On Monday, May 13, the election season will come full circle.
As expected, it has become a proverbial non-stop fiesta, an ostentatious display of abundant motorcades, with flurries of campaign colors.
But what is a Philippine election without a bit of drama? From disputes over the liquor and money bans, to memes of preferred (and loathed) candidates in social media, to conspiracy theories over rolling blackouts in Luzon (days before the election, nonetheless) – the media is teeming with sensationalized stories.
For Overseas Voters (OV), their eagerness to exercise their right to suffrage quickly dissipates, when they encounter a bevy of hassles during the voting process.
And of course, there still exists the ubiquitous election-related violence (despite the gun ban) which we never seem to get rid of.
As most Pinoys would emphasize (with rolling eyes, notwithstanding), these factors can be found, “Onli in Da Pilipins.”
But beyond the pomp and pageantry and almost carnivalesque treatment of the elections; beyond the drama, mud-slinging and endless justifying of flaws among candidates, let us not forget the sole purpose and grave significance of the elections.
Voting for our government leaders is a sacred, constitutional right — a decision that we can solely claim as our own.
Let us not taint this sacred right and use our better judgment,in choosing our leaders.
Let us hold off on the eye-rolling and the negative thinking.
Let us think beyond “Onli in Da Pilipins,” and believe that we are doing this “for the Philippines.”
(AJPress)
