May 14 posts (late)

As The Country Awaits

As the country now waits for the new set of senators and local leaders, certain issues started to surface once more, and still, it hungers for something that is always left behind: answers.

Answers to what? People nowadays are really weary in choosing leaders to lead them to what they desire. And in the case of national and local leaders, the people are looking for “qualified” leaders to govern them to their hopes and dreams of a better society, or a better life. I cannot blame people to be idealistic; it’s their right to hope for those kinds of things. What is wrong with hoping for a better life, anyway? Even I hope for a better situation in our country, which is starting to be seen as crumbling to the ground.

One may ask: what makes “leaders” qualified? For this, relativity of answers is obvious. People of all walks of life; depending on their lifestyle, environment and certain other factors, have a certain notion of what makes a leader as such. For the pragmatics (as I call them), those who can provide for them what they want and need, are the true leaders of the country. For the general idealists, those who promise better lives are the true leaders. Still, for the others, difference in thoughts and ideas help them derive the suitable leader for them.

Yet…we cannot deny the fact of existence of another group who belongs to the society during these times: those who do not care. I’m pretty sad to admit that there those who gave up hoping for the country. There exists a collection of people who care more about their own personal lives and left the others to decide for the fate of the country. I am not judging them…their actions speak for themselves.

Still, my hopes are up. But my grip of reality stays…

Doing My Part

Since I wasn’t able to have myself registered as a voter in the elections a few years back, I made sure that my voice (or my will) will be counted in last Monday’s election. I registered last December with Joan, and to date, I am the only one in the family registered here in Parañaque (since my parents and two older sibling were registered in Muntinlupa).

I wished to do something more, and I decided to do so. How? I joined the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) of our parish. I registered, with Joan once more, to be pollwatchers.

The day came for the elections and we watched our assigned precincts religiously. It wasn’t thrilling. I have to admit, I was somehow bored of the proceeding that we went through the whole day. We started at 7 in the morning and left at around 9 in the evening. I was saddened by the fact that there are still a percentage of people who were not able to vote on that day. In the two voting precincts that I watched that day, one held 101/165 (those who vote over to those who did not); and the other only had 109/195. I dare not make any assumptions on why they were not able to vote; I just hope it’s not because they lost hope already, which led them to be lazy to even vote.

But, if I may, could I ask?

Does our vote really count?