ALL 12 senators have been proclaimed. Expectedly, there are protests from losing candidates for various reasons. Some lost by very narrow margins, like five votes or less than a hundred.
Let’s allow them to protest. For one, it’s part of practicing democracy. Two, defeat is difficult to take, especially for the long power holders. Three, protests are face-saving tactics. Four, a protest is man’s way of licking his wounds before he ambles to his lonely and dark corner.
For us who’ve gone to vote, where do we go from here?
A volunteers group for good governance said it best. This time around, we monitor the performance of the winning candidates and start collecting on their I-O-U’s.
This, especially because the Filipino’s “mahiyain” (shy) ways prevent him from collecting from his debtors. They’d rather lose their money than their friends who borrow.
Well, the candidates borrowed more than our money; they promised our future. So let’s collect from the new and reelected senators who promised on platforms of education for all, universal health insurance, job creation, raising incomes and lowering the prices of goods and services.
The last three are not surprising, as they are interrelated towards poverty alleviation. Unemployment rate is at a high of 7.1 percent or 2.9 million Filipinos, and underemployment is worse at 21 percent or 8 million who may be employed but are either working fewer than five days a week, or fewer hours than eight hours a day. All in all, that’s about 11 million jobless Filipinos.
More specifically, we need to collect from new senators Grace Poe-Llamanzares who, aside from poverty alleviation, also promised greater child welfare, feeding programs and electoral reforms;
From Nancy Binay, the strengthening of the day care system and subsidy for children’s vitamins and medicine;
From Sonny Angara, greater accessibility of education for the poor, and employment for college graduates;
From Bam Aquino, the expansion of the microfinance sector, thus increased livelihoods and microbusinesses;
From Cynthia Villar, more jobs for the youth who are of working age; and From JV Ejercito Estrada, greater support for state colleges and universities.
The campaign promises can wing us up to heaven. But wait, how many of them have financial back-up plans for their avowed programs? None seemed to be stated during their speeches in various parts of the country. Either it was still being finalized or there was no need to dwell on this, considering their limited time for talking.
Besides, as some analysts commented, the battle for attention during the rallies seemed between the candidates who just droned on and on, and the celebrities tagging along.
As for the reelected senators --- Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, Allan Peter Cayetano, Koko Pimentel, Antonio Trillanes and Gringo Honasan --- let’s just hope they better their own senatorial records.
Allan Peter Cayetano should continue being a whistle blower at the high level, especially now that Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago will transfer her controversial self to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
(lelani.echaves@gmail.com)