Politics is such A dirty business that people running for public office are confronted with past doings as well as present circumstances. It is said that in politics there are no permanent friends nor enemies but only permanent interests. This aptly sums it up. Looking for skeletons in one's closet and digging up dirt in one's backyard are more likely how this nasty game is played. Contenders outshine each other by their so called accomplishments and track record. Each achievement played to the hilt by their drumbeaters and touted flauntingly by a well-oiled propaganda machine. Alliances are made and built not upon friendships but along common goals and interests. Survival is keysuch that former friends and allies become bitter rivals. Your friend today maybe your enemy tomorrow for politics is cold and callous and transcend loyalties.

In a less mature democracy such as we have, the electorate tends to favor popular candidates perceived as winnable. Normally people vote for candidates who have a strong likelihood of winning. Thus it is important that this perception be carried and reinforced until election day. The candidates through their political machinery go all out to commission public opinion polls aimed at swaying voters' interest and confidence. These surveys are done regularly as a way of conditioning the people's minds as to the probable chances of victory of a particular candidate. Spin doctors and strategists take great pains to mold an image of their candidates and sell it to the voting public.

The majority of our electorate is mass based and vote primarily on the basis of personality not issues and platforms of governance. Here popularity is important. Appeal to the masses is significant and can spell the difference between victory and defeat. A candidate for public office may be smart, intelligent and laden with all the impeccable credentials but if he fails to capture the masses' fancy then he falls short of victory. Regardless of how good one is, a sure recipe for success is by being the darling of the crowd. Thus we see, come election time, candidates singing and dancing and doing all sorts of crazy things to endear themselves to the public. This is the irony in a system where numbers play a major role. That the rest of us have to accede to the majority who are easily swayed and mesmerized by appearances, and often whose votes are bought is a fact. We cannot brush aside that there are far more voters drawn by economic considerations than by sterling performances in governance.

In the Philippines, elections are costly and do get costlier depending on how stiff the competition is. The cost of running a political campaign could run into the millions. Sometimes it even becomes bloody as warring clans and groups clash for control of their territory. Public office often becomes a family affair. Why then do people aspire for key positions in government? Is it public service or the lust for power? Hunger for material gain and security and a life of privilege? What drives them to spend significantly for an office that pays less? We treat our public officials not as public servants but more like royalty that being elected makes it so coveted. Years of subjugation and indoctrination by way of colonization have imbibed in our psyche the feudal mentality which is still prevalent to this day. Although subtle in its present form, it manifests in the way our officials see themselves in relation to the general public.

Rarely do we see politicians queue in line with the rest of us. If not for the President's abhorrence of blaring sirens complete with blinking lights and police escorts , this common practice by government functionaries to ease their way in and out of traffic in the metropolis to the utter dismay of motorists who suffer daily, would still be rampant. That most often politicians think and act like they are more privileged than the rest. That the people are treated like vassals in a fiefdom didn't come by accident for we allowed ourselves to be so. We pamper our politicians by giving them the best food and seat at the dinner table during feasts. We feel honored by their presence at our parties and relish their acquaintance. But worse, we demean ourselves by accepting money during elections only to be robbed blind thereafter.

We deserve the leaders we chose that we now suffer and complain. But whatever the situation, we only have ourselves to blame. There are no masters if there be no servants. We spoiled our leaders that we transformed them from public servants to our overlords. In the process we lost our voices and our ascendancy. In contrast, in the mature democracies of advanced countries, the government is sensitive to the pulse of the people. Politicians are conscious, fearful how the public would react to legislation that bears impact on their lives thus are quick to rectify laws that do not bode well in the public interest. Their politicians resign at the slightest hint of suspicion and loss of confidence.

When farmers in France for instance go up in arms against unfavorable laws by dumping their produce on the streets and barricading the roads with their tractors and farm equipment, the government listens, rethinks and compromises. Here you can go on days of hunger strike in protest and be branded a leftist and a nuisance yet your grievance no matter how legitimate is not even addressed. You can shout your voices out and still not be heard. These are sad realities that confront us when we deal with our government. We earn the ire of our leaders when we take to the streets and howl in protest. We feel the weight of the establishment bearing down on us when we expose wrongdoings and anomalies. We can become enemies of the state when we cross paths with powerful and influential people. We may think we are the bosses but in reality we are not.

Through the years, we have become apathetic and lost hope, resigned to fate. Calls for people power to effect change no longer have their mass appeal. We have grown weary and tired brought about by our leaders' indifference to our people's plight. Our cries have fallen on deaf ears. Overall, it is not a rosy picture except for the good statistical numbers of our economic growth and projections that are debatable. Ordinary people do not feel its impact in their lives leaving them to wonder who enjoyed its windfall. The government continues to pour billions into cash subsidies to poor families but obviously could not generate the desired effect. The people continue to suffer from the lack of basic services. We can go on and on. But we should not be discouraged and stop. We may not live in an ideal democracy but reforms have started in the present and hopefully will continue into the next. As a people and a society we still have much to learn and to correct. Let us go on and continue with our crusade. There are still a few good men in place!

The coming elections in 2016 is a turning point for the reforms started. The new government it will bring is crucial to keep it going. This early, presidential wannabes are slinging and hurling mud at each other. The senate probes add to the excitement and drama. Personalities being investigated cry foul and accuse opponents of early politicking. But whatever the motivation, the public will benefit from knowing the handiwork of these presidential aspirants. The various projects undertaken in the past under their stewardship will be subjected to scrutiny. Any hint of misdeed and smell of corruption will be exposed. We may frown at the reasons for these inquiries but in the process the people will be informed and should know better for whom to pledge their allegiances.

VP Binay is in the forefront to the presidential race and contenders like Sec. Mar Roxas, Senators Cayetano and Trillanes who made no qualms about their presidential ambitions are doing what they can to catch up in the surveys. The fireworks are expected to heat up in the days ahead. It will be interesting to watch as these personalities clash and slug it out. They are neither saints nor without sin and people are anxious to learn more than what they already have. The Palace has kept a safe distance but is intently watching and contemplating its next move. Its allies in the House may have started efforts to amend the Constitution and talks of a presidential term extension have been floated around to test the public's pulse. This is a game changer that could save presidential allies and party mates from looming defeat in the upcoming polls and the present Administration from embarrassment. Whatever will happen will surely be exciting to watch.

It really is more fun in the Philippines!

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