Elections Determine a Nation’s Fate

Voting, Quezon City, 2016. [Photo by Shirley Escalante, SBS Australia]

By Popoy Del R. Cartanio

Where people are free as in a democracy, the people elect their leaders to guide and rule them in pursuit of their destiny. Regular elections in the most significant and powerful ways can stagnate or simply make or unmake a nation.  In a nation of the blind the people should be able to know their one-eyed men and women to lead them and their descendants to a progressive future.

The process is called elections. The fundamental law commands it as SUFFRAGE, Article Five in the 1987 Philippine Constitution which have only two, REPEAT ONLY TWO Sections. All laws to be enacted by Congress to enforce the two Articles shall and must ADHERE to what it mandates:

SECTION 1. Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.

SECTION 2. The Congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad.

The Congress shall also design a procedure for the disabled and the illiterates to vote without the assistance of other persons. Until then, they shall be allowed to vote under existing laws and such rules as the Commission on Elections may promulgate to protect the secrecy of the ballot.

This question begs for complicated answers. What has the Commission on Elections since its ratification in 1987 accomplished so far in contributing to the fate of the Philippines as a free country in the free world?

Like an amorous husband caught watching porno in flagrante delicto by the missus can awkwardly say: “So sorry dear I can explain it but it is so complicated.”  It’s imbecilic to compare porno with elections but the exercise, the results and IMPACT of suffrage constitute the most complicated political phenomenon among truly democratic countries. And here are the whys.

Elections are about candidates, in the case of many a country, elections are about separating the “grain” candidates from the “chaff” candidates. The positives from the negatives may fit in descriptive pigeon holes.

While the positive categories are:

Good health and high capability; having good public service record; highly principled;
defending human rights; against dictatorship; without pending case(s) in courts;
not a member of any political dynasty; etc.

The negative categories are:

Plastic, elastic principles, generous with taxpayers’ money; poor health and dubious capability; have bad public service record; against human rights; favoring dictatorship; insufficient ability to make or implement laws; convicted or with Pending case(s) in courts; a member of political dynasty; a member of dubious political party, too or very old, etc.

Singaw, Hapyaw, Tungaw
Sa Halalan:

ang boto
huwag ibenta

lokong kandidato
huwag iboto

tunay na trapo
huwag iboto

kandidatong may kaso
huwag iboto

kandidatong nakulong
huwag iboto

bobo, bobong kandidato
huwag iboto

bantayan, bantayan
comelec at presinto

mga madre, sundalo
magmilagro bomoto

mga alat mga lespo
tigil ang kotong, bomoto

mga pari at obispo
isigaw sa pulpito, bomoto

mga ma’am mga sir
mga guro ang boto sagrado

abugada at abogado
tumahimik bomoto

mga sioque mga syokoy
taas noo bomoto

mga eskwater mga homeless
gising, tumayo, bomoto

mga dyabless tanggihan
ang lagay, bomoto.

mga bayaran ng kandidato
huwag bomoto

mga sipsip ng kandidato
huwag bomoto

bomoto huwag magpaloko
huwag magdala ng sandata

sumigaw, humiyaw
na lang sa kalsada

Halalan, halabira
Halabira, halalan


62 Responses to “Elections Determine a Nation’s Fate”
  1. edgar lores says:

    1. In Lincoln’s definition of democracy – “a government of the people, by the people, and for the people” – elections constitute the “by the people” part.

    2. The rules for suffrage seem to be very broad. Almost anyone of age may vote. The rules in Australia are similar with respect to age. The main difference is that voting is compulsory.

    3. There are 3 reasons for disqualification in Oz:

    3.1. people who are incapable of understanding the nature and significance of enrolment and voting
    3.2. prisoners serving a sentence of five years or longer
    3.3. people who have been convicted of treason and not pardoned

    4. Conversely, in the Philippines, the following are disqualified:

    4.1. insane or feeble-minded persons
    4.2. prisoners who have been sentenced to imprisonment for not less than one year. (Detainees who have not been sentenced may vote.)
    4.3. any person who has violated his oath of allegiance to the country

    5. As we know:

    5.1. persons with pending criminal charges may not only vote but run for office. E.g., Jinggoy, Enrile, and Gwen Garcia.
    5.2. persons who have been charged but not adjudged guilty may not only vote but run for office. E.g., Bong Revilla.
    5.3. persons who have been charged, adjudged guilty but pardoned may not only vote but run for office. E.g., Erap.
    5.4. persons who do not understand the “nature and significance” of voting may not only vote but run for office. E.g., the people who constitute or vote in dynasties, plunderers, and jokes.. time and time again.

    6. In the Philippines, the “nature and significance” of elections is that they are popularity contests. Or a contest of “who can give me/us more.”

