Frustrations and well-wishes from a citizen who’s a non-voter.

The title speaks for itself. First of all, I’m a non-voter in this year’s election well because I was unable to register for the elections this year since I got into the Filipino culture of “doing things at the last minute” and the fact I intend to register at a district which is one of the largest in the country. Well, it was entirely my fault for not coming in to register early for the election. But I just have to vent out some of the things I want to say from this year’s election. For a non-voter in this year’s election, these things do matter even if people will usually come up and say “Why did you not vote? or why did you let yourself slip up to miss the chance to vote?”. Well that’s what happened with me that’s why I wasn’t able to exercise my right to vote as a citizen of this country I love. It was indeed a lesson learned.

But anyway, let’s get to the point of this one, Honestly, I’m frustrated with the outcome of this year’s elections. All of the four senatoriables which I admittedly don’t like a lot made it through to the Top 12 of the senatorial race and only 1 out of the my 5 senatoriables made it through, worse part my Top 3 picks didn’t made it through. 

Though the counts are partial and unofficial, it was still an eyesore for me to see these four in a position to win a seat in the Senate. These four were UNA’s Nancy Binay, LP’s Bam Aquino, NP’s Cynthia Villar and independent candidate Grace Poe. Well for starters, these “last names” ring a bell in Filipino politics. One is the daughter of our Vice President, another is a cousin of our President, one is the wife of an outgoing Senator and the last one is the daughter of a late former presidentiable. I admit, I didn’t like them from the start. It was like 2010 all over again when I overwhemingly and whole-heartedly did not root for Noynoy Aquino to win the presidency which didn’t happen especially coming off the death of his mother former President Cory Aquino. All these guys right here won not primarily by their platforms and their plans, but by their names that ring a bell to the masses. Nancy Binay, Bam Aquino and Grace Poe despite their well-documented lack of experience in politics and public service still are in a great position to win seats in the Senate. As well as Cynthia Villar who’s husband’s controversies are also well-documented is hanging on to a seat in the Senate.

Well like I said I rooted for five senatoriables namely UNA’s Dick Gordon, independent Ed Hagedorn, UNA’s Migz Zubiri, LP’s Jun Magsaysay and LDP’s Sonny Angara. Of these five, only Angara made it through to the Top 12. The other four are right outside of the Top 12 with Gordon at 13th, Zubiri at 14th, Magsaysay at 16th and Hagedorn at 18th. Obviously as a future tourism professional, I supported Gordon and Hagedorn as they are champions in tourism at the same time they are really good in what they do in their respective fields. Gordon was a former DOT secretary and the head of the Philippine Red Cross while Hagedorn helped in the development of tourism as Mayor of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. As for Angara, Zubiri and Magsaysay Jr., though they belong in political families. I admire their intelligence and their platforms which will be of great use for our country. Like I said before, it would be a travesty if these people were not elected to a Senate seat.

Even though others who are also good like Loren Legarda and Alan Peter Cayetano are winning. Well, it’s not enough to bent on emy frustration for the outcome of this election. Even on the local level with Joseph “Erap” Estrada winning in Manila (though I’m a bit half-hearted about that), Aga Muhlach winning in Camarines Sur, Lucy Torres-Gomez winning in Leyte, and the worst one for me Herbert Bautista winning in my hometown of Quezon City (though it looks like he doesn’t have an opponnt even with the two candidates going up against him) as well as others which slipped out of my mind as I write this one. Still that is my opinion, you may agree or disagree with what I may say but I at least I was able to vent out my frustrations with this entry right now.

Unfortunately as I realize over the course of the past couple of months, there is clearly a lack of voter education here in the Philippines and I hate to admit it, but I’m a part of a smaller minority in this country. Makes me think that if I had able to vote this year, my vote won’t matter still and my bets will still not win.

Then again like I said in 2010 to PNoy. To those who won and/or winning whom I don’t like a lot. I only got one thing to say to them. 

PROVE ME WRONG!

We’ll give you a chance to prove yourselves worthy of the people’s vote. I hope that you’ll do what’s right for our country and serve the people well. I just hope that the trust the people gave to you will not go down to waste.

Come the next election though, I’ll get myself registered early and exercise my right to suffrage no matter what happens and I will come out supporting those who really deserve the best for our beloved country which I don’t intend of leaving to get a job. Sure, I’ll travel the world, but there is no other place worth serving for than our country the Philippines.

God bless our nation.
K-Smoove