Ke sa Manila or sa mga probinsya man, pyestang pyesta ang dating talaga!!
Daming jeepney, tricycle, pedicab at kariton ng drum drum na tubig from the gripo or poso man na nilalako sa bahay bahay ng mga barangay na may water shortage, ang kinabitan na ng mga cassette player (or cd player na nabili sa 2nd hand tindahan kung medyo maalwan ang pondo ng kandidato) na ang tanging trabaho ay magplayback ng mga musical jingle ng local candidates as they ply their trade along the iskinitas and kalyehons of the barangay. Walang copy- copyright or license from composers jan,aba, ala yan sa Pinas- basta sasalitan na lang nila ang mga popular songs ng kani kanilang campaign songs, iri record sa tape or cd, at hayan, labas na sa kalye at patugtugin. Kukuliliin ang tenga ng mga kapitbahay sa mga tugtog tulad ng walang kamatayang ‘Nobody, nobody but You’, ‘Ako si Mr. Swabe’, at ibang awitin din ni Willy Revillame.
Colorful is what best describes local campaigns. Candidates who are already sikat likewise add glitter to the event. In Quezon City where I reside, there are a number of movie stars that are ambitioning to be public officials- Herbert Bautista for Vice Mayor, Ara Mina and Aiko Melendez for councilor, Comedians Arnel Ignacio and Ogie Diaz are also into the fray. Kasali pa rin si singer Rico Puno sa eleksyon sa Makati City. The handsome actor from Tondo, former garbage scavenger and That’s Entertainment (of German Moreno) glamour boy Isko Moreno will again try for the vice- mayorship of Manila, one that he is occupying now. Ate Vi ( Santos) will defend her governor post in Batangas. Lito Lapid appears to be in the magic 12 in the surveys for senators. Fellow action star Rey Malonzo goes one step down as he seeks the vice- mayorship of Caloocan City. He was once the Mayor there. Bereaved Cesar Montano whose eldest son died just a few days ago is seeking the governorship of Bohol province. The most colorful for this election season perhaps is the entry of Mrs. Imelda Marcos, now 80 years old and gunning for the congressional seat that her husband Ferdinand once occupied in Ilocos. The former ‘mader’ of the country now wants to be the ‘ grandmadir’ of this nation.
It pays din naman talaga if a candidate has a monicker or isang tawag na pagkakakilanlanan na maaalala ng masa. So, sa mga jingles at posters andun yung ‘Bistek’ ni Herbert, ‘Manong Johny’ ni Enrile, ‘Mr. Palengke’ ni Mar, etc, etc.
The designated start of campaign for local candidates reeled off in the last week of April and hatinggabi pa lang ng April 25 ay pabilisan na sa pagkuha ng kani kanilang pwesto para sa posters na ikakabit for their kandidatos. Di na naman siguro masisilayan sa loob ng isang buwan at labinlimang araw ang kalangitan sa dami ng campaign posters na iwawagayway sa mga post eng meralco, mga puno (oy, bawal yan!), tall buildings at Meralco, PLDT, at kung anu ano pang wires and cables na nakalaylay sa mga lansangan. Pagdungaw ko pa nga lamang, ayan na at nakawagayway ang posters nina Mike Defensor, Joy Belmonte, Superman Suntay and Mr. Swabe Mar Roxas sa mga poste sa paligid ng aking haus.All these despite the Comelec ruling of putting posters just in one common area of the city or town. Totoo ito ha, sa Dagupan City, nagpambuno na ang dalawang grupo dahil lang sa agawan ng pwesto para sa poster!!!! Itong grupo daw ng nagkakabit ng posters ni Manay Gina de Venecia sa Dagupan ay nagmimeryenda lang matapos magdididikit ng posters nang mamataan nila ang isang grupo na tinatapalan naman ng panibagong poster ng kanila namang sariling kandidato ang una ng dinikitan nila. Magkaka ayusan na daw sana pero nagkainitan ulit kaya hayan, sila ay nsilayan ng maraming bahagi ng mundo via TFC! Walang kapit- kapitbahay, kai- kaibigan, kamag- anakan o kapamilya man when it comes to supporting local bets for the 2010 local elections para sa marami nating kababayan.
