The Politics of Election

Filipinos take election as an established concept -- as a right or as a duty.

This concept has been associated as a function of fraud, illegitimacy, greediness for power, prestige, source of illicit wealth, self-interest, control and other negative connotations.

Electorate system affecting political structures and outcomes (impact on stability, representation and accountability) Election plays a potent role to sustain people’s democratic will, but today we are not assured if it reflects political will. Through elections, Filipinos practice their prime power to position candidates, who they think can best serve their interests and represent the constituency. No doubt, it is very important to aim for a clean and reliable election as this shall dictate the next venture of the public served. Legitimacy and accountability are imperative to each other. As political leaders address the issues or grievances of the people within their jurisdiction, political structures experience two fates – to be either pro-poor or alienating/exploitative. When popular support cannot be observed from people’s end, apparently the positioned leaders are not the real products of people’s judgment. After all in a democratic state like us, power resides from the people.

Elections have direct impacts to the stability of the government. The officials mandated by people in virtue of election are accountable for the country’s development. Election favors a call to action: to situate potential leaders for a new administration; to disregard the rulers guilty of power abuse (tyrannical) and as public critics them not capable of retaining the post anymore. Without elections frauds, one can visualize the urgency of election if it can serve its real purpose towards Philippine democracy preservation. But in the Philippines, it is definitely not the case.

Election sustains the sovereign will of the people over their government. The public policies/laws that their chosen leaders advocate should address/represent their needs without having self vested interests. Elections allow measuring up accountability of the leaders to the people -- promoting the responsible use of power bestowed to them for the benefit of the public, for popular societal ends. The electorate system implies people’s exercise of sovereignty by articulating their signal to the government, which is now formally endorsed to act in virtue of public’s consent.

Electorate system and the political culture. Filipinos tend to discover themselves left with nothing but a bunch of promises nearly to be broken again. A revolt for re-establishing another administration (more than once we are known), an election viewed to have frauds, an electorate system that has no integrity, credibility and transparency and of course, candidates who highlight the frauds itself. These things are viewed to be the natural state of electorate system, in which definitely should not be the case. Of course, holding an election is not enough to change the political culture of a society overnight. But elections take part to the development of the political culture, as it is the starting point for the Filipinos to attain desired development – with more respect for rights and reformed justice. The electoral system is undeniably a crucial element towards nation-building and to the maintenance of genuine democracy.

As I view it, we are still experiencing the fang of the past authoritarian regime. A common Filipino sees no remarkable boundaries that will clearly demarcate the end of the past leadership to that of the present (Arroyo). The only difference aside from gender is that there has been no direct execution of martial rule; all are the same if not more abusive.

There's Too Much to Talk About*

Dahil sa napakaraming pwedeng maisulat, maraming nagkalat na pira-pirasong pangungusap, parirala at salita...pagbuklurin natin sila. Mababaw man o malalim, pinag-isipan din. There's too much to talk about.

TAT.
What are the real scores behind the number "three"?
Anong meron sa tatlo, sa tres?

Bakit kaya, ito ang madalas nating gamitin?

Bakit kaya nahahati sa tatlo ang Sky Flakes? Pwede namang sa dalawa lang para sa mga magkasintahan, pwedeng isang buo lang para sa iisa. Bakit hinde?

Bakit kaya nahahati sa tatlo ang antas ng pangunahing edukasyon sa lipunan: elementarya, hayskul at kolehiyo. Maliban na lang kung nangangarap ka ng iba pang mas mataas na kurso, o di naman kaya'y masteral o doktoral.

Bakit kaya nahahati ang katawan sa tatlo? Head, thorax at abdomen?

Gayon din, bakit nahahati sa tatlo ang pamahalaan? Legislative, Judiciary Executive.

Bakit sinasabing blessings come in three?

Bakit kay talong musketero? O di naman kaya'y Three Blind Mice?

Napansin ng propesor ko, bakit daw lagi ang ikatlong kontestant ng mga singing contest sa TV ang siyang laging nananalo? Dahil lahat daw ng spectacles naibuga na sa dalawang naunang kontestant. Nagkataon nga lang ba?

Bakit pag sumasaludo ang boyscout/girlscout, nakaanyo ang saludong binubuo ng tatlong daliri?

Bakit ang sign ng "pera" ay ang tatlong daliri mula sa hinliliit hanggang hinlalato?

