ELECTION is approaching and it is really zooming very fast. Candidates are visiting every nook and corner of the country just to have that single vote from every Filipino. Fliers, jingles, advertisements, and campaigns are everywhere. Smiles and handshakes are favorite actions of the candidates while the song of Natalie Cole' Starting All Over Again is hitting the airwaves. Yes, Promises are starting all over again and it is the easiest thing to do to get the votes of their beloved Filipinos.
However, does election really give hope to the Filipinos? What is that hope? Is it hope for the poor or hope for the rich? We always hear during campaign trails about the promises made to the people, the singing and dancing talents executed by the candidates, the mud-slinging thrown by bets to each other and the worst is the killing of their political opponent. Recently, we heard of political killings in the different provinces in our country. We also hear of the usual vote buying. Yet despite all these negative events, Filipinos still go to their precinct early morning during elections to vote. Teachers endure the long hours just to do their election duty even though their lives are at stake.
So why do Filipinos still want to practice their right to suffrage. The answer to this is "hope." Still Filipinos are hopeful people. Filipinos continue to believe that there are politicians who are true to their political undertakings and will fulfill the promises they made. Filipinos still hope that the elected candidates will help the country change positively.
But the problem is how we, Filipinos, can have hope of having a rich nation when in fact we kept on voting those candidates that we knew from the start had plundered, maligned, and robbed our country. Politicians who were convicted are still elected and continue to linger in their position. Is it because they were seen every day in the television? Is it because they were endorsed by our favorite artists? Is it because they are our relatives? Or is it because of "utang na loob"? How do we usually assess our candidates? How do we value our votes? So many questions and so many issues we want answered and resolved.
On the other hand, I don't want to sound pessimistic because we cannot deny the fact that one of our common character traits is our undying hope for everything. No matter how chaotic the situation is, we are hoping for the best to come. No matter how dirty the election is in our country, we continue to believe that we can still have an honest elected candidate whose heart is anchored to serve God and to protect the government of the people, by the people and for the people. We are hopeful that in every election whether national or local changes can still come because there is no permanent in this world except change.
I still believe that every election presents hope to our nation. All we have to do is know who we are voting for. We have to be responsible citizens by voting wisely those candidates who have stronger faith in God and deeper love for our country. After all we are the reason why the politicians are in the office; therefore, we are also the ones who contributed to the success or downfall of our country.