Who benefits from Philippine-style elections?
June 18th, 2009 by Patricio MangubatOnly half of the expected 2 million Filipinos registered as new voters, says the Commission on Elections. As of June 2009, the total number of Filipino registered voters stand at only 44 million, down by about 4 million. COMELEC expects the number of registered voters to about 49.5 million before May 2010.
I also received distressing news that overseas Filipinos have not registered themselves yet. Only about 220,000 have registered. There is an estimated 10 million Filipinos working abroad and this is dismally low. What is the problem?
Are Filipinos giving up on elections as a democratic way to change things? Are they expressing their silent dissent that these elections are just a mockery of democracy and like always, nothing will change even if they register and vote come May 2010?
Many people whom I talked to express their disappointment with our democratic process. They said that nothing will ever change in this nation of 90 million Filipinos. And I can’t blame them.
For the past twenty years after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, with more than ten elections participated in by the people, was there any real, substantial change in the way we do things? There is none.
The poor gets poorer and hungrier by the day, while the rich becomes richer by the minute. Grafters like Jocjoc Bolante still roam the hotels, coffee shops and streets of Manila while the likes of Legacy owner Celso delos Angeles and that Sulpicio Lines owner remain outside the reach of Justice.
Those road contractors who amassed billions of pesos enjoy their steaks while big-time operators have their field day buying properties left and right, using those hard earned taxes paid by the people. Evangelists get 1.3 billion from a property sold to government while a legislator laughs at accusations against him profitting from road diversion.
Food, oil and electricity prices have started to strain the pockets of the middle class. The high costs of tuition fees are getting on the nerves of parents. Telecommunications companies, particularly Globe Telecommunications, act like tyrants and brutes, even blaming their subscribers for their vanishing pre-paid loads. For all of these things, the poorer sectors of our society continue to get the brunt end of the bargain. They are the ones being victimized by VAT. They are the ones being asked to pay additional taxes. And they are the ones who are always blamed by the middle class whenever someone like a big-time gambler and womanizer wins the presidency.
In all of these, the elites are sure beneficiaries of democracy. They scot around the law whenever they are being accused of violating them. They get billions from public coffers. They swim in a pool filled with gems and jewels, while their farmers and feudal peons work the fields to harvest sugarcane. They act like they’re the leaders of this country, telling the people what to say, think and do.
Every after three or six years, they go around town, urging people to vote just so that these people forget all their hardships and sufferings and take part in this charade called democracy.
Who are the prime leaders of this call for elections? Analyze and observe, my people. They are those who benefitted from public monies paid by us. They are part of the elite class who use elections as a social heroin and a pretext that we are in a democracy instead of a plutocracy. They are members of civil society who are part of the counter-elite, the social conscience of this despicable class. They don’t want us to revolt. They don’t want an authentic revolution here. They are the stooge of the ruling class. They are a big part of this decrepit system of virtual slavery.
Through this thing called elections, the down-trodded and the poor, the disfranchised and the sufferers, the penniless and the powerless all continue their sorry stories of oppression and poverty. Elections are Greek tragedies that are used as bait to further enslave the huge mass of Filipinos. So, who benefits from elections?
And for all these years, what do we get from taking part in the elections? Crumbs. And virtual entertainment. We are entertained whenever a video is leaked showing a member of this class having sex with a self-confessed lothario. We are happy to see bits and pieces of brilliance from orators from the Senate. We feel satisfied and entertained whenever some of them go to food and medical missions. Yet, we don’t realize that these elites just give us tiny-bitsy parcels of what they stole from us.
We don’t need to be part of this charade forever. We need to untie ourselves from this slavery and do the right thing—reconstruct our reality through systems change. There is no other option. We must revolt.
