IF THE national elections are held a day before implementing an ECQ, there will be no violators. Everyone stays at home, everyone saves money and everyone saves life.
Why? There will be cash windfalls from the candidates. So no need to get out to find money.
As has been practiced, well-organized cliques go on a house to house crawling (kamang) on vespers to dispense cash-on-list of candidates. So that when the sun rises, the voters are richer than any other ordinary day.
The political cash bonanza is far huge in amount compared to the usual cash aid (ayuda) given during many ECQs in the past, no rigor nor long wait.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not dirty money given by dirty people doing dirty jobs. It’s not buying or selling of votes either, as long as you vote the right person according to your conscience.
Do not vote the highest bidder, not even because of known forenames but vote only those who demonstrated a clear direction in leadership.
The director of the Education and Information Department of the Comelec, James Jimenez twits “This is your daily reminder that bad officials are elected to office by good people who don’t vote. Where you can, while you can, #MagparehistroKa na.”
The Comelec offices throughout the archipelago, except for some areas under ECQ and MECQ are still open for registration, transfer or reactivation of your record until September 30 of this year.
If and when the deadline comes, and many wishful registrants cannot make it because of the area restrictions then, the comelec must set an extension. Otherwise, Jimenez’s statement “...bad officials are elected to office by good people who don’t vote” is dyed-in-the-wool.
Another option is for the local Comelec to seek exemption of the restriction from its local executive. With it, Comelec can continue a smooth preparation of the voters who long to experience a real change.
So in spite of the restrictions, let us find a way to become a qualified voter and be recognized by the night creepers!