CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – In less than 20 days my country of birth will elect a new president. In seven months, a new leader will be elected in my adoptive country.
The political situations in both countries are interesting. It is the best and the worst of times. Politics is still the same though pundits claim there are changes and rules being re-written elsewhere.
The surge in popularity of the current front runners in both countries could not be explained by those who have followed politics as well as those who claimed to have a doctorate on politics.
Methinks this is due to a multitude of reasons. Many experts forget about “attitude.” Yes, the attitude within us that evolved and shaped by the emerging social media platforms.
Did the attitude of Filipinos change when it comes to electing candidates then? Are they more responsive? Informed? Or still about the same?
Well, I noticed variations on attitudes on social media platforms I have not seen in the course of my work before. It could also be that the use of social media in the elections had been that long.
Six years had passed since the last presidential elections but the changes have been more profound. Even those living in urban poor barangays have cellphones that receive news updates.
My opinion is based only on the comments, posts, uploads and what have you over on Facebook, one of the favorite social platforms worldwide. On Facebook, I can sense the despair and hopelessness of a lot of people on reading their posts.
It is interesting to note that most of these posts come from Pinoys working and living abroad who still have family members back home.
They want that their voice be heard, to participate and empower others and be in contact with their families back home as they continue to earn dollars.
Case in point is the Rody Duterte for president movement International and Global friends of Rody Duterte in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, the US, the UK and Canada.
They are far but they want to join the elections by making comments, posts and organizing support for Duterte. This is their way of being part of the election process even if they are thousands of miles away.
They have seen the advancements in technology, infrastructure, health and other services available in the countries they work and live in and they want these available in the Philippines so they can come home. These are the people, the voters who dream of the day to see a better Philippines. They may not constitute the majority but they are the biggest contributors to the country's economy. They have real power.
Is this passion for political and social change felt by overseas workers the same with voters back home? I asked lawyer Oscar Musni, who's running for a city council seat in Cagayan de Oro, and he said he saw a small but significant change of voter's behavior during the campaign period. He observed that the voters in Cagayan de Oro's second district are more attentive to issues affecting their human and civil rights, their livelihood and programs that either benefit or have proven detrimental to their community's welfare and interests.
Musni continued that voters are also aware that “inept and incompetent administration led by a crazy president and equally deranged and corrupt cabinet secretaries and underlings” are the reasons why the country is wallowing in poverty.
There is no reason for me not to believe Musni's observation who by the way deserves a seat at the city council. It is in the change of attitude that makes a real difference in politics and it should start in us.
I think it is happening. People are just tired of politics and move elsewhere for greener pastures. But thanks to social media, they still keep in touch with their families and they are working to effect real, positive change.
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Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines and is now employed as a teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.