| Photo courtesy of Pulse Asia Philippines
It seems easy enough to elect deserving leaders. Yet, aspirational change and progress for the Philippines remain elusive. Let us delve into the why.
Filipinos fail to ask the most basic questions. Has quality of life, including income, improved after each election?
Social apprehension after the arrest of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) is symptomatic of a fragile systematic order that relies almost entirely on personalities instead of robust law enforcement.
There is a failure to recognize that the country’s circumstances are a product of its choices at the ballot box.
Although we cannot guarantee that our elected officials’ promises will be fulfilled, the power of change still lies with the people through the next election.
Filipinos fail to hold elected officials accountable, seemingly willing to tolerate the lack of integrity of candidates, and worse, fail to replace them.
It is not a sin to be famous or to have the same surname as the incumbent candidates. However, it is unforgivable for these candidates to become blatantly wealthy while their constituents sink deeper into poverty, especially if they have been in power for several generations.
Is the Philippines so bereft of leaders that siblings populate the Senate? If recent surveys hold, the Philippines will have three brothers: senators, parents and offspring, and celebrities. This phenomenon is emblematic of a constituency so desperately searching for leadership—having suffered repeatedly at the hands of those who seem to possess the highest intelligence and legislative prowess.
Our country is the result of a mistake in the people’s choice. Just as Judas betrayed Jesus, so has the country been betrayed in exchange for a few pieces of silver, selling your vote, awarding contracts, accepting jobs, accepting and offering bribes, or any involvement in corruption in office.
As a country with fertile land and the only Catholic nation in Asia, how could we ignore the poverty and continue to rely on sending our workers abroad because our elected officials cannot create jobs in our own country – it is even more disheartening that we repeatedly elect them.
May our voters understand they can elect the country they desire in the upcoming May 12, 2025 election. Use your power wisely—be discerning.
Long live the Filipino. Long live the Philippines!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Crispin Fernandez advocates for overseas Filipinos, public health, transformative political change, and patriotic economics. He is also a community organizer, leader, and freelance writer.
