Season for 'good timing' people

AS IN the past, the season for good timing people to fiesta-like electoral campaign has begun. It is only in the Philippines. It is the fourth season of the year that comes only every three years.

This is the season when political incumbents and new aspirants descend from their palaces and thrones get out of their closets and enclaves to introduce themselves. The incumbents would brag of their accomplishments and things they would do when they are re-elected. The new aspirants would make promises in colorful and sweet words. Often they are more aggressive and innovative in their gimmicks than the incumbents.

The campaign is not only about candidates making themselves as cute and nice, or talented and leader-like, to the people. It is also about contenders destroying each other because they know it is what common folks love. They know as well that it is effective in getting people's attention to their campaign.

The other day, the LP led by PNoy fired the first shot by boosting their "matuwid na daan" slogan and hitting at former president GMA. The UNA of Binay hit back with their "tamang daan" and insinuated that LP camp is littered with "doble caras". They were quite warriors. But I find both camps stupid.

Campaign is also environmentally offensive. Almost everywhere they mess up our public walls and billboards with their make-upped faces and slogans. A candidate will OP OD his posters; next day another candidate will cover them up, and so on, till the walls become like a burned cogonal hill. Cong Doc Tony Golez has a better idea: spend the money for the posters in buying rice and viand for the poor, it will endear you to them forever.

As usual, the people, the voters enjoy it though they have had enough of those gimmicks and pinpricks. The poor expect that somehow the campaigns will give them some temporary sources of income and so economic reliefs. No matter how funny and stupid Philippine electoral campaign is, to the people it is always a fiesta-like event that give them opportunity to get free meals and extra savings, if they are lucky.

Still, there are candidates and parties who would like to make a difference. Although they don't belong to the political dynasties and big political families, they can ride on the fiesta-like character of the electoral campaign but will make sure that issues and interests of the people are brought to the forefront of the campaign.

Makabayan Coalition leading senatorial bet Teddy Casiño has already made public that he will carry people issues and demands like genuine land reform, nationalist industrialization, scrapping of oil deregulation law, repeal of the one-sided Visiting Forces Agreement, legislated wage increase, privatization of important public utilities like water, power, education and health, end to job contractualization, and many more.

I hope other progressive candidates, and more importantly, the progressive movement and other citizens groups, will back Casiño in his crusade,and "progressivize" the fiesta-like campaign so people will awaken from the morass of bankrupt electoral politics and change the political landscape.

Political good time is great, but let's make sure we are not intoxicated by it.