June 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Who are the prime leaders of this call for
electionsrevolution? Analyze and observe, oh people. Is it possible they are also those who benefitted from public monies paid by us?Who are the prime leaders of this call for
electionsrevolution? Mar Roxas? Lacson? Among Ed? Satur? Gringo? deVenecia elder or younger? Tabako-Ramos? Danding Cojuangco? A rich Tsinoy? An outsider? How many of them are part of the elite class who useelections as a social heroina revolution or surge-the-gates as cover for a purposefully vague agenda that they have not shared with the people? So, who becomes cannon-fodder and who benefits fromelectionsrevolution?June 18, 2009 at 12:08 pm
it’s the complicated and inconvenient rules for overseas voting, perhaps in part to discourage it.
June 18, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Is this a call for abstention in 2010? How feasible is a boycott in this country where people see participation in elections as the height of their civic duty, and for others a source of income?
(By the way, Im in. Ive decided to abtain. I just have no high hopes for a boycott campaign although it’s personally satisfying for me to repudiate the entire exercise by casting a spoiled ballot. I also am not calling for a boycott, since faith and hope is what remains for most of our countrymen.)
June 19, 2009 at 8:56 am
Hi Jeg,
there is no call for a boycott on my part. the entry aims to prove the irrelevant nature of elections. elections are only good if the system of rewards and punishment is clean.
June 18, 2009 at 12:38 pm
for the sake of the kiddies out there (and for the copywriting twins): since faith and hope *are* what remains for most of our countrymen.
June 18, 2009 at 1:22 pm
“They are part of the elite class who use elections as a social heroin and a pretext that we are in a democracy instead of a plutocracy.”
Hhhmmm. Ano daw? Again, the danger of generalization. :)
Tell that to a former kabayan broadcaster, to a sipag-at-tiyaga fish vendor, to a construction engineer, etc. who somehow could become the next President. And of course, a movie actor who was RP’s top honcho. Elites they’re not.
I dunno man. Elections we must have to define our democratic society. To quote Spiro Agnew: let us not be ‘nattering nabobs of negativism.’ :)
June 19, 2009 at 8:55 am
PhilManila,
Hahaha! Do you live in a different era? Noli, Villar, Fernando and Estrada are not members of the elite? Por dios por santo de calibre de horror! And the danger of generalization? What danger and what generalization? ;-)
June 18, 2009 at 1:23 pm
pucha.. are what remain…
sorry copy-editors
June 18, 2009 at 1:56 pm
it’s the comelec system of registering, really, that stinks.
maraming gustong mag register, pero dahil sa sobrang tagal at mabusisi ng proseso (daw), at yung iba eh hindi naman ini-entertain ng maayos, aba, huwag na lang mag-register-nag leave pa naman sila sa trabaho.
June 18, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I missed the last election because of the long lines and hassles in registering.
June 18, 2009 at 3:14 pm
about overseas voting, you’re required to sign something that says you will be returning to the philippines (or something to that effect) before you are allowed to register. this might dissuade some from voting then.
June 18, 2009 at 8:54 pm
exactly! it’s like “i will allow you to vote provided you swear to return to live in the dumpster, and if you don’t vote, that doesn’t matter – I don’t need the vote I just need your remittances”.
June 19, 2009 at 7:39 am
does that matter? i’m pretty sure that cant be binding.
June 18, 2009 at 3:38 pm
waw, feeling ko hindi naman offensive kung magtatagalog ako. . .
isang magandang tingnan kung paano nagkakaroon ng simulasyon ang eleksyon patungong virtualidad – at kung paano nalalayo sa tunay na reyalidad. tuluyan ng nalayo sa tunay na kalagayan ng mamamayan ang usapin ng eleksyon, ang kampanya at maging demokrasya.
ang etimolohiya ng demokrasya ay sadyang burges, isang istorikal na katotohanang hindi natin maaring kalimutan. subalit ang pagromantisa dito upang gamitin sa pagkampanya ng eleksyon bilang mapagpasiyang magpapabago ng lipunan ay kahunghangan. bumoto kung sino ang gustong bumoto, at wag ang may ayaw, sa bandang huli – magkikita-kita ang mamamayan ng mas may kaalaman kung paano sila ginamit ng struktural na dominasyon ng mga tagapagtaguyod ng puristang demokrasya – demokrasyang tinaguyod ng france sa french revolution at iba pa.
sa huli talo ang mamamayan, tunay ngang revolt ang solusyon, pero hindi ko hinihikayat ang mamamayan na huwag bumoto kundi magsuri at magaral ng hindi madisilusyon sa bandang huli.
