This is the ninth in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do something, within their own means and power, to make it a better place.

Here is an issue almost everyone can get their arms around, or more likely stick their oar into.  I must be one of the most apolitical Americans I know … very boring to many of my friends, because I am not a Republican nor Democrat, and I certainly refuse to be categorized as Liberal or Conservative.  I am at any given time in any or all of those political “quadrants”.  I personally feel politics is much too hyped up in my own USA, it seldom makes much difference which opportunist is in office as far as the actual way the country runs, but my goodness it certainly gives otherwise bored folks something to virtually (or even actually) froth at the mouth about for a few years until the next band of charlatans hoves into view.  Here in the Philippines, politics is way, way different

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During elections, do your solemn duty.

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No matter what sort of political discussions I’ve had with fellow Americans involving US politics, I have almost never found a debater who didn’t have a champion.  Suppose I were discussing today’s US political news.  Even if my fellow debater were vehemently anti-Obama (just for conversations’ sake), s/he would be highly unlikely not to follow-up perceived problems with the Obama administration with positive statements about who “should” have been in there instead, or who they were going to support, perhaps with every fiber of their being, in the very next election.  In other words, even the strongest opponents typically have a better solution to offer.

In the Philippines, (at least to an outsider) it almost never works like this.  There are a plethora of political parties and the mix of parties virtually changes overnight.  As the next presidential election here looms closer, I see more and more news every day about ‘this’ party merging with ‘that’ party, another party changing support in mid stream, and so on.

To the foreigner and even to Filipinos which this foreigner has discussed politics with, it’s virtually a complete mystery as well as to what any party ‘stands for’.  Indeed it seems that few of them stand ‘for’ anything.  There is an general tendency to support the current administration, or a pronounced “ant-administration” slant, and that’s about it

But there is absolutely no lack of support and opinion based on personality.  The news media hangs on every word of former presidents, and these notables are hardly shy about going on TV given every opportunity and instructing party faithful (assuming their party even exists any more) about what to do in the next election.  Another former president, convicted of national plunder, a capital crime is now pardoned and retains great popularity.  His qualifications, aside from being a poor imitation of the sort of plunderer former president/dictator Marcos was, is that he had along career in the movies playing the fellow who fights for the underdog.  From what I see, there’s nothing that will stop him from running and even being re-elected … his popular support and political skills are far superior to many I see.

Enough of the foreigner commentary.  What do I know, anyway>  I’m not a Filipino and I am only a guest here.  My point id this:

Read these words and think long and hard about the author’s words.  When the time comes to go to the polls, whether it be a local barangay captain or the president of the nation, do not act in haste and do not be influenced by peripheral personality traits, the color of the candidate’s shirt, or old family names.  Be for someone or something, not just against … there are more than enough “agin-ers” already. The future of the country … your country … is in your hands.  make a choice that befits the solemnity and importance of the situation.

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