The PH senatorial and local elections are on Monday. I almost didn’t want to write the usual election post, mostly because I was annoyed with and tired of the electorate and the politicians and the system and all that. But we shouldn’t give in to despair.
Often when choosing who to vote, it will be difficult to find candidates who align perfectly with your values. You make compromises to prioritize those issues you think are more important. You settle on lesser evils to try to stave off the worse ones.
It can be scary sometimes to make a judgment that “this candidate is great”, because you can’t really know a person right? And these candidates, you only see a sliver of their lives, what they project publicly, so it can be difficult to judge. But at least you should be openly rejecting those who are already projecting poor values: supporting murders, blind support for the administration, plunderers, criminals, etc.
For me, the most important issue facing the country right now is the need to provide a decent check and balance in the legislative branch, so for this reason, I will vote all of the Otso Diretso senatorial slate. Some of them aren’t the best choices, but the administration candidates are far worse. Even if you are not inclined to support the opposition, I strongly suggest you consider Chel Diokno. He’s the best candidate I’ve seen since the late Raul Roco. Gutoc, Alejano, and Aquino are the next best ones. Hilbay has had some flaky opinions, but he’s smart without a doubt, and a bar topnotcher. Roxas had a poor stint sa executive branch, but he was ok sa legislative. Macalintal and Tanada are the ones I have the least info about, but again, opposition.
I am considering leaving the remaining 4 slots open, will probably decide on election day. The pickings are slim. If only we had an option for downvotes instead, I could vote down the really bad choices like Marcos, Go, Revilla, dela Rosa.
Local elections: The Quezon City mayoral choices aren’t very good. Belmonte has an air of incompetence. But her opponent Crisologo is as a friend described “an evil Ilocano warlord stuck in the 70s”, so in the choice between incompetent and evil, we have no choice but to choose incompetence. (There is a third candidate, but I don’t think he has a chance.)
I think I will skip voting for the vice mayor and councilor slots. I have no info on them.
For the QC sixth district, I’m lucky that our district has a liberal party incumbent who has made some house votes I agree with, so for me it’s still Kit Belmonte.
Party list: Eh, IDK anymore. Maybe Akbayan or Magdalo.
As you can see, I don’t have very strong opinions this time around, especially on the local level. I am not super optimistic about this election, as I suspect the electorate may very well disappoint me yet again. But still, duty is duty. And so we hope for the best while fearing the worst.
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