June 18, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Pag nag-rebolusyon, ang susunod kaagad, martial law, hindi ba? After the revolt and the martial law, then what?
Kung ninanais nitong mga lider ng rebolusyon na maging Burma ang Pilipinas, okay ba iyon? Kung Cuba-style, sino ang magiging Fidel Castro ng Pilipinas? May mga Pinoy, kung ang naging Castro ay si Manalo/Iglesia ni Kristo, okay lang. Sa iba, hindi okey.
June 19, 2009 at 1:14 am
tol,
critikal ka sana magisip – at hindi tirano ang kasunod ng rebolusyon. maglaro ka ng civilization I, II or III, anarkiya ang kasunod ng rebolusyon – isang malaking posibilidad. maliban pa dito hindi naman swabe ang rebolusyon tol, at ang takot lang dun ay ang may mawawalan ng yaman, kasama ka ba dun?
hindi ko sinasabi mabuti ang anarkiya ang sinasabi ko masama ang demokrasya sa puristang esensiya. at nagiging tungtungan nito ang huwad na emo-kratikong proseso tulad ng eleksiyon. anyway, pagaralan natin ang mga susunod, at malabong maging katulad tayo ng cuba sa magkaibang konteskto at kalagayang mayroon ang geo politika, at bumubuo ng lipunan natin ngayon. masasabi ko lang ay hindi ba’t mas sigurado ang pagbabago sa rebolusyon kesa sa eleksyon na nakakadisilusyon?
June 19, 2009 at 1:28 am
naalala ko lang ang sinab ni Zizek sa repeating lenin. . . na ang ginagalawan ng mga kritiko ay ang mismong ibinigay ng status quo. nagkakaroon ng ilusyon ang mamamayan na may mga pagbabagong maidudulot ang kahalintulad ng eleksyon. sa madaling sabi, ilusyon ang dulot ng eleksyon, ang karapatan sa pamamahayag at iba pa subalit sa katotohanan ay nasa struktura pa rin ito ng kasalukuyang status quo upang panatilihing nanduon ang kanilang dominasyon.
kung baga binigyan ka nila ng isang di makatotohanang espasyo upang makialam sa lipunan subalit wala naman talagang mangyayari. saan ang mga kritikal na isip ng tao kung madai naman itong naikulang ng mala-tiranong struktural na dominasyon ng naghaharing uri?
ilusyonado di bang maituturing ang mga umaasa sa eleksyon? at yun ang dahilan kung bakit wasto ang rebolusyon. . .
pero para sa mga nais bumoto – basahin niyo ang preludes ang nocturnes ng sandman ni neil gaiman. . . isang magandang diyalogo doon ang laban ng demonyo at ng hari ng mga panaginip – kahit ang mga demonyo sa impyerno at may tangang PAGASA na sa kinabukasan ay mararating nila ang langit. . .
June 19, 2009 at 7:07 am
Ang basa ko, gusto mong palitan ang patakbo ngayon. Tanggalin ang mga nasa kongreso, ang mga huwes, maglabulabo ang mga army at pulis at rebolusyonaryo, parusahan iyong mga nakatira sa Forbes Park, sa La Vista Subdivision o Greenhills na sumobra ang yaman at ibigay ang kanilang kayamanan “for the greater good”. Anarkiya.
Ang basa ko pa rin, gusto mong sumali ako para mangyari na nga ang anarkiya; tumango ako maski hindi ko alam kung ano ang kapalit na darating.