Bakit laging top3 ang importante sa honor roll? Bakit sa deliberasyon ng botohan, importanteng lumanding ka sa first three? Buti na lang, iniba ng Big Brother, ginawang Big Four.

Bakit kaya sa ikatlo ng hapon nakatakda ang meryenda time ng mga Pinoy?

Bakit kaya "love triangle"?

Bakit kaya pag sa picture-taking, "Ready, 1, 2, (Klik)" sa ikatlong bilang?

Bakit "isa, dalawa, tatlo" ang pambilang sa mga batang nangungulit?

Bakit sa tagu-taguan, "pagbilang kong tatlo nakatago na kayo, isa... dalawa... tatlo?"

Marami pang mga katulad na tanong.
Maraming dibuho ang makapagbibigay ng katarungan sa "tatlo".

Pero, nagpapasalamat ako dahil napalitan ng 3.00 ang dating pulang 4.00 sa klaskard ko.
Ibig sabihin, naipasa ko na nga ang Math Eleven!

Key Elements of Development

According to Atty. Jose C. Sison*,
Columnist, The Philippine Star
Host, Kapag May Katwiran, Ipaglaban Mo (1996)
----------------------------------------------------------

Four D’s of Development for Atty. Jose C. Sison:

1. Determination - refers to the liberty of the citizens of a specified locality to establish their identity, political condition; sovereignty.

2. Discipline - Among citizens, working out a specific character or pattern of behavior, training that produces moral or mental development. Sets out the final stage as to whether institutions as legal structures are carrying out the proper response and function.

3. Dedication - to commit or obligate (oneself) to a particular line of deliberation or deed.

4. Diligence - the existence of steady (careful) and consistent effort to face the adversities that may affect the people.

Having the oppurtunity to be answered by this busy law man, via (jcson@pldtdsl.net), he reiterated:

• These key elements of development need not to be explained further as he believes that these are all self-explanatory and assume an independent thought.
• In general, these factors are applicable in developing Philippine Setting.
• In simple thoughts, he applies these dynamics by using them in his prime profession as a lawyer.
• These key elements also served to be his guiding philosophy in life.
  

His stand on the issue of 2010 presidential election:
“We should first eliminate any one of who has previously sought the position but was already rejected by the people. The last in our list to be scratched off are those belonging to the moneyed elite whose families have remained in the political scene and have held on to some kind of power and influence apparently to protect their huge vested interest thus placing in doubt the purity of their intention to promote the public interest and the common good.” (Final List)

A law each day, keeps trouble away.

Hit and Miss!*

• Minsan, nakakainis na ring manood ng telebisyon. Puro sagutan, pasaringan na lamang ang paulit-ulit na makikita partikular na sa dalawang higanteng network sa isyu ng ratings manipulation.
  
• Ang awayan sa ratings ng mga networks, ay isang manipestasyon na buhay pa nga ang network industry sa Pilipinas. At pinapatunyan lamang na ang Pilipinas ay isang television country -- ibig sabihin hilig nating manood ng TV!
  
• Lahat bago -- lahat nagpapasiklaban sa kung anong bagong maihahain sa publiko sa pamamagitan ng kanilang Primetimebida at Telebabad. Mapapansin ang "variety o chopseuy strategy" ng parehong network -- may pantasya, may solid drama, may game show, may balita at iba pa.
• Si Angelique Lazo ang dating tagapaghatid ng showbiz news sa TV Patrol, na ginagampanan na ngayon ni Phoem Barranda.
  
• Baluyot pala ang middle name ng batikang news anchor/radio broadcaster/tv host na si Korina Sanchez.
• Si Teodoro Valencia at Ka Doroy ay iisa lang. Sa kanya ipinangalan ang isa sa pinakamataas na parangal na pinapangarap ng lahat ng mamamahayag, ang Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year. Sina Tina Monzon Palma at Angelo Castro ang nagkamit ng parangal na ito sa nakalipas na dalawang taon.
  
• 55 years na ang ABS-CBN 2. Mas matanda pala ang GMA7. At ayon sa pag-aaral ng Business Management, ang dalawang ito ay pawang young companies pa din. Dahil ang mature company ay nasa 100 taon pataas.
  
• Nanatili pa rin ang Eat Bulaga! bilang longest-running TV program sa Pilipinas. Una itong lumabas sa RPN9.
• Tapos ng Kapamilya Deal or No Deal, susubukin naman ang mga Pilipino ng Wheel of Fortune. Parehong tagapagdaloy.
  
