May 9

Netnet Camomot

ILANG tulog na lang… Wait, do you still want to be reminded of the number of days left before Election Day?

You must be up to here with debates, surveys, the possible presidency of a former dictator’s son, political Facebook posts, FB friends unfriending each other due to political differences, and all you want now is for this election season to be over. Enough already! Gosh!

But there’s one more debate you may want to watch. And that’s the debate among those who watched all the presidential debates hosted by the TV networks. And the debate is not about the presidentiable who did best in those debates.

The debate is on what TV network had the most unbiased debate! Nope, not the one that allowed notes. Not the one with alleged leakage in the questions. Not the one that posted a presidentiable’s reply in its ticker even before he could reply. But there could be an explanation to the last one–light travels faster than sound?

A debate can be one of the ways to help you choose your leader. On who’s telling the truth and not simply courting you for your vote. On who has the passion for genuine public service. On who’s willing to offer his daily existence as a preparation for something more instead of looking at it as a sacrifice for the madlang pehpohl.

Something more? Like what, more money? More power? More, uh, debates?

Definitely no more debates. With Facebook friends now unfriending and blocking each other due to political differences, the Pinoy voter should switch back to talking about JaDine, KathNiel, and AlDub.

Buti pa ang love team, may forevermore. Ang political debate, whatever more ra gyud tawon. Good thing Election Day is coming soon to a theater near you, on May 9, otherwise… O my gas.

Yes, it’s a theater. There’s now a thin line between politics and showbiz because… Well, haven’t you noticed? Showbiz pehpohl are either running for office or campaigning for those who are running for office. And that’s not only for this year. It has been happening for many campaign seasons now, the Pinoy voter has learned to accept it as an SOP in Philippine politics.

At least, there’s a deadline: May 9. The candidates can’t be campaigning and debating forever, and the voters can’t be unfriending and blocking each other on Facebook. There has to be a loud pause to all these. We need to breathe after May 9. Tama na, sobra na. Palitan na? Hmmm.

For now, let’s have some moments for discernment so we can see who’s worthy for the precious seats that are waiting in Malacanang, at the Senate, the House of Representatives, the provincial capitols, municipal halls, city halls. Don’t waste your vote on the one who gave you P1,000. Meaning, if it’s only P999, you won’t vote for him anymore? Ouch.

It’s 2016, we should be able to move forward and not allow negative vibes to pull us back to the parts of Philippine history when we had less freedom than the one we’re enjoying now. Move on with the goal of working together with Pinoys who are also looking forward to a better Philippines. Leave behind those who are still swimming in negativity, don’t allow them to drag you to their level.

On May 10, when the results start to trickle in, let’s accept whoever wins. Because, more or less–or less is more, hehe–they’re all the same, anyway. They’re all politicians. And a politician with a passion for genuine service is as rare as a blue moon. So, choose the one with the highest rate for public service, and wish mo na lang that will morph to the genuine kind once he wins.