Unofficial and partial learning from the 2022 elections

Agood friend asked me to name my choice for President in the May 2022 elections. I answered that the leader that we need is someone who I think is not on the list. I am doubtful of the electoral process in this country. He cut me and told me that we need hope for our country. I answered I did not see hope in the list. If there is a candidate named HOPE, I will vote for him.

Three weeks after the elections, I am bouncing back from the May 9, 2022 trauma. I say trauma not of the results but of how this government is so helpless in aspiring to perfect the electoral process. The trauma of seeing the great loopholes of the electoral process in this country.

Allow me now to present some lessons learned from another useless significant event in the history of Philippine politics. First, the science of statistics is real. Survey results spoke a lot about our choice of leaders. It is a microcosmic reality of the future. I am one of those who were doubtful of statistics in research studies. Now, I could see that statistics or quantitative surveys could predict the future, especially the election results. I am aware that even survey agencies before the elections fear the repercussion of the survey results, it will not foretell the results.

Another lesson learned was that the winnability in Philippine politics depended on whom they were with; the use of popular people; being an underdog; and above all, votes being sold to the highest bidder.

Politicians need to choose the political party and groups. Dominant political parties are not usually the winning parties. Now, we need to trust survey results over the presence of people in political rallies. The use of popular people and not necessarily celebrities will bring one to the top. Do not use singers or “pa-cute” celebrities but using action stars or untraditional celebrities helped a lot.

Being an underdog helped. Let your opponent attack you and never retaliate, just remain as someone bullied. Pity helped a lot over intellectual debates and arguments. Tirades were not good strategies. Presentation of facts and vision was the winning strategy. And prepare a lot of money for the votes to be sold to the highest bidders.

Vote-buying was, is, and will always be part of the Philippine electoral process. I do not know who can change this or who can stop this. Philippine elections are very expensive and the country wastes a lot of money. Is there somebody who would stand and speak about this to put a stop to this dirty and dark side of Philippine politics? I pose this challenge to young people.

I am and had always been doubtful of the Philippine election system or even the system of governance in this country. However, I will not exchange or leave this country for “greener pastures.” I love this country but we need to change the system for us to become a better nation. Leaders will and could never change this country.

Lastly, It is very sad to note that the virtue of honesty and search for truth are now simply terms in the dictionary. Many of us no longer understand or know the truth. And worst, “morality” has been degraded to simply being a religious and philosophical matter.

So these are my partial and unofficial lessons learned from the May 2022 elections.

Philippine elections are very expensive and the country wastes a lot of money. Is there somebody who would stand and speak about this to put a stop to this dirty and dark side of Philippine politics?