This propensity of many of our countrymen to ‘die’ for their candidates has bothered peacekeep- ing authorities for many past elections.
Comelec has identified election‘hotspots’- where the fight is much fiercer.The Philippine National Police , in its report to Comelec said over 30% of the nation’s cities and municipalities are election hotspots. These areas were further ranked according to the number of election-related violence occurring.Number 1 in the list is theAutonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where all its 118 cities and municipalities have already had reports of such cases.. This is seconded by MetroManila.
PNP reports that there is an estimated 112 private armies nationwide today. The mighty show of power through these private armies would, I am sure, make many voters from the rural areas cower in fear. But there will always by those who will not compromise their votes. I am just too afraid of the consequences.
PNP has also listed among the hotspots those places where the New People’s Army operate as the election is one opportunity where they can conduct fund- raising activities-many candidates in these areas have complained of extortion by the NPA for a pass to conduct their campaigns there.
PNP and the rest of the military are now gearing to strengthen operations in these areas. It is my hope that this elections will be the least bloody and cheat- free in Philippine history.
E, Mabaling naman tayo sa party- list campaign. Former Concon rep Christian Monsod and the rest of the proponents and authors of the party- list provisions- inclusion in the Philippine Constitution must be so disappointed with whatis happening in thjis 2010 elections. Pano naman e they had very noble intentions nang ipaglaban magkaron ng probisyon para sa mga ‘marginalized’ groups sa mga eleksyong tulad ngayon. Di kasi nila makakayanan ang gastos sa kampanya. Ang probisyong ito ay patungkol sa maliliit na tao sa pagkakaroon nila ng pantay na boses sa Kongreso.
TINGNAN nyo naman ang nangyayari ngayon, o- Nagsulputan bigla at naaprub naman ng Comelec ang kadaming party- list groups representing kung anu- anong kagrupuhan na sa tingin ng marami ay di naman dapat maripresent dahil they should be fine as part of the majority voters of this country. It is also suspected that the mushrooming of these groups is part of the grand plan to control majority of Congress seats after the elections. For the ends of a special group daw. Parang tumitibay din ang aking paniniwala. Pano ba naman, nagresign na si former Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes kasi, he was nominated to be the candidate of the partylist group called 1- UTAK, grupo daw ng transportation- that will include I suppose, the jeepney, bus, bapor, barko (di ko tyak kung kasali ang pedicab e transpo din yun, di ba?). Magiging congressman si Mr. Reyes kung saka sakali pero I don’t think he is a true rep of that sector, e. Sensya na kayo, parang nagdudunung- dunungan ako.
O, eto pa, ito naman son ni Pres. Arroyo, rep din daw ng grupo naman ng mga security guards na kasali din sa party- list accredited groups. Magiging congressman din kapag nahalal through the party- list. Pakunswelo daw yata sa kanya cos he gave up his ambition for a congressional seat in favor of his mother, the President who will now run (and sure to win) for that congressional slot in Lubao and nearby towns in Pampanga.
Katawa- tawa ba? Hindi ako mangiti. Umaasim ang aking mukha. Itong mga ka neighborhood ko, maasim din ang ngiti. Ayaw daw nila kasing mababoy pang lalo ang ating bayan. Kayang- kaya talaga magpalusot ng mga nasa power, ano? Galing- galing nila!
Till next issue, dear readers! The election is nearing. Isama sana nyo sa inyong dasal ang bayan natin.
Buong Pasasalamat sa inyong lahat!
Greetings: Hello to ConGen Minnie Falcon! Natagpuan din kita. Hoping you will get in touch. Magkasama po kami nu ng aming kabataan in Kuala Lumpur nang ako’y mautusang magproduce ng Philippine portion of the ASEAN Music Festival at si ConGen naman ang ASEAN- Philippine official who led us. Happy Bday to my son, Christian Joseph who turned 2 years old in March 31.