I was watching a program on ABS-CBN (okay, it was a soap!
), then a commercial came on. It showed the Probe's features for that week and one was about Lanao del Sur and the coming elections so I decided to wait up for it.
After the late night news, Probe came on. The strains of the azan, the masjids, the people performing prayer, the sight of Banggolo(!) with all the streamers and posters hanging and plastered everywhere brought a wave of homesickness. Oh, I wish I could go to Mindanao even for just a short time! Anyway, back to the feature, they interviewed a bunch of people about what goes on before, during and after elections, when and where cheating starts and what measures are being done in order to control it. But one particular part of the feature that caught my attention was the bit where they showed two samples of flyers of certain candidates with money stapled onto it. Both flyers were from former re-electionists, one of which is the sister of a congresswoman (also a re-electionist) and the other, that of my UNCLE's.
GOD. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry when I saw that. But the former took the better part of me. It was embarrassing... I mean, of all flyers from the hundreds of candidates (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating here), they had to pick one of my relative's. And to think that it's not even the ARMM elections. Sheesh! But then, it's common knowledge to us that this stuff really happens. I'd be a hypocrite if I say my relatives who ran didn't do that, and I'd be calling you the same thing if you said your politician relative/s didn't.
I mean, c'mon, let's all be honest here... even if you belong to a family of politicians, if you do not have money to give to the voters, the leaders, the COMELEC, you're nothing. Like that guy said on tv (with that thick Maranao accent), "Kung wala kang pera, sino ka para iboto ko?" True, true. It's sad how we people complain over the lack of progress in our province when it is also us who elected them into those positions by eagerly selling our votes, our rights and dreams to a better Lanao.
It's so discouraging every time this happens. And to think they also use the Qur'an so the pledgee (read: the one who receives the money) will follow through with the transaction (read: vote for the candidate he has committed to vote). Tsk,tsk,tsk... Jeez. I admit I find it morbid, but what can I do? It's so rampant, it's like the plague, really.
I admit (again) that I, just like any of the younger generation born to political families, have aspirations to build a better place that we call our home. But whenever the election fever strikes, I get discouraged. It's a sad plight, but who knows, one of these days, it just might end. Inshaallah! Like they say, there's always light at the end of the tunnel.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seeing all the election posters hanging and plastered everywhere made me laugh... I wonder if Mr. Abalos has the ba**s to go to Lanao and tear down all the candidates' election paraphernalia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan... may bukol.
don't get offended here, this is my personal viewpoint...that's why it's in my blog. and besides, it's my relative's flyer that was featured, not yours.
Flyers kayo diyan!
