Grace Poe and the people we are

I was as initially surprised as everyone else by the first place finish of Grace Poe in the senatorial race. But as the results in other races started to come in, the emerging picture eventually made me understand what happened.

You see, if Jinkee Pacquiao had no problem getting herself elected vice governor of Sarangani province by a landslide, then it shouldn't be that difficult to understand why someone like Grace Poe cannot top the race for the Senate.

If Joseph Estrada, a convicted plunderer, self-admitted womanizer and known heavy drinker can get himself elected mayor of no less than the city of Manila, the very capital of our nation, then topping the Senate race shouldn't be that great a deal, even for Grace Poe.

If Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who, if you believe Noynoy Aquino, is to blame for everything that is wrong in this country, can get herself re-elected congresswoman by a landslide, hospital arrest notwithstanding, then topping the Senate race should be a walk in the park for Grace Poe.

In Ilocos, the Iron Butterfly of martial law, Imelda Marcos, waltzed her way to another term in Congress, while Ronald Singson, who got jailed in Hong Kong for drug possession, won back his Congress seat. And you think topping the Senate race is difficult, even for Grace Poe?

Over in Maguindanao, the Ampatuans, many of whose principal family members have been charged in connection with the country's worst political massacre, have won key positions in the province. And you are surprised that a certain Grace Poe can top the Senate race?

Grace Poe topping the Senate race is a feat no different from Estrada winning as mayor of Manila, or of Arroyo, Imelda, and Singson winning back almost unimpeded their Congress seats. In a word, it reflects the kind of people that we are.

 And that is not surprising. Even if we reverse the circumstances, how we vote is still a reflection of our political maturity, which is to say, our maturity as a nation. Just look at how we kicked people like Dick Gordon, Jun Magsaysay, and Ernie Maceda aside.

And this is not just in these elections. This has been going on for quite sometime. Do you even remember Winnie Monsod? If there is one woman more qualified to be a senator, that is Winnie Monsod.

But the Filipino nation rejected Winnie Monsod's bid to become senator a few elections back. Yes, the very same nation that not only elected Grace Poe a senator but even pushed her all the way to the top.

And yet, why does it not surprise me anymore? Because I am a Filipino and I know that is who we are. Despite all our pretenses to the contrary, we as a people just do not know what we want, and nowhere does our cluelessness become more obvious than in the way we vote.

Still, election after election, we never learn our lessons despite our constant bitching afterward over our sorry lot. If you do not believe me, just look around at what is happening in the political environment.

As early as last Thursday, May 16, or just three days after the May 13 elections, when all the votes have not even been completely canvassed and tabulated, guess what Karen Davila was already asking Vilma Santos -- if she was running for vice president in 2016? Wow!

And yet that is not all. Last Saturday, May 18, when not even all Senate winners have been proclaimed, one national newspaper already had this story on page one: “Poe seen as viable 2016 bet vs Binay.”

Jesus Christ! Grace Poe has not even taken her seat in the Senate and she is already being groomed as a presidential contender? And while all this preoccupies our attention, China and Taiwan are kicking us around like a soccer ball. No wonder Grace Poe topped the poll.