Shortsighted

Everything went well with the 2010 elections, so claimed a lot of media outfits and others who deemed it beneficial to say so.

Just because results were transmitted faster than it used to, we can already claim it to be a success? So, that's how far an election should just go?

How about integrity and credibility? Does it not matter anymore?

And now that evidences of automated cheating are starting to surface, would these media outfits be so fast in looking into this, too? Or would they rather stand to what they previously claimed?

Isn't it irresponsible to limit the appreciation of the election's success with the supposed "success of the automated system"? Did we actually forget that an election is supposed to be a democratic exercise for the people to choose leaders who are competent enough to serve the public?

Can we not even give this election a deeper scrutiny and look into reports of violence, disenfranchisement and the traditional electoral fraud as reported by certain electoral watchdog and international observers?

Or how about the issue of competent public servants? What can we say about having the Marcoses back in power again? Or GMA supposedly winning by landslide in Pampanga's 2nd Congressional District?

It is shortsighted to proclaim this elections as successful simply because of the speedy transmission of results - and of which by now is also proven wrong since many precinct count results are still to be transmitted, thanks to "minor glitches" claimed by the COMELEC and SMARTMATIC.

Media deception

Media sure has its way of influencing the public. And when the media is being used to deceive people, the public right to know is reduced to nothing. This elections, this became more evident.

I've been exchanging posts with a Facebook user these past days and how he defends Noynoy Aquino, even to the extent of parroting the latter's excuses regarding the Hacienda Luisita massacre and the Cojuangco family's Supreme Court's defiance to distribute the lands to the farmers.

And all the basis of his arguments which he claims to be the whole truth are simply those that came from news all over ABS-CBN, which is clearly bias of Noynoy.

It is sad when a media outfit which is supposed to be in the service of the Filipino people make use of itself to bolster the candidacy of a person they're rooting for - someone who has blood in his hands, someone who has never had the heart for the farmers who comprise 75% of the population.

But, I am hopeful that more Filipinos are more critical what they see on the news. Yep, I trust in the intelligence of the masa.

(S)Trike Encounter

Manong Drayber sure know Anakpawis Partylist. When I handed out a brochure with a picture of the late Cong. Crispin Beltran, he said: "Daytoy diay natay idi niya nga Congressman?".

"Wen manong, isu. Saan yon to lipatan nga ibotos, a? Iraman yonto met lattan a botosan ni Satur Ocampo ken Liza Masa."

"Wen, ibotos ko ida, nalalaing da dagitoy. Aktibista da."

"Wen Manong. Ikampanya yonto metten kadagiti dadduma pay a kaddua yo nga drayber."

"Wen ading, san ka madanagan."

So, I rode another tricycle again with a smile plastered on my face. It isn't the first time that I usually encounter people who have a lot of great things to say about Anakpawis Partylist, Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza. Ka Bel's deep love for his country and his honest and sincere public service are only few of the things that he is best remembered for. It warms my heart that the people I have decided to support and campaign for have really earned the respect and recognition of the people, especially the ordinary. It is hard in this game of dirty politics but when you have the support of the ordinary people, then it becomes easier.

Very few of those running for the May 2010 elections are like Liza, Satur and Anakpawis. We sure need to use our heads before we do any "ballot-shading" come election time.

Think. Think. Think.