Half-time Run

[Journal Entry: Thu Feb 8, 2007, 9:40 PM, on http://lykwys.deviantart.com]

Half-baked

The most recent reports that several distinguished personalities in the field of show business and in sports, whom yours truly would have to stress their lack of background in political science, experience, and in a more sensitive sub-issue, the doubts about their intellectual capacities, reasoning abilities, and rhetoric, have taken their oaths to run for public office in their respective niches.

These are Richard Gomez, Cesar Montano, Rico J. Puno, for the senatorial positions; Alma Moreno, and German Moreno, for councilor positions; and of course, Manny Pacquiao for the Mayor of General Santos City, just to name a few.

There are no apprehensions as far as this writer is concerned for the said individuals to run, per se, that lines should be drawn whether one is capable of holding positions requiring mere responsibilities of executions (as with councilor positions) or of legislature.

Half-breed

Another discouraging observation that should be mentioned is the total purposelessness of our government multi-party system. What was once an exhibition of integrity by the politicians of yesteryears in their polar ideological alignments (eg. LP vs. NP), is now bastardized by each parties’ fragmentization, and the emergence of pragmatic coalitions (see related editorial article on PDI http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=48137) to suit the current need for bandwagon identities. Indeed, candidates today should be seen, not based on their affiliations, but for their personal abilities (see Federico Pascual Jr’s opinion http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200702082603.htm). With conviction, this is a huge insult, not only to the maturity of Philippine politics, but also, and ultimately, to the aptitude of the Filipino people (and by people, I am both referring to the educated voters and also to the masses).

Strategic moves set about by the likes of Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta (whom readers should be reminded, is the sister of Benigno), and Vicente Sotto III (who is an entertainment personality) are but indications of the decrepit and deteriorating state of our ideological convictions, from honor, to opportunism.

Considering the current progression (and the term is used loosely) of the current constitution and local laws after the Marcos oust, isn’t it time to review the necessity to return to a bi-partisan party system, or are ulterior motives (or to put it more bluntly, fears) being felt by the incumbent legislators? Apprehensions of loss of political power are difficult not to conceive.

Half-buried

Now, consider this conspiracy theory. Could it be possible that with all these distractions (referring to these ill-equipped entertainment candidates), who are very likely to align themselves with the Unity Ticket (for my friends at home or abroad, who have not kept up with our nation’s current events, the Unity Ticket is a government coalition equivalent to the administration stable, as opposed to the UNO, or United Opposition) are strategic moves weaved by the incumbent administration for the promotion, and ultimately for the success of changing our form of government from the republic to the parliamentary position?

It will be a vicious circle considering we, the people will be the ones putting these senatoriables, and others into their royal velvet padded seats. Realizing that inept buffoons would be incapable of writing effective laws, moves to endorse charter change will yet again come to pass.

For further reading, try to consider reading Crisline Torres (who’s this proud writer’s aunt by the way) paper on the parliamentary and presidential debate, at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism website (http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=1160).

And yes, that was a shameless plug.

Half-hearted

Finally, what do we have in all of this? This leaves the Filipino voter unenthusiastic, to exercise their right to elect. Wouldn’t it be the perfect time for say, our Department of Health secretary, Dr. Francisco T. Duque, to advocate abstinence?

An analogy is all but left in the end, that our country is like a half-baked cake, baked by a half-hearted chef. And best of all, who could not resist all the nuts that’s sprinkled on top of it?