Dealing with the Circus, etc.

So I was stuck in traffic for an entire hour the other night. I was on my way home from Makati. The van's driver was muttering darkly the whole way but I really didn't care. I was going home to get some sleep and it was all good. It was 9:30PM and everything was easy-breezy until I got off Skyway and got onto Sucat. It was then that I understood why Mr. Driver was pissed off. My father texted me: there was a political rally of candidates for the local election, which explained why our side of the road was barely moving.

Ah, campaign season is truly upon us. 

The political party running after the current administration was gathered in Silverio Compound, the site of a rather bloody encounter between a demolition team and the urban poor. It left one dead and several others injured. Who's behind the demolition? Apparently the party that this political party's going against. 

Above: Taken around Jaka Plaza on Sucat Road.
Below: Political tarps and posters hung around Silverio
Compound, where opposition party gathered.  

That's Philippine Politics for you. I'm 24 years old (almost 25) and I've only been politically awake for a few years. From the words of one of my mentors, Alvin Dakis: Janina, di ka mabubuhay sa politika. My other mentor, Joey dela Cruz, phrased it more nicely: Janina, may puso ka.(He probably means "madalas wala kang isip minsan", although with all the sadistic love he has for me XD) Quite honestly, those are bulls-eye description of what I know about this circus. I do know some stuff, though, and here's a synthesis of what I've found out. 

1.  People probably believe that leadership is a genetic quality that can be passed down from generation to generation. 

People talk about political dynasty and how it should be abolished. Heck, a provision against the political dynasties in THE Constitution. Technically, it is illegal (although flawed, because law-makers are being quite slow on that anti-political dynasty law). And still, Pinoys vote for one guy, and this guy's baby girl and baby boy and wife and sister and mom and brother and uncle and aunt and dog... you get the picture. The point: there is no empirical evidence that leadership is a genetic quality. Why are people voting for entire families again?

2. Many political candidates have no sense of decency. 

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was tried for plunder because of the anomalies during her presidency, YET she still became congresswoman. Erap Estrada was imprisoned for plunder and he's blazing trail as candidate for Manila's mayor. Anti-Reproductive Health Law senatoriable Rizalito David assaulted and threatened a Pro-RH advocate. David and other oh-so-religious men and women openly piss at the Constitution by attempting to bring their religions into the Legislative Arm despite the separation of Church and State clause.  Many of our candidates have pretty faces and/or names that are easily remembered, but nothing of substance to fill their resumes (and sometimes nothing in between the ears), as if credentials are secondary to popularity and a popular name is a solution to social problems- complete and utter bullocks, if I may say so. We have many, many more stories  like these, it's starting to look like the typical Pinoy teleserye.

And yet, here they are again, running for positions. The blame, though, is not solely placed on these people. After all, WE are the voters.

3. It is unfortunate to say, but most of us are complete dunderheads when it comes to electing our officials. 

Information is on a click of a button. I do not believe that people have time to edit photos on Instagram or play Candy Crush or Tetris on Facebook but not have time to Google a candidate one plans to vote for (or to reply to a friend's text message, for that matter, but that is another story). Would it kill you to check if you're voting for the right person?

4. A grim prospect: nothing's changing unless we change.

And that takes time and consciousness to actually be smart about these things. The revolution would not be without pain, but really, after having spend ages dealing with this  circus we call politics, won't it be worth it to elevate the status of Philippine political arena and, essentially, how our country is run?

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I had the pleasure of sitting down with senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros last Thursday, along with other social media people. We had lunch at the Alfredo's at Tomas Morato. The food was great. The conversation was better. I represented Philippine Health Bloggers Society, along with fellow blogger Raim of Filipino Queer Rants. I was quite happy to be learning more about the woman who's earned a slot in my senatorial bets, and I was satisfied that I made the right choice.  

Risa Hontiveros talks with Raim of Filipino Queer Rants
on why she is an LGBT advocate

I've met Ms. Risa several times before, mostly in gatherings of Reproductive Health advocates. She is one of the champions of RH, including Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Pia Cayetano. 

I had several questions for her, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's Quo Ante order against the RH law. Risa took time off from the campaign to continue to meet other advocates and ready herself for the oral arguments regarding the Status Quo Ante, which will be held in June. She also addressed the issue of the White Movement of the Catholic Bishop's Conference and the inclusion in Team Patay. She laughed when I congratulated her and told her that her inclusion is one reminder of who I would vote for. The CBCP is currently endorsing for and against candidates on basis of their stand on the RH Law. "Sabi nila it's voter's education. It's citizen's miseducation and disinformation."  Risa maintains that her method of countering the campaign against her is to continue educating people on the true content and intentions of the law. "Naniniwala naman ako na walang Catholic vote na anti-RH. Kung may Catholic Vote man, it's Pro-RH," she said. (I believe that there is no Catholic vote that is anti-RH. If there is a Catholic Vote, it is Pro-RH.)

Apart from what I already know about her, I also learned many other things such as her stand on reviving the Bataan Nuclear Powerplant versus finding more renewable sources of energy, how she began to be an advocate, and the rationale behind the singing in her TV ad. There was also talk on her dare for rival Nancy Binay, her stance on divorce, and the personal roots of her LGBT advocacy. Issues of the pork barrel and electoral reforms in correlation with cultural change and abolishing personality-based elections were touched. Her stance on security on tenure is something that Risa is asking PNoy to consider. "Walang nag-aantay ng kawang-gawa. People just want to work." 

Having to listen to a candidate answer impromptu questions from scrutinizing social media people is an enlightening experience,  and I wish that, as a voter, I had time to do the same with other politicians (I especially want to sit down with Rizalito David and ask a few questions about equality of public service and propriety), but I just had to ask something that's a bit more personal and a tad inconsequential to Risa's platform. I couldn't pass up the chance and I thought it's best to the get tips first-hand.

"How do you keep pretty?" 

She laughed at my question and replied, "Tawa lang ng tawa, ngiti lang ng ngiti... simpleng healthly regimen lang... everything in moderation."

Everything in moderation, but I don't think there's any moderation with Ms. Risa Hontiveros, especially when it comes to fighting for what she believes in. Despite the soft voice that she's well known for, this woman is game: laban kung laban. 

At magandang laban ito. 

Bloggers and social media users at Alfredo's with
senator-aspirant Risa Hontiveros

For more information regarding your senatoriables, check out http://momblogger.podomatic.com/.