It’s the Philippine elections once again and the carnival atmosphere is in full swing. I have not voted since Jovito Salonga ran as president more than a decade ago and looks like I still can’t get myself to re-register. The problem is that we are reading the same names over and over again. Listen to me, complaining about this and that without lifting a finger. Tsk… Typical whining bastard that I am.
Here in the province, people are greatly divided over Noynoy Aquino, or Manny Villar, or Gibo Teodoro. Personally, despite my non-voting persona, I am leaning towards Gibo. It seems to me, despite his distasteful association, he will be the one who can cause some serious dent on Philippine politics. He’s been called an ingrate by Danding Cojuangco once– which is not necessarily a bad thing. It just goes to show that the guy has backbone to not lick the ass of those who have given him money if what he thinks is right.
Manny Villar? Phooey! If he’s got his integrity in the right place, he wouldn’t even be running in the first place. But what can you do, the Filipino people have shown time and time again their short term memory syndrome that they can’t look past the here and the now. But Villar? Really? If we had the honor gene, that guy would have bought a rope by now and you know.
And what about Noynoy. Give me a frigging break. The guy has everything handed to him in a silver platter. When you have giants for a mommy and a daddy, then you practically have doors opening for you. Must we open the door to Malacanang for him then? True, as Conrado de Quiros said, those who don’t aspire for the mantle of governance are those that could ‘potentially’ govern the most might be true, but you can say that to every infant still in diapers. Unfortunately this isn’t applicable to Noynoy. Sorry Conrad. If we go by Noynoy’s political performance, dang, let’s not go there. And now without anything to back him up except mommy and daddy and his reluctance to take on that double edged position, are we just gonna bend over and let him fuck as over? Puhleaassee.
Anyway, I still do not think that Gibo can really turn everything upside down within six years but I’m hoping that he can.
If I’m to diagnose the ills of Philippine society, it’s not really the lofty halls of Malacanang that needs radical change (though that would be a huge huge achievement if we can have somebody there who can think, has a backbone, and for one fricking half-dozen years not think of enriching himself) it’s the basic community.
The Philippines unfortunately is a feudal country disguised as a democracy. Consider the number of provinces in the country and examine how many families have been lording over these same provinces for decades now? Political families are the new royalty. Well it’s not really new, it’s been happening for decades, and titles such as governor and congressman are kept within the family.
How many times have we seen it? First it’s the father, then the mother, then the son, and then the father again. If that’s not monarchy, then there’s no tea in iced tea, there’s no chicken in arroz caldo, there’s no cream in ice cream, theres no… But you get the point.