Hope and pray is all we can do now

At the coffee shop last week, the story was told of the tailor of someone I know, a story that lifted my spirits and faith in the Pinoy as a voter. Just about the time Da King announced he was running, this someone I know, went to his tailor and found him ecstatic over Da King’s entry into politics. The tailor vowed that he and his family would work for Da King’s victory.

The week before last, this someone I know went to his tailor again and, remembering his tailor’s enthusiasm for Da King, told him, "O, paano yan... panalo na ba ang manok mo?"

To this the tailor turned serious and said that he has thought about it, watched Da King being interviewed on TV, observed Da King’s demeanor on TV news and analyzed Da King’s body language. He said he has come to the conclusion that Da King was just like himself, "parang ako lamang." He said he could not possibly entrust the fate of the nation in the hands of someone who was just like him... "hindi ko maaring ipagkatiwala ang bayan sa isang gaya ko lamang."

The story validates a recent study of Ateneo’s Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC) that "the poor analyze the images projected by candidates, whether they are heard on the radio or seen on TV to gauge the character of a person. For instance, rural women try to observe how a candidate speaks, especially if the person ‘speaks with respect.’"

That tailor’s story also came to mind as I sat listening to the presentation of Pulse Asia of its last survey before the election. I noticed the portion on the demographics of the voters and their choices. I don’t recall the exact figures now but I distinctly remember that only the voters in class E are still there behind Da King. Even the class D, to which I imagine the tailor belongs, has apparently realized they are not merely voting for box office King. That explains their shift from FPJ.

For background, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS), the D class, which makes up 60 percent of all voters, comprises lower-middle class households "who have some comfort and means but basically thrive on a hand-to-mouth existence." The E class, comprising 33 percent of households, is the extremely lower class "who evidently face great difficulties in meeting their basic survival needs."

It is unfortunate, in a sense, that the alternative to Da King that emerged in the opinion polls is the incumbent. Sure, she is more than capable and to many voters today, she represents the devil they know or the lesser evil. I am sure she is not the best choice but we may have to make do with her for the next six years.

It is good that she is way ahead of Da King, because it makes it easier for me to cast a protest vote for Raul Roco, without being afraid that I may help elect an incompetent to the highest office of the land. I must confess too that I have been praying for a miracle to happen, as big and totally unexpected as EDSA 1, but within the confines of the ballot box. Just imagine if enough people thought like me and managed to score the biggest upset in election history by electing Raul Roco? Or even Brother Eddie. Or Ping Lacson.

One of the three would constitute a break from the past, a real pagbabago. One of the three would leave the country in competent hands. One of the three would deliver the message that the Filipino people are done with politics and politicians as usual and want to move on.

I know the survey numbers show that this is nothing more than a hopeful dream for the country’s future. But that’s all we are left with now, a hope and a prayer that another miracle would happen today. I, for one, am hoping and praying for something that would firmly validate the findings of the Ateneo study group about the quality of our voters.

According to that study, the poor ranked education, experience, platform, and track record as among the most important criteria for choosing candidates. They also have idealistic notions of leadership, valuing qualities such as piety (makadiyos), helpfulness, sincerity, and responsibility. Surely, it is possible that our prayers will be heard and our hopes and dreams will be realized somehow, in God’s time.

But given the rational implications of the Pulse Asia numbers, I have this alternative hope and dream about a new Ate Glo, one who places country ahead of well... Jose Pidal. If there is anything she showed us during this campaign, it is her toughness and intelligence to run a remarkable campaign, so unlike her last three years in Malacañang. In contrast, Da King and his advisers deserve to lose for running such a shoddy operation. Voters have apparently realized that if the opposition trapos can’t even manage a decent campaign, how can they run the country thereafter?

A close friend of mine who also has access to Ate Glo assures me that my hopes and dreams of a new Ate Glo will happen sooner than I expect. For one thing, she will have no choice but to be the strong leader in the face of the serious challenges facing our country today. If she goes business as usual, if she allows Jose Pidal and his favorite law firm to run the backroom as before, she will not be able to unite the country to successfully confront the difficulties ahead.

The shortness of time and resources would be her principal handicap. She has to move fast to contain such problems as the fiscal deficit, the looming power crisis, inadequate education and training for the people, the security problems related with the worldwide war on terrorism and our local insurgencies and criminality. She will need the stamina that enabled her to otso otso her way back to the Palace in the past weeks. I have no doubt she can do it, if only she would run the country the same way she managed her campaign.

I want to believe that with a new mandate all her own, she will now be able to make tough decisions that leaders are expected to do... that she will stay away from populism that marred her last three years... that she will crack down on corruption like she promised she would, no matter who gets hurt.

Oh well!!! Today, I will still go for the seemingly more impossible hope and dream number 1, still hoping and praying that enough of my fellow Pinoys will do likewise. I am voting for Roco-Aquino, regardless what the opinion polls say about their chances. At the very least, we need to express a strong protest vote that we are through with business as usual. We demand nothing less than business at last.

Alphabetical Voting

When you fill up your ballots on May 10, 2004 kindly do the teachers a huge favor by alphabetizing the order in which you write your candidates’ names (whom you will vote for) on your ballot.

The simple act of alphabetizing your votes will contribute enormously to the speed of vote tallying and to minimizing errors. The tally sheets and the certificates of canvass (issued by the COMELEC) have the names of all the candidates in alphabetical order. Tallying alphabetized votes on a ballot spares the teacher from jumping from one name to the other on the tally sheet and will cumulatively save our teachers a lot of time, energy and effort.

Go out and vote on May 10, 2004 and please alphabetize your choices on your ballot.

Career Change

If it so happens that the Pinoy voter fails to rise to the occasion today, I might have to think of shifting to archeology as a career.

Why?

Because archeology is the only profession that thrives on ruins!

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]