• Sa palagay ko, dapat pa ring magkaroon ng grand debate ang mga nais tumakbo ng pagkapangulo sa 2010. Kahit papaano, mabibigyan nito ng ideya ang mga Pilipino kung sino ang nararapat sa kanilang balota (kung manual pa din tayo sa 2010).
  
• Buti naman, nabawasan na ang mga balita ng pagpapakamatay ng mga bata nitong nagdaang buwan. Matatandaang remarkable ang pagpapakamatay ni Amper. Sa tingin ko may pananagutan din ang media, pero, hindi dapat ibunton ang buong sisi sa naturang sektor.
  
• Magaling na manunulat si Bob Ong lalo na 'pag novelty style ang ginagamit. Sa humor niya kinikuha ang kabuluhan, esensya at tono ng kuwento. Hindi nauubusan nito, kaya naman patuloy siyang lumilikha ng mga kathang katulad ng mga binabasa natin ngayon. Observation, then write. Iyan ang nagbibigay kulay sa mga libro niya. Repleksyon ng kung sino na nga ba ang mga Pilipino ngayon, paano na tayo mag-isip, at paano tayo mapapatawa. Bagaman isang eskapismo, kahit papaano nakakatanggal din ng kunot sa noo ang layaw ng pagsulat niya.

Philippine Press Freedom*

Situationer on the current outfit of Philippine Journalism/Press:

1. President Gloria Arroyo has said that a free press is the right of its practitioners and critical to the operation of a democratic society. But Arroyo instituted a media block out on reporting military operations. She authorized a raid on a Manila newspaper, and allowed threats of disenfranchisement against broadcast media and threats of prosecution for inciting sedition.

2. Today, the Philippine press has slipped from its past status as the “freest in Asia” to “partly free.”

3. The Philippines is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) on 10 December 1948. “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

4. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Philippines is also a signatory. (2.) “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds…or through any other media of his choice.

5. Article III, Section 7 of the same Constitution affirms that “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions…”

6. A Code of Ethics for Philippine Journalists was drafted by the National Press Club and the Philippine Press Institute in 1972. It is premised on the obligations and responsibilities the journalist owes to different entities…

Balancing the views from different ends, where should we draw boundary among: 1. press freedom and their responsibilities; 2. public's right to information; 3. SOPs of police authorities when such case as The Peninsula siege occurs?

Siege to Truth

Consistently, journalism and press freedom have been found to be essential to the Philippine democratic system. That freedom involves not only media professionals, but also the public served by the media. In all cases, the Filipino people exclusively rely on them, through news coverage, reports, live feeds and others. Press freedom in the Philippines is maintained by the Constitution as well as by international covenants to which the country is a signatory. But this freedom like all liberties has its limits, for the simplest reason that it is susceptible to abuse.

Manila Peninsula Siege was an event of national affairs that called for press and media entities’ duty to deliver what the public should know, but it turned out as a glaring inhibition of the press people and their professions. They were handcuffed, enforced to leave the vicinity, mandated to be with the authorities right away, and forced to discontinue their assignments -- thus, also depriving the public for their right to information.

The press and media exerted effort to measure up a collective set of live information, as instrument for exposing and illustrating complex issues and dilemmas of development that the public should understand. But, as the present regime confronts media as an obstacle, they tend to enforce orders that violate laws – a complete reverse of their advocacy.

Real democracy is fostered by having well-informed Filipinos, and journalism including press and media hold the primacy for this active role of providing the truth.

Over A Cup of Coffee*

I consider him, the Dean of Philippine Journalism. Of the Filipino Journalists, and of the Filipino people.

...Politicians define laws depending on the need of the moment.

A dictated press is something to abhor even if the dictators were exclusively Filipinos... Any kind of control of the press is to be fought even if this control were being undertaken in the name of love of country, more so if control itself were being advocated by people who have publicly confessed that they are under the thumb of their publishers... We think freedom should be freedom even for Filipino dictators of the press...

A journalism student wrote to ask what I thought were the qualifications of a columnist. My answer was simple -- none. Any fool can write a column and many fools do. Even ex-cons and con-men often write columns. To be a reporter is something else -- you have to have what it takes. The columnist is lucky -- he doest not have to work. He can preach, instead.

The Philippine press must bear the cross of having to fight bureaucracy to be able to enjoy press freedom...

I am sorry if you don't agree with me.

Teodoro "Ka Doroy" Valencia.