as per protocol, ergo, nothing really to do with him or PNoy.

Plus point, his wife would make a pretty First Lady, although she had an alleged history of assaulting a maid. LOL

Miriam Santiago  In my book, she is the best candidate.  She is erudite, she is funny & she has a good history in the senate.  She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and she knows the nooks and crannies of the corridors of power.

The only thing that may make people to think twice about voting for her is her health.  Miriam is not a well woman.

To vote for her, you have to make damn sure to vote for the best vice- president to take over from her.

 

Tomorrow, cast your vote for the candidate that can embody your truths, your ideals and hopes.

Always remember, YOU DESERVE WHO YOU VOTE!  YOU PUT THEM THERE!

 

 

10 Commandments of Political Election Voting

Philippines
Laoag City Church

Laoag City Church, photo by PH Morton

10 Commandments of Political Election Voting

10 Commandments of Political Election Voting, Photo by PH Morton

10 Commandments of Political Election Voting, Photo by PH Morton

When we went to Laoag, we were shown this beautiful church by our tour guide.  After admiring the inside and outside of the beautiful and very old place of worship, we can’t help but notice the placard just outside of the church.

I was intrigued that I asked Peter to take a photo of it.

In the Philippines, there is not much separation between the Church and the Government, thus, the Church has a big say on some laws governing the morality and well-being of the people.

As the election for the highest office of land is imminent, the Church is there to remind people how to vote wisely.

And here is the 10 commandments how to go about choosing and electing the right people.

It is written in Ilocano, the language of the North (Northern Luzon).  Most Filipinos are multi-lingual, we can speak and understand several languages and dialects, so with my fluency in Ilocano, I will translate the above in English. 🙂

  1. Vote according to your conscience.
  2. (Oops, this one is rather baffling.  I think this is what it means) Respect the candidate chosen by someone else.
  3. Find out that your chosen candidate has a good moral character.
  4. Find out all the platforms and programmes of all the candidates and their respective political parties.
  5.  DON’T SELL YOUR VOTE.
  6. Don’t vote for those who use guns, goons and gold.
  7. Don’t vote for someone with a criminal record or someone with connection and history of graft and corruption.
  8. Don’t vote for someone because of debt of gratitude, or for candidate just because he/she is popular and a people’s person.
  9. Don’t vote for someone who is morally-challenged (prone to immorality) and with vices in his personal life.
  10. To choose your candidate, ensure that he/she is capable of bringing about the change for the better of everyone and the country.

I think the commandments are very well thought out and every Filipino should contemplate these before voting on 9 May 2016.

Vote wisely people.  Remember, you deserve the men/women you put in office!  You put them there.