Vote wisely, vote for the futureTODAY, the Filipino people will cast their votes for senators as well as congressmen, provincial governors and city and town mayors.
This political exercise is a crucial one as it will not only give the citizenry yet another opportunity to choose their leaders, but more important, determine whether the nation can achieve political stability that will enhance economic growth and social concord and move the nation forward.
We urge our people to vote wisely. This means evaluating the candidates on the basis of clear criteria. And what should these criteria be?
One, we should evaluate candidates on the basis of their competence for the job. Public office, whether it involves lawmaking or implementing the law and crafting policies and programs, requires familiarity with the workings of the democratic system.
Popularity alone can get a candidate elected, but it does not guarantee that he or she will perform creditably in office. We should be wary, for instance, of movie stars and other celebrities who can offer nothing more than their good looks and acting prowess as their only qualifications for the demanding job of public office.
Two, we should choose candidates on the basis of their integrity and character. We should vote for those who are honest and upright, and those who have not been involved in graft and corruption or any misconduct involving moral turpitude.
Three, we should give preference to those candidates who are genuinely committed to democracy and the democratic process. We should vote for those who truly believe in participatory democracy, people’s empowerment and political pluralism.
And four, we should select candidates on the basis of what they can offer by way of a clear program of governance. The electorate deserves a clear vision for the future from those who seek to govern. We should reject those candidates who say they want to serve, but have neither the intellect nor the wisdom to offer a clear vision for the future.
We should choose candidates who will help steer the nation forward to peace and progress, not those who will bring us backward through sheer lack of a platform and a vision for tomorrow.
We need not limit our choices to the two main parties fighting for supremacy in today’s polls, namely the proadministration Team Unity and the Genuine Opposition. While Team Unity claims the economic performance of the Arroyo administration will make the difference in the results of today’s elections, most Filipinos believe that the May 14 elections will make little difference in solving what they think is the country’s most important problem, which is the economy, particularly unemployment, according to a recent SWS survey.
For the Genuine Opposition, the key issues are still the legitimacy of the Arroyo government, poverty, corruption and the breakdown of law and order as exemplified by the rash of killings of activists and journalists.
But it would seem that the campaign has been run not on the basis of party platforms and issues but more on personalities. With the candidates unable to explain their advocacies in meaningful ways, then it is next to impossible for the electorate to make informed choices in the voting booth.
The polls take place today with the spotlight on the capability of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure free and fair elections in thousands of precincts throughout the country. Its credibility has been tainted by allegations of involvement in fraud, particularly in dagdag-bawas operations in the 2004 presidential election.
More recently, its neutrality has come under serious doubt because of its accreditation of party-list groups tagged as fronts of the administration. But one hopes the Comelec upholds the integrity of the electoral process, and rises to the challenge of making democracy work through free and fair polls.
Beyond this, there is also the capability of the state to ensure peaceful and orderly elections. Election-related violent incidents have led to 112 fatalities since the start of the campaign season in late January. While the Philippine National Police takes pains to explain that this is much lower than the 2004 figure, intense political rivalry in Abra, Masbate and other provinces has led to armed confrontations that have led to bloodshed and loss of lives, indicating shortcomings in implementing the Comelec gun ban and dismantling private armed groups in the employ of politicians.
On the other hand, it is worth commending the efforts of various sectors, including business, the Church and civil society groups, to monitor the polls and ensure that the voice of the electorate is reflected, and not thwarted, in the final results.
Free, fair and transparent polls today will set the stage for free, fair and transparent presidential elections in 2010. Polls marred by widespread violence and fraud today will only mean that we are likely to have similarly tainted elections in 2010.
That is why the electorate should go out and vote wisely. Today’s elections is not just another exercise of our right of suffrage. It is an occasion for us to affirm our faith in the democratic process. Honest, orderly and peaceful elections today will reflect the maturity of the Filipino electorate, strengthen our democracy, and pave the way for peace and progress in the years ahead.
