“Do vote and encourage others to do so for those with proven track records in public service and have unblemished integrity”
WE HAVE 18 days to go before the May 12 midterm elections. That leaves us enough time to consider who we’ll vote into office for the next six years, in the case of senators, and the next three years, in the case of members of the House of Representatives and local officials at the provincial, city and municipal levels.
Our do’s and don’ts for yet another political exercise.
Do vote and encourage others to do so for those with proven track records in public service and have unblemished integrity.
Do vote for those who you think can really deliver on their promises and can offer clear proof that they have been living clean and honest lives.
Do vote for those with well-thought-out and realizable platforms of governance.
Do not vote for those coming from show business backgrounds, because they have nothing more than name recall and popularity to offer you and want to parlay their showbiz exposure and fan base to take their unearned share of the annual national budget and laugh all the way to the bank even if they have no competence at all in lawmaking or public service.
When they sit in the Senate, for instance, they’re likely to spend their time counting the lizards in the ceiling for dearth of enough information or knowledge of issues of transcendental importance to the nation and the future of our country.
And not to forget that when they open their mouths, they’re likely to subtract rather than add to the sum of human knowledge.
Avoid members of political dynasties whether of the “fat” (many members) or “thin” (just a few, for now) varieties.
They want to make political office a business proposition, and to benefit from it by any means necessary.
They spit on the 1987 Constitution that clearly says “the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
Once in office, they’ll stay there for as long as they can, or in perpetuity, to protect their political and economic interests.
Firmly reject all those who supported the previous administration’s war on drugs for which Rodrigo Duterte now awaits trial for alleged crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.
They conveniently ignored the Constitution’s bill of rights, including the provision that says: “No person shall be proved of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”
Don’t vote for those engaged in vote-buying.
You can be sure that if they win, they’re likely to steal from the national treasury to recover their investment and make even more piles of cash at taxpayers’ expense.
Don’t vote for candidates simply because they are your relatives, friends or real/virtual real partners in crime. The future of our nation is too important to be left in the hands of those without the training, experience and competence to handle governance issues at the national down to the local levels.
Be wary of those who spout generalities and promises, such as fighting poverty and corruption, creating jobs and livelihood opportunities, as well as providing housing, education and health for the poor.
Don’t believe those who say they’re running for public office because they want help the poor. They’re running for public office because it offers ample opportunities to make money—and lots of it. We know that public office in this country pays well, particularly for those without any moral scruples.
Take the basic monthly salary of senators, which is nearly P300,000 at today’s rates. Multiply that by six years and they get P3.6 million per year or P21.6 million in six years.
If they get-reelected for a total of three terms or 18 years, they stand to get a total salary of P65 million. That’s just the basic salary. How about the 13th and 14th month pay very year, and additional pay for as members or chairs of various committees, not to mention under-the-table deals with contractors dealing with government projects? Those who finish three six-year terms become billionaires at our expense.
No wonder there were originally more than 160 who filed certificates of candidacy for the Upper Chamber, before the Comelec deemed only more than 60 as qualified to run.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
