And the race begins...

Today, October 1, 2021, is the first day for those seeking to run in next year's elections to file their Certificate of Candidacy. This exercise will end on October 8.

The 2022 elections are a big deal. It's a presidential race, along with 12 senatorial seats, on the national level, plus all local positions from congressmen to governors, mayors and councilors. The only public positions not in the running are village (barangay) leaders.

It's a big deal because this pandemic has shown the glaring inadequacy in leadership, particularly by the national government. (Our healthcare system is truly a mess)

It's a big deal because the pandemic has brought to fore the lack of organization and systems that could have streamlined processes in tracing, identifying, and treating those infected by the coronavirus, and the vaccination drive.

It's a big deal because the people have seen who the real public servants are, and should be more aware about the need for change. Whether it will translate when actually choosing new leaders is the big question.

The options

So far, four personalities have made known their intention to seek the presidency. Three were pushed to run out of frustration with the current leadership, the other has long held the ambition of becoming president, and after his unsuccessful bid for the vice-presidency, which he filed a protest for, and lost, remains confident he will finally be victorious.

Many opposed to the current administration are still holding out hope the vice-president will throw her hat in the ring. She has six more days to push her unification efforts, so passionate is she about the belief that to beat the administration bet, the opposition must field a single candidate to consolidate votes.

If her efforts are unsuccessful, perhaps she may be convinced to run herself. The danger with so many candidates is one, the administration bet, or some unsavory character will triumph, and two, the winner will just be a minority president.

My countrymen should really get their acts together if we are truly serious about wanting to change the kind of governance that we've had to live with especially in the last two years since COVID changed the world.

It is mind-boggling that military men and bureaucrats have been appointed to lead the fight against the pandemic while in most countries, it is medical experts who are at the forefront in handling the problem because it is a health concern.

And with so many lapses and challenges in government's response to the pandemic, reviving the economy and life going back to normal is taking far longer, and people are almost at the end of their rope.

Picking fights

Then there is the fact that instead of focusing on the myriad problems the state is facing, we have a president who, instead of being a dignified statesman, is wasting time behaving as a neighborhood goon, picking fights with everyone who questions policies and actions that have been detrimental to the country, while protecting government officials even when they're obviously bungling their jobs.

That is my biggest beef about the president: that he doesn't even have the decency to act like a statesman, and be dignified enough not to engage in verbal tussles with legislators and even the vice-president, and instead work to unify the country so we can all fight this current menace.

I am all for acknowledging everything his administration has been able to accomplish, and I know it isn't him who trumpets all these achievements. But I will not tolerate a president who insults people in his speeches, drops expletives when he's angry or frustrated, and does not know how to keep his word, especially those he makes publicly, or at least knows to apologize sincerely when he's made a mistake.

I'd be more forgiving if I felt his sincerity, and if he were more tactful in his speech. Children are watching him, and seeing the president with such a foul mouth and mood seems to give them license to emulate his behavior!

And that's what I've been praying for... to have a leader who will be a true public servant first and foremost, one who is decent and worthy of respect, and with enough humility to accept help and criticisms and do what it takes to protect the interests of the people. And we need a leader who will find people actually fit for the humongous task of nation-building.

Our country is already battered as it is. All the acrid talk in public is doing little to encourage the citizenry to work together and find the best solutions to the nation's problems.

Like the most serious candidates who understand their responsibility to God and people should they win, I will pray for wisdom and discernment before I head out to the polling precinct and cast my vote for change.

Serving the public

And as early as now, I will pray very hard for my countrymen to be able to discern as well when it comes to choosing the next people who should be serving us.

I think we've mostly forgotten that we are electing public servants, and that title alone describes the relationship between politicians and their constituency. They serve the public, so their actions and decisions must be for our good, not theirs, and certainly not a political party's.

The marginalized public especially have to stand their ground and vote according to conscience and wisdom, and not the paltry amount that will be handed out by whatever party or candidate which will run out in a day or a week.

All they need to remember is what we've all been through the last two years, the hardship, the frustration, the fear, and those who stepped up to the task of taking care of the people and doing their best in fighting this invisible enemy.

It is not a lot to ask of the electorate if they want to get out of the rut we are in now to use that right we have to change. We will cast a vote for the future, and a decent life. So we must use this power wisely.

Images from Unsplash