This political exercise is a crucial one as it will not only give the citizenry yet another opportunity to choose their leaders, but more important, determine whether the nation can achieve political stability that will enhance economic growth and social concord and move the nation forward.
We urge our people to vote wisely. This means evaluating the candidates on the basis of clear criteria. And what should these criteria be?
One, we should evaluate candidates on the basis of their competence for the job. Public office, whether it involves lawmaking or implementing the law and crafting policies and programs, requires familiarity with the workings of the democratic system.
Popularity alone can get a candidate elected, but it does not guarantee that he or she will perform creditably in office. We should be wary, for instance, of movie stars and other celebrities who can offer nothing more than their good looks and acting prowess as their only qualifications for the demanding job of public office.
Two, we should choose candidates on the basis of their integrity and character. We should vote for those who are honest and upright, and those who have not been involved in graft and corruption or any misconduct involving moral turpitude.
Three, we should give preference to those candidates who are genuinely committed to democracy and the democratic process. We should vote for those who truly believe in participatory democracy, people’s empowerment and political pluralism.
And four, we should select candidates on the basis of what they can offer by way of a clear program of governance. The electorate deserves a clear vision for the future from those who seek to govern. We should reject those candidates who say they want to serve, but have neither the intellect nor the wisdom to offer a clear vision for the future.
We should choose candidates who will help steer the nation forward to peace and progress, not those who will bring us backward through sheer lack of a platform and a vision for tomorrow.
We need not limit our choices to the two main parties fighting for supremacy in today’s polls, namely the proadministration Team Unity and the Genuine Opposition. While Team Unity claims the economic performance of the Arroyo administration will make the difference in the results of today’s elections, most Filipinos believe that the May 14 elections will make little difference in solving what they think is the country’s most important problem, which is the economy, particularly unemployment, according to a recent SWS survey.
For the Genuine Opposition, the key issues are still the legitimacy of the Arroyo government, poverty, corruption and the breakdown of law and order as exemplified by the rash of killings of activists and journalists.
But it would seem that the campaign has been run not on the basis of party platforms and issues but more on personalities. With the candidates unable to explain their advocacies in meaningful ways, then it is next to impossible for the electorate to make informed choices in the voting booth.
The polls take place today with the spotlight on the capability of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure free and fair elections in thousands of precincts throughout the country. Its credibility has been tainted by allegations of involvement in fraud, particularly in dagdag-bawas operations in the 2004 presidential election.
More recently, its neutrality has come under serious doubt because of its accreditation of party-list groups tagged as fronts of the administration. But one hopes the Comelec upholds the integrity of the electoral process, and rises to the challenge of making democracy work through free and fair polls.
Beyond this, there is also the capability of the state to ensure peaceful and orderly elections. Election-related violent incidents have led to 112 fatalities since the start of the campaign season in late January. While the Philippine National Police takes pains to explain that this is much lower than the 2004 figure, intense political rivalry in Abra, Masbate and other provinces has led to armed confrontations that have led to bloodshed and loss of lives, indicating shortcomings in implementing the Comelec gun ban and dismantling private armed groups in the employ of politicians.
On the other hand, it is worth commending the efforts of various sectors, including business, the Church and civil society groups, to monitor the polls and ensure that the voice of the electorate is reflected, and not thwarted, in the final results.
Free, fair and transparent polls today will set the stage for free, fair and transparent presidential elections in 2010. Polls marred by widespread violence and fraud today will only mean that we are likely to have similarly tainted elections in 2010.
That is why the electorate should go out and vote wisely. Today’s elections is not just another exercise of our right of suffrage. It is an occasion for us to affirm our faith in the democratic process. Honest, orderly and peaceful elections today will reflect the maturity of the Filipino electorate, strengthen our democracy, and pave the way for peace and progress in the years ahead.
Choose candidates who are qualified and have proven themselves to be trustworthy.This upcoming election,we should vote wisely!The future of our country lies on us...
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