A change not to be relished

ON DISTANT SHORE

By Val G. Abelgas

It should be a time of hope for millions of Filipinos as they prepare to go to the polls on Monday, May 9, to elect the new set of leaders who will govern the country in the next six years.

The last six years had not turned out as we had hoped when we elected the son of a recently deceased revered democratic icon. After six years of hypocrisy and ineptitude, the hope has turned to despair, and the promise of deliverance from corruption and poverty under President Benigno S. Aquino III’s “daangmatuwid” has remained just that, a promise.

The coming presidential election should offer us hope, as all electoral processes should, but looking at the line-up of contenders for the presidency, it seems the people are left to choosing the one with the least baggage, or the one who will bring us to the least doom, or the one who just might be able to bring the radical change that many think the nation needs, at whatever cost.

The utter frustration of the people on the ills that have kept the country from attaining real, sustainable and inclusive growth has made them too defeatist to think that all politicians are corrupt anyway so why worry about corruption allegations against some of the candidates, or too desperate to risk giving up freedom and democracy in exchange for radical change, or too naïve to allow another candidate to pursue the broken promises of his benefactor or to put a totally inexperienced aspirant holding the reins of government.

Surely, there must be better options for national leadership out there. But alas, we have to contend with the five that were thrust to us for this election.

So, who should we elect on May 9?

I cast my vote on the first week of the voting period for overseas absentee voters, but I must admit that it was a reluctant choice for president. The candidate is, to my humble estimation, the best in the lightweight list of presidential aspirants.

Nonetheless, one of them will become the next president of the Republic of the Philippines. We had hoped for a miracle when we elected Aquino six years ago. Apparently, it did not happen. We need another miracle for one of these five candidates to deliver the promises that they have been dishing out in their campaign sorties – eradicating crime, corruption and poverty.

It seems one of them, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, does not need any miracle. He says he just needs six months to weed the country of criminals and corrupt elements, a feat none has accomplished in the 70 years since the Americans allowed us to govern ourselves. He said he would fill Manila Bay with bodies of criminals and the corrupt. If the congressmen and senators try to impeach him or block his program of change, he wouldn’t hesitate to abolish Congress or declare a revolutionary government.

He boasts of having many girlfriends, jokes about the rape and murder of an Australian missionary, and dishes out expletives at every turn. And yet, if surveys are to be believed, more than 30 percent of the people will elect him to become the next president of the Philippines.

If that is not a resounding rebuff of Aquino and the political establishment or a clear sign of frustration and desperation, I don’t know what is.

I can understand the anger, the frustration and the desperation of the people. We all feel the same way. But decisions solely based on anger, frustration and desperation are often not the best decisions that we can make. Such decisions can often lead to even more disappointment, frustration and anger.

But who else is there to trust our country’s future to? Sen. Grace Poe does not have the necessary experience to lead a country confronted with, among others, corruption, crime, poverty, terrorism, rebellion in the South, and an alarming conflict with China over islands in the South China Sea. Worse, her and her husband’s loyalty to the country has been questioned because of NielLlamanzares’ past employment with an outfit that has contracts with US intelligence agencies.

Vice President JejomarBinay’s credibility and integrity have been seriously challenged by the numerous accusations of graft while he was mayor of Makati. While he may have the experience and the capability to lead the country, claims of corruption will hound him throughout his term, possibly rendering him ineffective.

Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas may be the best candidate in terms of preparation and academic credentials, along with Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, but he has nothing new to offer, except the continuation of Aquino’s failed “daangmatuwid.”

He also carries a baggage of failure and lack of sensitivity in the departments that he handled as a member of the Aquino Cabinet – the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Interior and Local Government. The image of the government’s lack of immediate and adequate response to the Yolanda disaster and the Zamboanga siege, and the LRT-MRT mess is enough to dissuade the people from believing he can deliver on his promise.

Santiago is brilliant and totally prepared to lead the country after his successful stints as judge and senator, but it would be difficult for the people to entrust the presidency to her because of her serious illness.

There is not much promise of redemption from these candidates, and yet we have to make a choice. It is paramount that we consider foremost the character of the candidate, as suggested by Philippine Star columnist Dick Pascual. Some say strength as a leader should be given emphasis. Others say experience is a must. Others say mental aptitude is important.

Although there have been many changes in survey frontrunners, Duterte obviously not only has a commanding lead of from 9 to 12 percentage points over Poe, but also has the momentum that could carry him to victory on May 9.

Under these circumstances and sans any kind of poll fraud, Duterte could be our next president. If Duterte lives up to his current image, Filipinos could be getting the change they may not necessarily relish, either by martial law or another People Power uprising. Déjà vu!(valabelgas@aol.com)