The OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE (B.P. Blg. 881) and Fair Elections Act (a.k.a., R.A. No.9006), are the basic laws that mandate the conduct and decorum of politicians during elections. The latter law aims to equalise the playing field between rich and poor candidates. National and local Elections is scheduled yet on May 10, 2010. Meaning, elections is still more than 300 days ahead.
COMELEC can only acquire jurisdiction over the persons of these violators the moment they file their certificates of candidacy.
The voting population should have been wary to these political shenanigans. These election offenses should have merited public outcry, unfit for future public servants. But no siree, guns, gold and goons are too much for an ordinary folk. The rich run for politics to gain power. The powerful runs for more power. Being in a an elected position means power and money. Whatever happened to the constitutional provision that “Public office is a public trust”? What happened to the term that “public servant” among elected officials? Its the people that turned servants to these officials. That’s politics, Philippine stylee…
Well, no wonder these guys are raising heaven and earth just to get elected as Congressmen and Senators. Congressmen are entitled to get pork barrel fund of about P60 million pesos (roughly, USD 1.2 M) per year for a three-year term while senators get P250 million pesos (roughly USD 5.3 M) a year for their 6 year term. These funds are discretionary. Need to know how much Presidents get during their term?
President Ferdinand E. Marcos
Looking back in history, the deposed and late President Ferdinand E. Marcos absconded his dictatorial chair through People Power, bringing alongside his family, friends and cohorts alike en route to Hawaii, USA and beyond, sometime on February 25, 1986 – and the Filipino people rejoiced. They were freed from the bondage of dictatorship for almost 20 years. But in less than 10 years, thereafter, his beloved wife “Imeldific” Marcos went back to her homeprovince in Leyte and ran for Congress. She won and the people forgot what the Marcoses’ did. Interestingly, her daughter Imee Marcos also won as Congresswoman in the following elections and the son Bongbong Marcos is an incumbent Congressman too. Filipinos, indeed have a very short-term memory…
President Joseph Estrada
On the one hand, Joseph Estrada was an action movie star who became Mayor, Senator, Vice-president and then later as President of the Philippine Republic..But did not complete his term as president because he was impeached for plundering the Philippine coffers, first time in history hereabouts. However, after spending some few years in jail, and for no apparent reason, the incumbent President (Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo), pardoned the convicted “Erap” Estrada, obliterating all his public sins. Now that he is free, he is contemplating of running again as president, saying that he is not disqualified as he didn’t finish his term then as president…and that he is, to date, the strongest contender for the position. Well, I told you, that’s politics in the Philippines…
Filipinos have still a chance to rectify everything. Elections is more than 300 days ahead. Let us vote for somebody who is not a traditional politician – a man who possesses the political will to change the Philippines. A man who is respectable, morally upright and willing to lay his life for the people. A president that could forge unity among the diverse political parties and who can lead the Philippines into a new republic of hope and economic prosperity…
Well, frankly, that is easier said than done…Whatever it is, our single vote may make the difference come election time..That’s the only chance…our only chance… 
Hi, Windy. Can’t get why all the words in my post became italics. Might have typed the wrong key. I was not able to access my site for almost 5 days. If not thru Lainy, it could have taken me 40 years to edit my blogs. ..
Thanks, again for the wordpress, whatever that is. I’m not really that blogger yet and certainly not a good techno buff…
Salamat…
Bottom Lines
Windmill
Reply:
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 am
Hi Bottom Lines,
About italics. Over at the Editor, you may have accidentally mouse clicked the italics button. There is a row of buttons on top of the Editor box. Each Button procedures an effect needed in the contents that you are editing for publication at your Blog Post.
Over time, you will get familiar with the Buttons; at least the ones that are more frequently used.
Cheers!
Windmill’s last blog post..June 2nd, Confucius says…
Very well said, Sir!
Our political leaders have tried to run the government with negligible conscience. Poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But because we come from a Third World Country, I thought everything is just normal. I used to think that we are surrounded by extreme criminalities and corruption because we are impoverished. But news on TV tells us that this doesn’t hold true.
To see these educated, honorable crooks calling each other names and accusing each other of crimes that they themselves are guilty of, I feel so ashamed for having to share the same nationality with them. I feel so worthless for I can not do anything for my country. Political leaders are big disappointments. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the wrong side of truth and justice. These are only but a few of the scenarios that have gotten our country berserk. We are saddled by politicians’ too much hunger for power. They hang on and cling to power even when they know within themselves that they have betrayed the Filipino’s trust.
