THIS column was titled "Bato-bato sa Langit: Cultural values in politics" for several reasons.
Firstly, we connect our initial columns which have been devoted to brief but basic discussions on the critical significance of politics and governance in our country which is presently undergoing the historic event of national and local elections scheduled in May 2022.
To clarify our column title for the non-Filipino, "Bato-bato sa Langit" is the native Filipino phrase which literally means "small stones dropping from heaven." This phrase dates back to the Spanish colonial days when the natives were being taught the basics of Catholic religion and in the effort of the Spanish clergy to connect Christian principles with the local folk religious beliefs, this phrase was used to teach the native Filipinos the basic principle that earthly cultural events were influenced by the heavens and the idea of stones falling on some people indicated their possible guilty behaviors.
Elemental as it may be, this phrase, which has become widely used by the natives, has come down to the present days with some interesting religious insights for the populace. We connected this old saying with the historic importance of politics and governance being influenced by Philippine culture, positively or negatively, such as the coming May elections.
Our column today therefore continues our past several issues on the various aspects of the election season which have been focused on the crucial issues and which have arisen among the various candidates and the electorate. Over our past several columns, we have highlighted the issues on popularity as used by some candidates and we have pointed out the basic guideline recommended for voters to consider the popularity of some candidates as relevant if they are not just popular in movies or entertainment but they have also personal and professional qualifications, capabilities or experiences relevant to the requirements of public office. Thus, we have also advised voters to demand the basic qualifications of integrity, honesty, morality and eligibility, as well as leadership and management competence to lead our people in public service.
This column has also noted, as part of the needed voter education, to carefully study the many election surveys published in media as historically and technically estimates or questioned by some groups which may lead to confusion or misunderstanding if not properly clarified as not supposed to be propaganda instruments.
Another major issue which some candidates have promised in their platforms is the issue of widespread graft and corruption over the past decades. On this particular issue, two aspects are recommended for the electorate: to expect the documented record of graft charges against some candidates; and to question the excessive promises of some candidates that they will eradicate graft and corruption during their term in public office.
A related platform by some candidates is the "heaven on earth" promise by some politicians to solve the nationwide problem of criminality in only a few months which is publicly questionable. Another related issue is the promised solution of widespread poverty and economic growth in only a few years which is deceptive because the history of the country and the realities of worldwide economic growth to uplift the millions of poor people can only be partially accomplished in the space of six years.
On these critical campaign issues, the major advice of this column is for voters to very carefully study these historic problems because as has been shown over the past decades, the extravagant propaganda of many politicians have been easier said than done.
With all these, we hope and pray that somehow the elections will be properly and successfully conducted, with the historic exercise of active people participation, to realistically bring about honest and sustained efforts to strengthen the hopes for a brighter future for our country.
(For research and other requests, please contact the author at Negros Occidental Historical Library, South Wing, Provincial Capitol Building. Tel. # 213-4234/433-2574).