    6.1. For predatory politicians, elections are a tool for personal aggrandizement. They are opportunities to gain, wield, and maintain power.

    6.2. People do not seem to understand that the “nature” of an election is the primary democratic function “of the people.” That an election is the most powerful tool — and sometimes the only tool — to influence government.

    6.3. And that the significance of an election is to choose candidates who will act “for the people” rather than for themselves.

    • popoy says:

      If I may and for me, it’s okay this time to be misunderstood but right though far fetched.

      EDGAR you are a fine cut diamond in the Society of Honor, since Honor is a precious diamond rough or fine cut. To the piece above if it has an iota of intelligence, you easily added intellect, a big hammer to a nail head to make it sink deeper to bleed the plasma of truth. Thanks Edgar.

      OOT. In the slopes of Mariang Makiling during a Tsagalag, Feeling tipsy and smart alecky, I asked an older frat brod what is honor? And he replied: “Honor is something you do not have.” And the other brods were in loud guffaws. For weeks I did not talk to that brod.

      • edgar lores says:

        You were right to shun your older frat brod. He did not honor you. This is honor in terms of respect.

        To me, the notion of honor is quite simple. It is personal integrity. Like if you make a promise, you must keep it.

        In the political arena, the term is used as an honorific. This honorable congressman and that honorable senator.

        The question is: Do these honorable gentlemen honor the Constitution which they have sworn to uphold?

        I will repeat some of the names I have previously mentioned in my first post: Erap, Enrile, Revilla, Jinggoy, and Gwen Garcia. And I will add new ones: Marcos pere, fils et fille, Duterte, Go, Menardo Guevara, Vitaliano Aguirre, Harry Roque. The list is endless. All these men and women are without honor.

        The tragedy of the country is made largely of two groups of people:

        o First, that the people who occupy or run for the highest offices, whether elected or appointed, are mostly without honor.

        o Second, that the people who raise them to those high offices have no concept of what honor means.

        The election in May, two months from now, will revalidate (or not) the above observation. The nation’s fate hangs in the balance.

  2. timowp17 says:

    Vote as if it is our last.

    • Sup says:

      Could be the last, if Bong Go etc. win within 3 years there will be a federal state….the rest will be history..

  3. karlgarcia says:

    Di lahat ng nakulong.
    and once Delina runs for reelection.

    • popoy says:

      Karl, tumpak, sapol pero . . . buti na lang o kaya Seguro, si Trillanes ay hindi muna kumandidato. Sa mga nakulong iba yung gumawa ng korapsiyon KOMPARA sa, mga naghain ng buhay at nakulong dahil LUMABAN sa korapsiyon.

  4. NHerrera says:

    Elections Determine a Nation’s Fate

    I agree.

    But here is a variation of the theme: Generally knowledgeable voters not ethically enticed or coerced to vote determine a Nation’s Fate.

    Let me add: even if these voters vote candidates espousing extreme left or extreme right policies, at least we may say, they are chosen by an informed electorate — a genuine will of the people.

    My joke of the day:

    These people are really too much. I already allowed them to vote. Now they are insisting that the votes be counted properly.

  5. NHerrera says:

    Off topic

    Sorry to disrupt the blog too early in the discussions, but the latest horrific event from “down under” edgar’s Australia — New Zealand — is quite depressing. [A friend once told me about New Zealand as a place to visit because of the underrated tourist attractions, including the relative peace of that country. A place well suited for an octogenarian like myself.]

    Are we on top of a steep hill or at the edge of a cliff?

    CNN has this article framing that terror attack on the two mosques in New Zealand:


    • edgar lores says:

      1. From the CNN article: “The shooter [Brenton Tarrant] describes the British politician Oswald Mosley as the ‘person from history closest to my own beliefs’ “.

      2. Mosley (1896-1980) was a British aristocrat who was first a Conservative, then an Independent, then Labour. He was basically ignored in a Cabinet-rank position without a portfolio, so he became a fascist and founded the British Union of Fascists (BUF).

      2.1. From Wikipedia: “The BUF was protectionist, strongly anti-communist, strongly anti-zionist and nationalistic to the point of advocating authoritarianism.”

      2.2. With Tarrant, the anti-Zionist sentiment has turned into an anti-Islam one.

      3. What is worrying is that Tarrant is not an ordinary terrorist. He is an ideologue. He has a 74-page manifesto that is transnational in content and international in character. It’s Islam vs. the West, the Clash of Civilizations.

      4. Tarrant spent years preparing for this vengeance and decided on Christchurch as the target 3 months ago.

  6. Sup says:

    Tuesday 10 am senate Poe promo…jumping on the water crisis……

    • I wonder what Popoy can say about this..

      ..hard to get a clear picture with bits and pieces of information flying around.

