Tomorrow is the day of reckoning.
Filipinos will troop to their polling precincts to cast their votes for national and local officials. I just hope that when it is all over, people will go back to their homes and go on with their lives, regardless of who the winner will be.
Yup, we have to accept the fact that in contests there will always be losers. Sadly, it’s a concept that is foreign to many candidates, past and present. I reckon it’s because they grow up being told they are the brightest, the most talented, the handsomest or prettiest and whatnot and therefore deserve the best that the world can offer even though they don’t deserve it. Unfortunately, this includes snagging the highest post in the land.
It’s no wonder election protests are very common in this archipelago.
Need I say more?
Anyway, I should keep mum about the whole thing since I will not be participating in this democratic exercise. As I have said, I failed to activate my voter’s registration despite all the chances the government gave me. And now I am regretting every second of it.
Mea culpa.
Despite of this, some of you have asked about my picks for certain positions, particularly the presidency, and I want to share them with you but I don’t think it will be prudent, considering how irresponsible I have been, so I should keep them to myself.
Still, some of you have insisted—yes, insisted—so I have no choice but to relent, but before I continue, I’d like to talk about another upcoming “epic” battle, which has the whole world eagerly awaiting its outcome. Okay, so I exaggerate a little, but to tennis fanatics out there, it’s the inevitable changing of the guard.
So yeah, the subject is still relevant.
I’m talking about the heir apparent to Spaniard Rafael Nadal. And yes, it’s no other than his fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz.
The youngster—he just turned 19 a few days ago—beat Nadal in three sets on Friday night to gain a semifinal berth in the 2022 Madrid Open. Up next for Alcaraz is the current world no. 1 Serbian Novak Djokovic.
That match took place last night, well after I’d have submitted this column, so my fingers were crossed that my bet would emerge victorious, just as they will be crossed on Monday when Filipinos finally cast their ballots.
And if the stars did align, then Carlitos—yes, we’re that close—will take the trophy, just as my bet will be proclaimed the next president of the Philippines.
As for who might that be? Well, Leni Robredo, of course!