Pag natapos na ang anarkiya ang bumalik na sa normal, ano ang normal? Ano ang kapalit? Kung bayanihan spirit at hindi tataas ang presyo ng gamot at pagkain ng mga tao, puwede siguro, pero walang nagsasabi kung ano talaga. Sino ang papalit, mga alipures ni Danny Lim, ni Honasan,o mga nursing graduates ng UST? Kilala mo ba itong mga nagpapahangin tungkol sa rebolusyon? Bakit ba hindi magpakilala itong mga nanaginip ng rebolusyon, sabihin kung ano ang gusto nilang itayo para may pagkakataon ang mga Pilipino na bumilib (magaling pala!!!) o magtawa (aba, nangangarap, ako pa ang taya!).
Baka ang lumabas lang sa huli, musical chairs lang. Nag-iba ng kaunti ang pangalan na nasa posisyon pero Pilipinas pa rin – walang palit — ano ba naman iyan?! Ang mga walang plano, walang plano. Bato-bato sa langit ay medyo lumang tugtugin na, hindi ba? Ano ba iyang mga nagpapairal ng rebolusyon, mga anghel na maski hindi ko alam kung nasaan ang langit, tatango na lang ako?
Hindi naman ito Lotto. Kung magigi akong pambala sa kanyon para sa giyera ni Kumander ‘Dis or Great-Leader ‘Dat, eh ibigay mo sa akin ang mga pangalan. Baka naman nagpundar ng panghakot pero ibubulsa lang ng iba diyan, eh lokohan ulit. Hindi ba nag-coup na dati at ang nagpatakbo, alan ay Mike Arroyo. Nagkalokohan na noon, kailangang bang ulitin?
June 19, 2009 at 8:00 am
“Baka ang lumabas lang sa huli, musical chairs lang. Nag-iba ng kaunti ang pangalan na nasa posisyon pero Pilipinas pa rin – walang palit — ano ba naman iyan?! Ang mga walang plano, walang plano. Bato-bato sa langit ay medyo lumang tugtugin na, hindi ba? Ano ba iyang mga nagpapairal ng rebolusyon, mga anghel na maski hindi ko alam kung nasaan ang langit, tatango na lang ako?”
hindi ba ito din ang problema ngayon? baka kakaantay natin ng papalit tubuan tayo ng komote nalang sa mga tawan. hindi ko sinasabing maging anarkiya tayo. ay ang kawastuhan ng rebolusyon at ang ilusyon ng eleksyon. subalit sa kahit paano mu gustong tingnan ang mamamayan ang kailangang gumawa nito at mamuno dito. hindi personalidad na iniisip ng karamihan. basahin nating ang kasaysayan ng ibang bansa at ng atin.walang rebolusyon ang hindi mamamayan ang magpapairal, dahil kung hindi mamamayan ang magpapairal, ja-Fake yun. well, tulad ng iba idealista ako. romantisista subalit hindi sa eleksyon. maaring sa rebolusyon na sa hinaharap matutunan ng mamamayan ito. maaring hindi ngayon,at magkakaroon ng panibagong sistemang maglilingkod sa totoong mamamayan. maaring sosyalismo o kung ano man ang iisipin ng mga mamamayan sa hinharap.
June 19, 2009 at 8:59 am
ano na namang kalokohan ito UP n grad? anong sinasabi mong sana si Manalo/Iglesia ni Kristo ay maging Castro, okey lang. Nagpapatawa ka yata. Gusto mong maging cute, hindi ka naman cute.
June 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Just read the Tagalog, Patricio. Take all the time you need; make sure to relax so you can comprehend better. Read the Tagalog and focus.
June 18, 2009 at 4:20 pm
There is the ‘Pink Panther’ coming soon to change all that sad configuration in our national life.
Perhaps, the reason why only about 200,000 of the 10 million OFWs have registered and presumably are the only ones to vote come 2019 is because they are largely needed by their ‘masters’. After all, aren’t they those that constitute what benigno calls the domestic industries – ’servants’?
If less than 6 million will vote this May 2010 from a projected of 50 million, then accept it as a fact of life.
