JUST like the Philippine political landscape, the United States, the world's acknowledged super power, has politicians with the old school ideas of claiming being cheated in the polls when results are not in their favor.

Their common excuses: there was massive fraud and cheating, without submitting substantiated and convincing proofs.

Here in the country, our politicians always claimed to have been cheated when election results are not in their favor. They did not lose, they say they were cheated. Ayayay!

In the column of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Andres Bautista, it was written that unlike the Philippines where the votes are tallied by a national commission (Comelec), America counts ballots on a state-by-state basis. But we are amazed at how quickly and accurately the US can determine the winners in a political contest.

Being a federal government, the US determines the winners for president and vice president via electoral votes, which is 270. Each state is assigned electoral votes, so even if one candidate wins via a popular vote, he/she still has to pass muster via winning electoral votes. They have an electoral college that we do not have.

In the US, mailed-in ballots are considered in steep contrast. This scheme cannot be tolerated in the Philippines as the snail mail is often the problem, not to count massive thievery and fraud. Aha!

Still, the US and the Philippines may be similar in situations like cheating and votes manipulation. For years, these have been the scourges of elections.

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There are so many sore losers in elections and they do not accept defeat after the results have been determined.

Violence reigns throughout the election area and often results in deaths and serious physical injuries.

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On the local front, the year 2021 ushers in the election posturings.

In Mabalacat City, incumbent Mayor Cris Garbo will probably meet rumored candidates Geld Aquino, Cherry Manalo and Jun Castro.

In Magalang, it is still Mayor Romy Pecson aiming for his second full term verus probably the comebacking Malou Paras Lacson.

In Angeles City, Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin is a shoo-in for his second term with his tandem Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting. It would be tough to challenge this formidable duo.