DTOMORROW, WE ALL will once again exercise our ‘right' to vote. These times when we have had already converted vote-buying into a tradition much more like Christmas gift-giving, have we still the right to call ‘suffrage' a right? We have already dried out its sacredness and made it into a dried lei to forcibly hang on our very own necks and even on that of our own offsprings. Once again, we are displaying a melodrama, a farce, where we all are performers as well as spectators. As we all can see and are well aware of, the culture of vote-buying has seeped down even into the vital veins of the Sangguniang Kabataan. In fact, it is already a natural for those who supposedly aim to serve. We consider this ‘trapo' practice as ‘the trend'; the ‘now “in” thing'. Could it be that without a corrupt campaign system, there could be no elections? How then could we even hope for a brighter tomorrow when presently, we are teaching our children the ropes of corrupt politicking? How could we claim that our children will be greater leaders than what we have at present when we are pouring them into an already corrupted mold of the present system?

Indeed, much has been said, and much, much more want to say more, of the rotten system. But, frankly, what have we done individually and/or collectively to ‘repair' the said system ourselves? It is not enough to have read this written piece and talk and discuss about this to friends, or even write a tenfold more about this. It is not enough to spend out your voice on the radio or any public address system just to air out what and how we feel about it. We have to DO something to correct this already out-of-hand situation. But what is there to do about it and how are we to do it? Blame anyone? Blame everyone? Blame the authorities? Blame the trying hard to be politicians? Blame those who have ambition to be “leaders”. Blame those who have not done anything about it? No! It is really not enough to blame, even curse, anyone. Some blame the politicians, some put the blame on the parents, others on the youth themselves for not standing firm, some even blame the COMELEC. More blame the so-called ‘traditional politicians'. (Hahaha! For me, you have to be traditional to be a better politician these days.) Almost all of us blame another person, thing or whatever.

But, have we taken time to assess ourselves? Are we not also partly to be blamed? As voters, are we sure of not being tainted with biases ranging from that of “kaikog” up to “utang kabubut-on”? As parents, are we sure of not influencing with bias the minds of our children? As citizens, are we sure of not forcing our opinions on our friends and our neighbors? As government leaders who claim to be public servants, are we sure of not exerting our influential arms and pockets to favored candidates? (Of course, this is usually in exchange for whatever favor/s.) As candidates, are we sure of not having employed dirty tactics from that of the now considered plain and simple vote-buying to that of intimidation and harassment? Have you not driven one of your kins out of work just to show that you are a good leader of your community? Have you not coerced the blessings of those above you in the process, too?

Hah! There is really much to change within us and without us when it comes to making come true our dream of clean and honest elections. It is really not the system that is rotten after all. If we think we are shamed by the failure of having an ideal exercise of suffrage, we may have to rethink and re-evaluate what really is the real cause. We have to include ourselves in the process and be honest. Only then will we, perhaps, be able to make our dream for a better future come true. For comments, reactions and suggestions, e-mail me at wordigras@yahoo.com . Take care of your environs and you'll take care of humanity. Take care. See you next issue.