If I were to gauge the level of frustration of Filipinos from the blog of Pat, I think that what people should do for a change is to vote for Bayani Fernando. That sure entitles you to another opinion but that’s how I think of all this mess we are in.
In a separate blog outside of this, I shall justify why this should be the choice to go.
June 18, 2009 at 8:58 pm
There are only a few who have registered because the requirement is for us to personally show up in the consulate – LIKE 2000 miles away – another MORONIC prescription from the Republic of MORONS.
If it were just a matter of sending notarized copies of our unexpired passport and we get registered – then lots will register.
BUT our Embassy is understaffed, underfunded and cannot process the groundswell of registration – pwes, do it the Pinoy way, implement a MORONIC process – that way, it can be said that registration was open but no one registered.
A country run by morons, by morons, for morons.
June 19, 2009 at 1:55 am
You have to register in person because they need to take fingerprints and swear you in if you are not a dual citizen. To make it easier for everyone, Embassy or Consular staff can travel to a Filipino organize event if the organizers will provide a photocopying machine.
June 19, 2009 at 2:04 am
An alternative to fingerprinting is to have a mechanism for transferring the prints on a fingerprint card, that contain a complete set of fingerprints, taken by a qualified law enforcement agency.
As it is, the process is MORONIC. Take two days off, and fly or take a long drive to the nearest consulate to get a Philippine passport. And then, you have to encounter Consulate staff na feeling nasa Luneta pa rin. arggghhh!
The consulate can generate substantial revenues from the Fil-ams that need to renew their passports, but they have to improve their moronic processes.
June 19, 2009 at 2:38 am
I can renew my a passport in 1 hour without paying a bribe. I can’t tell you how but it is possible.
June 19, 2009 at 3:00 am
good for you supremo, unfortunately, you are the exception, than the rule.
June 19, 2009 at 8:52 am
Bong,
I’ve worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs before and I tell you that understaffing of our embassies is not part of those in power being moronic. No. It’s a question of funds.
Now, i don’t believe that it’s just a mere distance from your house to the embassy that really matters. As a former OFW myself, I asked many of my friends abroad why the low turnout and they told me that most OFWs have already lost all hope about changing things here thru elections. In fact, majority of Filipinos want a revolution.
June 19, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Pat:
There are a lot of Filipinos in South FL who would like to vote, I know them personally. The Fil-Am associations are very active in the area. One of the key hindrances to voter registration has been the personal appearance clause. I would say that the personal appearance is a form of disenfranchisement.
June 18, 2009 at 11:58 pm
As to Bayani Fernando… a KAMPI candidate… who is asking for anointment by GMA?????
He gets no respect from me!
June 18, 2009 at 4:21 pm
2010
June 18, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Find a better nickname Prime.
PP is a bumbling dick, pun intended.
BTW you honestly think he can win without a Party? You honestly think GMA will anoint him over Noli or Gibo.
If he bolts PaLaKa will anyone leap behind his martial law tactics?
I advise you not to take any bets.
BTW, give my regards to Bob Nacianceno.
June 18, 2009 at 8:04 pm
What does these “revolt now!!!” leadership behind PatricioMangubat’s blog think of GilbertTeodoro in Malacanang?
Noli, Teodoro, MarRoxas — are they “same-oh”, ’same-oh’? This blogger (below) doesn’t think so:
http://www.duckyparedes.com/blogs/2009/03/13/gilbert-teodoro-for-president/
June 18, 2009 at 7:27 pm
You must have been ill-advised, ding (pun included).
He sure belongs to the dominant administration party and the party has no reason not to anoint him, matter of factly.
Remember that blogger’s meet with Mar?
June 18, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Think back at recent statements by PalaKa leaders, particularly the one by Sen. Migs Zubiri.
Also, if your care to, would you venture answers to these questions?
“BTW you honestly think he can win without a Party? You honestly think GMA will anoint him over Noli or Gibo.
If he bolts PaLaKa will anyone leap behind his martial law tactics?”
