Elections, Philippine Style

Dawning of a New Day

Last night, I did not know what to expect.

My mind was filled with doomsday scenarios.  After all, it is election time in present day Philippines.  It is the first automated voting in the country, which was precipitated by calls for manual counting – the PCOS (precinct count optical scan) machines from Smartmatic were conking out, the mock elections (the rehearsals) did not go as expected, the practice votes were not counted accurately – and then there was the usual election fare – mud slinging, vote buying, violence.

The election bug bit long and it bit hard, raising the temperature of the country to fever pitch.

So on “the day”, it was no surprise that everyone trooped to the polling precincts, wanting to lend voices to their sentiments.  Everyone feels it, everyone knows it – the Philippines is again on the cusp of an election that will spell their future.  So every Filipino breathed this election as if it were their last – it was make or break.

It was more peaceful than I anticipated.  Yes, the lines were long (it took me 3 hours to have a ballot in my hands), the crowds were weary, the sun was beating down on our backs making everyone break out in a sweat, but all in all, it seemed we had made some sort of progress.

After all, the election cheating veterans did not know how to cheat at an automated election.  Yes, some resorted to vote buying, others had their supporters line up to keep the lines long, there were isolated reports of killings and hecklings and some machines were reportedly destroyed, there was failure of elections in 6 precincts (as of press time) in Lanao del Sur, some voters, tired and worn out chose to go home than to stay and vote, lending cadence to fears of disenfranchisement – but most chose the path of resistance and vigilance and patience, giving this election the chance it needs to succeed.

We need this election to succeed.

Filipinos have come full circle and are now again at the beginning.   It is said that the people who have not learned their lesson are doomed to repeat it again and again and again.

A few hours into the night will tell if we indeed have learned our lessons this time.  A few years into the future will tell if we, as a people, have made the right choice.

In the meantime, let us breath the peace pipe, give this election the chance it needs to give us the leaders we deserve.  More importantly, in the midst of it all, way into the night and the days to come, let us be vigilant.  It will spell the difference between our failure and our success.

Let us please not let them steal this one from us.

Article by Issa. Art by D. Copyright 2010.
Website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
Email: issa@youwanttoberich.com

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