May 2010 Elections: Do We Have a Real Choice?

End of hiatus. I missed the blogosphere, but had to work on a community program technical review which findings once more confirmed the merciless plight of our poor families in almost one-room temporary, makeshift shelters-each as home to an average of six small children roughing the day through with a potful of porridge, each one forced to look after the other while the father is away for months in a construction contract, and the mother is out selling fruits in the park in any nook she could hold on to until the police come for “demolition”.

Back to the hottest menu of the day: elections. As we hear people discuss and comment on the poll candidates, the most popular ones are those who have been tagged as “Action Men” and who have truly proven their worth in public service. There are those who have remained “nuisances”, both in action and in words. Still, there are those who are not so popular but have done constructive work as private individuals who are now seeking public posts. One such candidate for President is Nicanor Perlas, recipient of the Right Livelihood Award or Alternative Nobel Prize (2003),UN Environmental Program Global 500 Award (1994), The Outstanding Filipino Award (1994), and the William F. Masterson, S.J. Agriculture Award (1995)  Public Service Award,  Municipal Government, Maasin, Iloilo (1972).

Government officials, especially the President, have been chosen for the past century of our national history through popular election. It is a numbers game that does reflect the MOST NUMBER of people who opted for a certain candidate but does not necessarily reflect the election of the BEST candidate. Further, popularity is made through mass information on a person’s ability and capacity to enhance his image according to the values of the masses in receiving and accepting information. In the cycle, the masses have been educated to be amused and be comforted by media propaganda that project pro-poor images because they talk and act like the “masa” . Here, no thinking is permitted. The sad thing is this is still the order of the day.

 Fortunately, there are media practitioners who are true to the profession and provide information upon which the public could draw data, analyze and act according to their own reasoning. The professionals, college and high school students who are of voting age, even the out-of-school youth with continuing education still form the better part of the thinking electorate. They could still help their family members in their selection of candidates for various positions. They can make the multiplier effect to outnumber the order of the day and create what is palatable and healthy for the nation.

Yes, we can choose the real meal in the menu. It might just take the cooks another century? Oh, hungry!