A battle of posters and promises

I was reviewing the pictures I took in my trips around Luzon early this year and to my chagrin almost all pictures contained campaign collaterals of local and national candidates in the May 14. 

 

But, I notice also that nobody is really talking about politics or nobody wants to talk about the coming elections.  The subject never pops out in any of my conversations with clients, participants in my training programs, fellow tourists, taxi drivers, fellow passengers in buses, FX and jeepneys, my neighbors, my friends and everybody else.  I would eavesdrop in others' conversation and there are no talks about politics.

 

What's happening?  Has apathy set in?  In forced conversations with taxi drivers and friends, everybody is saying that there is no real difference among the candidates since the winners will only enrich themselves in office and perpetuate their family dynasty and the losers will consolidate their resources and run again next time (kahit anong position, makapasok lang sa gobyerno).  The interest of the country and our countrymen are the least of their concerns, if at all.

 

Just the same, my family are determined to do our duty and vote for the most deserving (or least evil?) candidates.   And here are our criteria borrowed from leadership guru Warren Bennis:

 

1. The first basic ingredient of leadership is a guiding vision.  Who is the candidate who has a clear idea of what s/he wants to do—as a government official and personally—and the strength to persist in the face of setbacks, even failures.
2. Second is passion.  Who among the candidates loves what s/he does and loves doing it—not only dreams and talks, but acts.
3. Third, integrity.  Who among the candidates seem to know him/herself, has candor and displays maturity.
4. Fourth, trust.  And this is one quality that cannot be acquired, it is earned.  Who among the candidates is trustworthy?
5. Fifth, curiosity and daring.  Who is the candidate who wonders about everything, wants to learn as much as he can, is willing to take risks, experiment, try new things. 

So far I've only received emails endorsing the same three senatorial candidates--Zosimo  Paredes, Adrian Sison and Luis Bautista—from Ang Kapatiran Party.  "A vote for these three is a conscience vote, a principled vote, a non-traditional vote, a vote for socio-political renewal."  Their platform consists of:

 

• Spiritual dimension -  1)Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
• Moral dimension - 2) Promote the integral development and total well-being of all
  Filipinos -- in and outside the schools – through character-building, values formation based on such universal principles as sanctity of human life and dignity of the human person, call to family, community and participation, rights and
  responsibilities, preferential option for the poor, dignity of work and rights of workers, solidarity, and care for God's creation; consistent ethic of life; good citizenship; and basic political education.
  
  3) Dismantle the social structures that glorify guns, sex, the culture of death and violence, dishonesty, vice, materialism and hedonism, and replace them with structures of virtue, peace, responsibility and achievement.
  
  4) Abolish all forms of gambling whether run by government or the private sector.  5) Abolish the death penalty.  6) End the use of torture to extract confession.
  
  7) End fraternity violence in schools and other institutions, as well as in sports whose main aim is to inflict physical harm or violence on the opponent.  8) Actively promote responsible parenthood and natural family planning.
  
  9) Reorient mass media towards fostering values that contribute
  to the formation of national commitment that is maka-Diyos, maka-bayan, at maka-tao.

 

• Foreign policy:  10) Gunless society; to be a nation that is a friend to all and an enemy to none; pursue peace based on love, justice, reconciliation, active nonviolence and progressive disarmament for all nations.

Our senatorial lineup are:  Paredes, Sison, Bautista, Arroyo, Roco, Pangilinan, Aquino, Escudero, Angara.  Arghh, it is so difficult to fill up the remaining slots even if we shrink Bennis' criteria.  Do you have the same experience?

 

For mayor of my beloved Manila:  We are 101% for Danny Lacuna!

 

Please vote—it is your moral, spiritual, legal right and obligation to vote for whoever.  Remember, if you don't vote, somebody else might use your ballot.

 

(www.learningandinnovation.com  moje@mydestiny.net)