Election 2013 or Deception

Feb. 1, 2013 Philippine Daily Inquirer Letter to the Editors, Dear Sirs: Election 2013 or Deception Election season is here again. We, the people, will vote for candidates not because of their ambitions for the good of our country; but because of the financial power hidden behind general election - the 4 Lords: Jueteng Lord, Gambling Lord, Drug Lord, and Praise the Lord. Not to mention their cohorts - the 3 Gs - Guns, Goons, and Gold. The General Election will be held on May 13, 2013. In total, there will be 18,022 national and local positions decided: 12 senators, 229 district members of the House of Representatives, 80 provincial governors, 80 provincial vice governors, 766 members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial legislature), 138 city mayors, 138 city vice mayors, 1,532 members of the city council, 1,496 municipal mayors, 1,496 municipal vice mayors, and 11,972 members of the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), there will be elected one regional governor, one regional vice governor, and 24 regional assemblymen. Party-list representative will also be elected. It is traditional. We, the people, know nothing about these candidates running for office - where they stand on nutrition for the nation; health and sanitation for our cities, towns, and barrios; especially as they should reflect love of country; law and order. What are their plans for us, the people, to have more sense as a nation and not just wait for the arrival of foreign corporations. Indeed, the arrival of our employers; while, we are educated enough to be their employees. Our national election is also about the approval of political dynasty growing and expanding steadily in our sick society. Especially where civil service eligibility does not matter. What counts is the relativity of influence, wealth, power, and glory. All that we know of these candidates is what they all share something in common together - They are all MAKA-DIOS. Indeed, we all have been raised and educated to believe in the existence of a divinity that is higher and greater than our country, or far more important than the Filipino family. A divinity always available with the power to forgive not only sins, crimes, and deceptions; but also to forgive graft and corruption. In the meantime, working for the government is a not a career of public service in our country. It is great opportunities to make money. And why not? Money made is the accepted measure of decadence in our country! Jose Rizal said it: "Corruption is the major cause of our economic backwardness." Indeed, corruption as the reflection of a corrupt system of education. Especially during our formative years in school. It is where we learn how to forgive the sins of our politicians; how to forgive law-makers as they are among the first law-breakers; how to forgive our church leaders, and the self-appointed prophets of big-business bible-thumpers! Thus, instead of more freedom and democracy - we only have more of the same old mediocrity more known as political dynasty in our poor and backward country. We hardly have the intellect to ask: where are our thinkers, writers, innovators, inventors, reformers, and the promoters of constructive evolution? How come we only have more of the same old destructive revelation? Indeed, instead of challenging ourselves with the task of generating new ideas for the new year, we only find ourselves celebrating the old ways of the old year! Oh yes, the historical struggle in the Philippines has never been about GOOD versus EVIL; but only about EVIL versus EVIL; and EVIL has always been wining! In the meantime, we have yet to find and then elect a collection of educated men courageous enough to run efficiently our government of the people, by the people, and for the people! We are told that the Philippines is one of richest countries in natural resources. Name it; we have it; except diamonds. Our educators, however, have yet, to discover the greatest and the most powerful of natural resources in our country: the Filipino mind and heart. Its precious potentials are wasted away yearly inside commercial establishments own and operated by our former colonial masters. They are still here, but no longer referred to as our colonial masters. They are more known today as schools, colleges, and universities. They are the deadliest of destroyers of Filipino minds and hearts. Such evils operate not as educational institutions; but as commercial enterprises. Tax free. Indeed, we are all born ignorant, not corrupt; we are made corrupt by education. Foremost historian - Teodoro A. Agoncillo - in his HISTORY OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, published some 50 years ago, wrote a simple truth still truthful today: "Self-deception is the worst tragedy of the Filipinos as a people." Sincerely, Poch Suzara, San Lorenzo Village, Makati city