ONE Tuesday morning, one of the songs for our Zumba class was Pussycat Dolls’ “Hush Hush” and, there I was, teary-eyed while dancing.
This was the song that my sis Joan and her Lourdes College High School batchmates danced to at the “Hali Na Mo,” the school’s annual dance contest during the alumni homecoming years ago. Of course, they won.
In fact, they won three times, a three-peat, in two other “Hali Na Mo” dance contests.
My sis died almost a year ago. By this time last year, I stopped going to the gym and spent each day at the hospital to be with her.
When former Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno interviewed me in his “Overtime With Oca Moreno,” he asked if there’s any topic that’s difficult for me to write about. And my reply was, My sis Joan. Because I’d end up crying if I write about her.
That’s why I now have to switch to another topic, and go back to a word that I mentioned earlier: three-peat. Which can be the ultimate wish-ko-lang of the politician who’s allowed to have three consecutive terms. After which he will push his wife, children, parents, or siblings to run and stay in that position for one term, after which he will run again and stay for three consecutive terms again.
The Pinoy political candidate is so agog over public service. He will spend millions and will even borrow more millions to make sure he will win in the election. The return on investment is expected to be much higher, thanks — or no thanks? — to commissions.
He’s currently too busy shaking hands, leaving him with no time to attend any candidates’ forum.
FYI: the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is the one inviting candidates to that forum.
Comelec is supposed to hold such fora and debates to make the voters aware of the candidates’ platforms. But its limited number of personnel are preparing for the coming election, so, they’re grateful to organizers who are willing to host the fora and debates.
If a political candidate doesn’t participate in the forum, does that mean he doesn’t respect Comelec?
The forum can make the candidate speak and not only to shake hands. Kind of prepping him for the position he’s running for. If he’s now avoiding any forum but wins in the election, does that mean he will keep his mouth shut during sessions at the city council, Congress, or Senate? Or will he be the most silent mayor or governor, preferring to send a representative to every speaking engagement he’s invited to? Talk of hush hush.
Or does that mean he has already prepared millions worth of moolah for bribes, thus, he doesn’t need any forum to be heard and seen? What kind of a politician will he be if he wins?
The one who will win may be someone whose mouth has no filter and is not politically correct, or someone who batters and abuses women, or someone whose only goal is to enrich himself through the national treasury.
If he’s a political neophyte, you’re clueless about who he is unless you can read a person’s character through the way he shakes your hand.
If he’s running for reelection, at least you already know what he’s capable of.
