Choose the Best Candidates: We Have the Final Say

         by Vic Odarve.

Elections have been the traditional process by which a people choose representatives because several candidates with varied goals desire to hold public office in a democratic society. Elections allow citizens to express themselves, invoke symbols of nationalism or patriotism, and more. Elections break up the monotony of daily life, with government officials leading our economy in a downward spiral, with the country suffering as a result. The decision to elect public officials to hold public positions is, as it always has been, yours to make and is irreversible.

Presidentiables

 Participating in the election process really invokes the symbols of nationalism or patriotism. It gives us satisfaction in our need to feel a sense of belonging to our country, the place of our birth. Hence, the events during election time that include rallies, banners, posters, and television coverage suggest the importance of our participation. Sharing a post on social media like the Facebook edifies fellow voters. The Philippines is an electoral democracy, but sometimes corruption and a lack of transparency continue to undermine democratic development. Elections have historically been marred by fraud, intimidation, and political violence. Vote-buying and vote-selling obstruct the democratic process, yet they remain pervasive in some parts of our country. Taking part in monitoring a clean and honest election is one of our nationalistic roles.

Oligarchs loan written off in 2006

 Election is the time to give people an opportunity to have their say. President Duterte approval and trust ratings remained high just weeks before he will leave the office after the May 2022 election. The first-quarter survey of PUBLiCUS Asia showed 67.2 percent of the respondents approved of the President's performance in the past 12 months. Duterte's trustworthiness rating was at 61.8 percent. This indicates that his anti-corruption and drug campaign works.

Whatever other reasons voters may have in their minds, participation in the upcoming election serves to reinforce our self-esteem and self-respect. For the neophytes in politics, voters have a chance to dig deeper if the candidates are the best applicants for the government position. He could not be the perfect candidate—but maybe the best among them. At least the voters can choose better candidates for public servants.

By arousing emotions and working toward a collective objective of improving our country by electing good-performing government officials, it gives us a chance to replace below-par performers in our governance platform. By helping our voters through education, we can select candidates that cannot be bought and fooled by big businesses, crooked government officials, and oligarchs. Graft and corruption, tax evaders, and drug lords have been the perennial problems in this country. These are the main culprits behind why our economy is on a downward trend. One thing is certain: let others also know that they must vote according to their conscience, even if they do accept money.

Graft and Corruptions Investigation

Choosing the best candidate can be a challenging job, and when none of them seems to be a perfect fit for the public position, always vote for people who will best represent and uphold biblical values. Candidates, who are usually groomed and supported by media giants and rich and powerful oligarchs, must be investigated if they have records of graft and corruption. They may be the recipients of the ill-gotten wealth, groomed by the oligarchs, supporters of the communist party, or simply good in promises but not in deeds. If they are one of them, crush them from your list. Do not vote for them, even if they are endorsed by the President. Do not sell your votes to save our country. Believe in God's supernatural touch. The Bible says,

"When we humble ourselves and pray, God will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14)!"

Philippine politics can be toxic, frustrating, and even boring for many. But the choice to select candidates is ours and is irrevocable when the dust of all our cities incarnadines the sunsets of the world.

 

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