      • edgar lores says:

        Have you all noticed that Filipinos are bad at establishing causality?

        Recent cases in point:

        o Cause of water crisis
        o Cause of rape (Leni/DDS)
        o Cause of passport crisis (Locsin)
        o Cause of death threats against clergy
        o Cause of stupendous increase in Bong’s bank account

        There is something missing in our reasoning.

      • popoy says:

        What Popoy have to say about this? Well like a lady responded
        when a journo asked whether she is still having sex, she answered PLENTY.

        Here you go!
        As a wannabe writer,
        A wannabe artist painter
        A wannabe poet and author
        A wannabe pragmatist (thought JoeAm)
        An unproven riddler (said JoeAm)
        A master wordsmith (says JoeAm)
        As accidental opinionist blogger
        A suspected cynic troll
        A wannabe objective bystander
        As wannabe etcetera of eche bucheche
        Who tries to keep awake in the pancitan

        With the above as bases and as only a few of what
        I think I am, Here’s what I like to say
        On the issues and eche bucheche
        Of the nowadays:

        Do a good thing and you get paid
        Do a bad thing and you get paid double
        Never mind and regardless of
        The eche bucheche of wisdom
        And REASON, on earth even
        In Heaven or Hell YOU PAY
        Or GET PAID without fail.

        You pay for ignorance or incompetence
        For many decades you have water shortage
        Despite lakes and lakes of water from the sky
        From the many typhoons God gave you
        every year without fail;

        Your people pay wth insufficient water supply.
        From ASVEN ask the author who studied
        Soil and water engineering there could be
        Solution minutiae to water conservation.

        When force majeure happens, are
        People paying for something?
        Baka ma-Tacloban kayo!
        Baka ma-Haiti o ma-Venezuela tayo.

        On terrorism and its victims
        Kung ano ang inutang Yon din ang bayad.
        Sabi ng mga Lola: Lintik lang ang walang ganti!
        only Death and destruction
        by Lightning has no revenge.

        Terrorists prefer to murder wholesale
        Victims condemn the crime wholesale
        Murder is done with expertise and cunning
        Victims’ survivors condemn and abhor
        With righteous vehemence. But
        Only time will tell as the score grows bigger
        when terrorists and victims will
        exact and collect what is to be paid.

        The bible has jumped the gun for both
        Terrorists and their victims: an eye for eye,
        A tooth for a tooth, a nail for a nail, etc.
        Is long ago OBSOLETE according to Jesus.

        “But in Matthew (5:38-42) in the New Testament, Jesus repudiates even that notion. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

        So? Therefore, There you go! Leave it to Jesus: Where, When and How much Terrorists and victims will pay.

        • Look folks!

          La Mesa is an earth dam, which reservoir covers 27 square miles and it can only hold 51 Million Cubic Meters of water.

          Angat Dam on the other hand is a concrete embankment hydroelectric dam, which reservoir cover significant parts of Bulacan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija; it irrigates 28,000 hectares of farmland in Bulacan and Pampanga and it can hold 850 Million Cubic Meters of water.

          The holding capacity comparison ratio is 1:9 – so never wonder why La Mesa Dam got to critical levels first because it has to serve East Metro Manila where 47% of the NCR population resides. Angat Dam serves the other 53%, but its reservoir holds 900% more water.

          (This is an info-post to stop baseless speculation that Manila Water deliberately exhausted La Mesa Dam waters to create a water crisis to embarass Rodrigo. The water crisis is one of absence of foresight, nothing more – nothing less)

          • Engr. Angel Salazar..

            i will always do what i can do to help . i learn the meaning of integrity from the Ayalas – FZA , JAZA and their parents Don JAIME and Donya BEA and the Pagibig sa Dios Charismatic Community and my Alma Mater – University of Santo Tomas .

            That was why when MWSS ( i started as a cadet engineer in march 1982 ) was privatized in August of 1997 , i chose to work for Manila Water because of Ayalas‘ reputation of being honest , making things happen and caring . I am a civil engineer , a sanitary engineer and has completed a masters degree in management ( academic units only ), among others . i owe the Ayalas for what iam now .

            Regarding , this el nino today , this is a very weak one , modesty aside , peanuts lang to if you know what to do . What our team managed and survived in oct 1997 to summer of 1998 , was the most severe one ever and we manage it primarily because of that bypass . Nothing of this intensity and scope ( water interruption) happened back then . And i was part of that team tasked to manage the raw water sources ( dams and reservoirs ) and the treatment plants at balara , quezon city . Engineer Orly Villareal managed the disribution system ( after the treatment plant ) and Engineer Carolina Balagtas did the planning ( prepared the master plan to combat that water crisis ) , simulations . She was the unsung hero , the very key why we , Metro Manilans survived that crisis . When Engineer Orly was reassigned , Engineer Carolina migrated to another country , i was left to protect that bypass until i retired in 2012 and set up my own construction firm .