I am not losing hope for our country. Just like many other Filipinos out there, I dream of something better for the Philippines. It is the only country I call “mine” and there’s no other place that I could consider “my home.” I want to shout to the entire world that what they hear and see in the news everyday are not all true.
Not all Filipinos are crook; not all Filipinos are corrupt. There are still more Filipinos’ who are willing to make a stand- to stand for what is right and just.
Lainy’s last blog post..Thank You!
Ahhh POLITICS!
Nothing that I am about to comment here will make an iota of difference to the situation in the Philippines. Just small talk at best.
There is a common denominator amongst all South East Asian politics. What is happening in The Philippines is no different from its neighbouring countries.
Hence, my fellow Filipino Blogpals – you’re not alone.
However, as I see the situation in The Philippines, what appalls me is that despite the high literacy rate and what I believe is a predominantly Christian/Catholic populace, the 7 Cardinal Vices seem to be the virtues of the past and present day.
Whitened sepulchres!!! The Church prelates add to the circus show. Did not Jesus of Nazareth say, “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Ceasar and unto God what belongs to God”? Meddlesome prelates have only added more cause for the powerful and avaricious to get a firmer foothold with slimy connivance.
If anything was wrong with President Marcos’ regime, The Philippines are none the better today; albeit even worse. Which would make President Marcos a hero just like his counterpart, President Soeharto of Indonesia.
At least during President Marcos’ time, the Peso was 3.2 to a Malaysian Ringgit. Today it hovers around 13.7 Peso. Foreign Investments in The Philippines was brisk during his tenure despite all the moan and groan but Investors were making profits.
Money Politics has destroyed South East Asian politics. It is true in The Philippines, in Indonesia, in Malaysia, in Thailand.
It is incredulous how the poor who have suffered for years on end and for decades, they would for a twinkling of 30 pieces of silver betray their own well being and future at the poll booth.
And so life goes on, with an Actor who knows best how to kiss his leading lady actress or a Boxer who knows merely one word, K.O. – these are favourite potentials to lead the people of a Country in a World that has become ever more complexed.
Asians have never shown themselves worthy to lead their own. One cannot even point to Singapore as a shining example that Asians can. Singapore’s “success” is hyped. The Media is the propaganda arm of the ruling Party and if at all success can be attributed to the two generations of leaders, it is merely the amount of mortar and sycophantic obeisance that pervades a populace which is forced into silent timidity.
It is also the iconoclasm and nepotism that prevails amongst Asians. The Gandhi’s of India, the Lee’s of Singapore, the sons of ex Prime Ministers of Malaysia, the daughter of Soekarno of Indonesia and its about the same fare in The Philippines too.
Why? even in Thailand its the same protestor(s) donning a Yellow T-shirt today and tomorrow a Red T-shirt to support whoever pays them to demonstrate. Have you ever seen the Yellow shirts and the Red shirts clash? I haven’t.
Even in Indonesia, it’s big business. A politician will pay the Organiser to have demonstrators for a lunch pack, a drink, a pack of cigarettes and some small change. Several boats will bring in the demonstrators from neighbouring islands to the Capital. It’s an outing for these islanders who would never otherwise have set foot in Jakarta.
And today, teems of Indonesians are regretting that they overthrew their President Soeharto who at least ensured that every Indonesian family had rice and basic essentials and at affordable prices.
Politics in all South East Asian countries is choreographed like some shadow puppet stage show to keep the people’s tongues wagging and divided – so that they can rule them.
Bottom Lines
Reply:
June 7th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Hahaha…Windy, what an impressive assessment of our political status in the region…Ive never met somebody who had that grasp of the state of affairs among neighboring ASEAN countries. Never thought you’ve been had too! Indeed, misery loves company…
Sir, please wait for my daughter to become the president of the Republic of the Philippines, I can assure you that she can manage the whole philippines for the good of all Filipino people…heheheh..atik lang…please go to this link http://www.star-chuu.net/2009/05/opening-remarks.html to see the country’s hope and future. hhahahaha..serious baya ko sir…
star’s last blog post..Opening Remarks.
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