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Mariano Carrasco

POVERTY, homelessness, and joblessness have multiple effects on our people. They cause lack of education, ignorance, the proliferation of so-called “squatter areas”, criminality, drugs, gambling, and promotes a beggar-mentality people who are easily prone to being bought come election time. As time progresses, good and honest men shy away from politics, and government and society are left with candidates who are mostly vote-buyers and corrupt. Ironically, these traditional and corrupt politicians are looked up to by the people for “crumbs”, for help if they have minor medical needs or if they need covered courts or basketballs or for contributions to summer basketball leagues. These politicians have the needed resources for these “crumbs”, taken either from government resources or from stolen public funds, like the pork barrel cases. But by and large these traditional politicians maintain a political culture of mendicancy, or a culture of being beggars and parasites, which actually holds the people or their political leaders under their influence and control for political purposes.

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Improving society then requires a continuing struggle by those who are aware of its root causes. It would not be easy because mainstream politics and those profiting from the established order will usually frown upon and resist, or suppress struggles that would seem to disturb their privileges and corrupt governance. The social institutions, from schools to the mass media, are all controlled by them, and naturally they will always be protective of their self-interests, that is, the preservation of the status quo or existing social order. What is the existing social order? Shorn of ideological underpinnings, the existing social order is one dominated by the ruling elite, mostly big business and big landlords and foreign interests, who mainly control the levers of economic, political, cultural and educational power. Vote-buying, which is essential to winning seats in government, is a thing which the ruling elite allows silently, to maintain their dominance and control, even as the electoral watchdogs and the Comelec would cosmetically or ostentatiously campaign against it. The fact is–nobody has even been convicted of vote-buying or vote-selling in this country. I have not even heard of anyone being charged criminally for buying or selling votes, though it is illegal in our election laws, and, it is rampant and prevalent come election time.

As things stand now, the elite and their political parties, have an edge when it comes to electoral propaganda, volume of tarpaulins, holding of expensive rallies  and the capacity to pay media outlets for their campaigns. A one-hour radio program alone costs a hundred thousand pesos, and a half a minute television spot costs almost half a million pesos! The Lopezes, the Gozons, the Duavits, and Pangilinan, and their ilk are all laughing all the way to the bank every election time.

It is ironic that in a predominantly Christian society like ours, vote-buying and vote-selling which trample upon the conscience of men and their freedom to choose moral candidates, seems acceptable. The teachings of the church are left behind at the church doorsteps.

It is difficult to understand that the status quo or the ruling landlords and big business would not even allow free and honest elections to thrive—a little leeway, a little hope for those who might just be fed up with corrupt electoral politics that impoverishes our people, and who might just finally opt for a bloody revolution as the only remaining option.

Neri Colmenares, formerly a congressman under Bayan Muna partylist, is one of the best candidates for a senatorial position, but as things stand, with expensive campaign costs and lack of campaign resources, I doubt if he would make it to the Senate.

 (Mariano B. Carrasco is a lawyer based in Cagayan de Oro.)

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TRAILBLAZER. Established in 1989, Mindanao Gold Star Daily aimed set ablaze a new meaning and flame to the local newspaper industry. Throughout the years it continued its focus and interest in the rural areas and pioneered the growth of community journalism.