Million votes

The term "million" almost has a magical allure. Many gamble their precious money just to be instant million-aires! Many also gamble their millions to be instant winners! People can relate to the term "million" - a winning lotto or sweepstake ticket, a winning song and so on - that is why, the term million has this magical appeal on people.

In politics, the term million takes on many meanings. A million votes can make or break a candidate. A million votes can have one declared a winner as it can also make one a loser. It can also be magical - million votes can be created magically, critics and observers of Philippine politics will say. Ask as well, the critics will say, how much was spent to get those million votes. In a country where vote-buying is so rampant, critics are wont to remind all that millions of pesos or even more are spent to get those precious votes to declare, not necessarily elect, winners on the one hand, and to defeat the opponents, even if they were the genuinely elected, on the other hand.

Did not FPJ lose by some millions? Did not GMA win by some millions? Did not Cebu deliver millions for GMA in the past? Now Cebu's million votes are again being promised to a presidential candidate of GMA. Will Cebu's millions once again make a difference in the May 2010 elections?

When present local and national government officials promise thousands and millions of votes for a candidate, it is easy to understand why they confidently say so. Have they not been installed in their positions because they had the so-called higher votes than their opponents? Incumbent officials know how votes are ensured - they would not be where they are now if they did not know how to win elections.

Never mind if there are or have been charges of electoral fraud. While going public to apologize to the nation about the Garci incident, GMA never clarified and explained why she apologized, what the implications were of her call to Garci, and whether her call translated to the millions that made FPJ, Da King, the loser.

There are also charges that one pays millions for surveys to show that they are the frontliners among the candidates. Of course, those advantaged by the survey results deny such charges while those disadvantaged are, expectedly, those who question the survey results as well as the financing of such surveys.

FPJ led in all surveys, before and immediately after elections. Despite his survey lead, however, FPJ lost. Is there a lesson that Filipinos should remember from the FPJ defeat and the Garci incident to ensure that the million votes that will make a President are legitimate and honest votes?

That will mean vigilance by and of all Filipinos where they are. Will our people allow their vigilance for clean and honest elections where they are pay off or will our people succumb to the lure of pay-offs and allow a fraudulent election process in their area?

There are an estimated 50 million votes to be expected for this year's elections. The vote of the youth and the overseas Filipino workers constitute the larger blocs. Each and every vote can be a genuine vote of confidence for one's candidates. Will this year's elections mean a break away from the traditional vote-buying and other dishonest electoral gimmicks?

Let your vote count. Let your vigilance count. Let your vote spell the difference between good and evil. Our people and our nation are counting on you. Please vote honestly and please pray and guard that only the genuine, honest votes convert into millions that will elect the true, genuine public servants for our people, for our country.

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