Elections are just around the corner and in the days ahead, we’re sure to see a mad scramble of men and women posing for the cameras, clutching babies, kissing elderly people and mingling with the simple folk. Such is a typical scene in Philippine politics as re-electionists and would-be candidates gather round to muster public support.
In a country where statesmanship is equally synonymous to showmanship an astute use of media propaganda is considered a plus. Politicians are media savvy and with a clever combination of money and force, some people have managed to keep themselves in office for as long as it takes.
Our country has a lot of stringent election laws yet our politicians have mastered the art of working on its fringes. Electoral expenditures are supposed to be a meager sum but each political exercise sees candidates spending well into the millions! Every election we see rampant vote buying apart from the cheating and we’ve seen the costs fly.
It is part and parcel of our political exercise that voters have become immune, unmindful of its ill effects to our democratic institutions. Our leaders have cleverly branded the monetary rewards as loyalty incentives taking the notoriety out of a bribe and our people have callously accepted such reality.
To get elected into office one has to buy his way in. Irregardless of how qualified one is without money he is sure to lose. There are a few exceptions where money cannot overcome the tide of public outrage and anger, but in our vast political landscape this is an obscure scenario.
Much to our chagrin, the very same people whom we vote into office plunder our public coffers. This is a sad reality and a vicious cycle in our rotten system for we deserve the leaders we choose, sometimes thieves masquerading as public servants!
We take pride in our leaders who work so hard for projects and we feel obligated to them.
We commend them for their efforts at getting our roads paved, bridges built and our farms irrigated. We exhort praises upon them and we owe them our votes and loyalty and we believe in them.
But shouldn’t they all be doing their jobs and working, for which reason they profess to seek public office in the first place? Come to think of it, we do not owe them anything. If you and I were elected we would have done the same .Work feverishly, for we know what rewards are in store. When our leaders finish their terms of office and exit politics we can say for certain that they have much to live off for a lifetime.
This is the hypocrisy in our political system. People get elected into office and walk off a thousand times richer than you and I. Just look around and you’ll understand what I mean. The very few good men who survived, have their principles and integrity to live on. A remarkable achievement knowing they had to fight their own demons while in office.
Despite the well-paved roads, colossal bridges and irrigation facilities our leaders laboriously sought for the public good has our lot improved? Can the average citizen
claim a remarkable improvement in his living condition?
Our country is rich ,blessed with abundant natural resources . But why are our people poor and our politicians rich? We are the biggest Christian nation in Asia but we are the most corrupt. The Filipino is skilled, industrious and adept at a lot of things yet our country is lagging far behind its neighbors.
Looking at the stark reality may lead us into desperation. But despair not for hope may be not far ahead. As you gaze upon your children in their sleep, immerse yourself in deep reflection.
The hypocrisy could very well live into our generation but shield our children’s innocence from it. As the time comes for us to cast our vote, think long and hard and think ahead.Their future is in our hands!
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Topic: The Politics of Hypocrisy (Read 747 times)