There have been two bloggers sessions with Sen. Roxas. You were there?
June 18, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I am a newly-registered voter but I am not sure if I would still want to cast my vote.
June 18, 2009 at 8:24 pm
What’s with all these “anoint” BS?
it’s a democracy, NOBODY anoints!
With that kind of mindset, we might as well have Prophets who anoint Kings according to the counsel of the Caliban :lol:
June 18, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Dang… Ayatollah Arroyo “annoints” ….. WTF!!!
June 18, 2009 at 8:30 pm
that’s how desperate she is…
June 18, 2009 at 9:00 pm
and you have glassy-eyed people waiting for who gets “anointed” in la-la-land
June 18, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Bong,
You realize the literary nuance Iam sure :)
June 18, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Ding:
Please elaborate. Been working on a major project – am a bit fried :lol:
June 18, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Given the nod. Picked. Chosen as favored successor. Inginuso sa nga tagasunod. Ninombrahan. :)
June 18, 2009 at 10:46 pm
i’m lost. who is giving the nod? GMA? and people swallow that crap?
it’s the people who ought to be giving the nod – not GMA. aborgate the responsibility and GMA will decide for herself – and then GMA is to blame???
OMG… this is getting tiresome
June 18, 2009 at 10:30 pm
The benefits of election can either be impermanent ( temporary) or long term among the people of this country. The majority poor will again follows their influential leaders or ruling elites who will monopolize to form a non transparent government as it has always been. The poor will continue to be under the curse of poverty, lacking employment opportunity, missing healthcare, medicine and hygienic foods, unavailable social security and lacking proper education. Therefore, during election, their benefits are always temporary inasmuch as they don’t know what democracy is. The middle class and OFW will be caught in between with no clarity of benefits. For sure, the ruling elites will benefit mainly and convey it for long term.
June 18, 2009 at 10:42 pm
The absence of real motto ( vision and mission) for development and poverty alleviation from our current presidential candidates is symptomatic that they don’t have a long term plan for the majority except maybe a plan matching the term in office? The middle class will continue to blog, pay taxes , get forced and possibly will disclaim from reality.
June 18, 2009 at 11:03 pm
“The middle class will continue to blog, pay taxes , get forced and possibly will disclaim from reality.”
Leytenian, you missed one important preoccupation of people, including the middle class. After all, the two main desires of humans are to eat & drink and to have sex.
Watch Hayden and Miss X in You Tube. :)
June 18, 2009 at 11:05 pm
The middle class will establish their enclaves, they will have their own networks that can deliver the services they need.
The rest of pathetic apathetic folks can kiss trapo ass.
June 18, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Who is miss x? Is she a middle class wannabe? Or she has no class? :) balita bay diyan, phil .
June 18, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Balita pa diyan , I mean.
June 18, 2009 at 11:41 pm
We Overseas Filipinos are doing our part. We have heavy work schedules. However, we are registering.
We have a lot of problems to be solved. The solution is in the problem and in the Filipinos themselves. If we allow ourselves to
be intimidated by a Dying Regime, kicking its final death kicks.
It is our faults.
We have competent Filipinos who can easily solve the problems. That
is why we need renewal of government. Gloria Arroyo and her administaration have aggravated the problems.
She is the most divisive President we have ever seen. Instead of
uniting us. She has divided us.
June 19, 2009 at 1:33 am
i think she’s not bad after all; she just unite the unheard majority of this society against herself. what an accomplishment. . .
June 19, 2009 at 9:01 am
well, Mrs. Arroyo only divided the elites. The masses are united in living a life of perfumed poverty. (“Perfumed poverty means that you’re poor and hungry but don’t really think about it because of those pink fences by Fernando, hahaha!)
June 21, 2009 at 12:13 pm
To FV Admin :
Why is it not possible anymore to post in BongV’s
Iran’s Summer of Discontent: A Preview of the Philippines 2010 Elections?
Had it been tweaked or hacked or something?