POLITICS is really a brisk business and a very attractive and lucrative one.
It is politics season now, a favorite pastime of those whose only qualification is willingness to engage in this "dirty" game.
Those who are not gainfully employed or no visible signs of gainful employment enter politics with no political capital except lakas ng loob and kapal muks!
It is not hard to enter the same. There is no academic preparation nor preliminary documentation required. Considering the minimum requirements to qualify: one must be a Filipino citizen, and must know how to read and write, anybody of voting age can enter it.
In some places, politics has become a family enterprise: mother, father, sister, brother and even grandfathers and all, there is no strict restriction or prohibition. Especially so if one carries a very popular surname or one which is easy to recall.
Politics of old is much too different nowadays, especially during this time of pandemic where mobility is restricted.
In those days, issues were ventilated and personalities were voted.
Now, as long as you are a celebrity or a social media darling, you will have a greater advantage over the rest of the field, never mind if you have a mediocre track record of public service or none at all.
Also now, the candidates who have massive resources and a wide network would have the edge and the chance to win.
Woe to the candidates who do not have much money to spend on ads and tarpaulins. Their names would be easy to forget in the polls. And add to this their lack of money to give to voters on election day. Remember, you have to fetch and ferry them to the polling places, feed and grease them after voting.
The Commission on Elections has issued several guidelines to follow during the elections. It is up to the candidates to interpret them and follow each one of them. We, of course, expect protests and counter-protests from candidates regarding election guidelines' violations.