            The offer of Maynilad of 50 mld thru cross border flows is impractical . Cross borders had been cut and plugged permanently since 18 years ago . There will be widespread water interruption for both maynilad and manila water in order to reconnect them again , install flow meters and control valves . it would entail a lot of road excavation and looping works . i suggest that you just let Manila Water press that button ( as easy as turning on an electric fan ) that would open that bypass and draw from there its 40 % allocation and there will be water for everyone in Manila Water service area and eventually make la mesa dam recover its normal operating level of 79.6 to 79 . 9 .

            if i am asked for an ultimate solution to this water problem , i would suggest the original Laiban dam ( 1900 mld ) which started in 1981 but unfortunately was abandoned due to politics . It is the confluence of Kaliwa and Kanan rivers . The Kaliwa river project started about 5 years ago but also temporarily abandoned due to lack of government support .

            Again , thank you for the prayers and words of support and all the criticisms . And to those who are lying by their teeth , i fully understand your predicament . Again , i do not need your accolades and praises , i live my life as honestly as i can , and won’t let any opportunity to help pass by without me lifting a finger .

            May our Lord , Jesus Christ bless us all !

            • Thanks for the explanations, Irineo. It was either incompetence or playing games to get a Chinese dam. I wonder how long it will take Poe’s committee to figure this out, and decide which it was.

          • karlgarcia says:

            It seems like to each his pet project.
            Ramon Ang wants to tap Angat, Enrique Raxon wants Wawa Dam. Wawa naman tayo

            • This is how the Romans supplied Cologne, one of their most important German cities:

              around 100 km of aqueduct, purely gravity-run (no pumps), mostly underground. When the Romans left, those who took over were not able to maintain that level of high-tech..

              • But that is nothing compared to the level of high-tech and coordination that keeps originally desert places like Los Angeles supplied with water..

              • Loved Jack Nicholson in the movie “Chinatown” as he lost a part of his nose during the battle for Los Angeles water rights in the early 20th century.

              • sonny says:

                Aye & bravo, Irineo!

                There is a good reason the state of California holds a premiere position in the field of Civil Engineering and other technological institutions. One should not miss visiting Hoover Dam to get a good feel for this synergy among the sciences of Energy/Geology, Hydrology, Infrastructure and Agriculture.

                On the Philippine picture, a cursory satellite view (Google) of the Norzagaray water shed and the potential or under-leveraged utilization of this resource and the surrounding megacommunities cannot and should not be missed.

  7. The Philippines is running out of land:

    1. To store water.
    2. To produce food.
    3. To refresh the air.
    4. To just live on.
    5. To ward off the sea.

    Isn’t it already about survival now? Or will Filipinos mutate into aquatic plastic-eaters?

    • I think the operating plan is to kill people off or jam them into jails like live sardines wedged into the tin. Or measles, aids, starvation, that kind of thing. You’d think condoms would be popular, but I guess they are too moral.

    • popoy says:

      What do Popoy say about these in literal and figurative sense?:

      The Philippines is running out of land:

      “In the physical sense it ain’t happening yet, unless there’s an earth Pole Shift, when the entire Visayan and other little islands will be under water (like the entire Central plain of Luzon before); then only the higher parts Luzon and Mindanao will have the lands above sea level. Nature will have reduced the Philippine population by apolitical causes.

      1. To store water.
      “the hydrologic cycle says water unless consumed by man and technology is stored in the sky (cirrus, stratus, nimbus and cumulus clouds) to return back to earth as rainwater (distilled water). .

      2. To produce food.
      “Precisely land is the main and primary agent in situ of food production unless turned into subdivisions, gated villages, factories, casinos, malls, dump sites, asphalted and cemented highways;”

      3. To refresh the air.
      “Very true, Land conservation (wise utilization) ensures proper mix of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to constitute fresh air as in ocean and mountain breeze.”

      4. To just live on.
      “Land as human habitat and settlements; not houses on the sea, or on garbage dumps.

      5. To ward off the sea.

      “CONSERVE (utilize wisely) the bays and beaches, the mangrove swamps and the lagoons; don’t steal the money needed for flood control, harbor and port construction”


      “Underdeveloped or developing countries are likely to be always in moderate or serious survival mood. Venezuela, Haiti and Myanmar (because of Rohingya) are warning bells. There are bacteria that eat crude oil spill in oceans. Popoy can’t see how Filipinos can mutate into aquatic (as bacteria or fungi) plastic eaters.”

      Sorry if I blabbered too long.

      • That means they cannot migrate to the Great Pacific Garbage Patches. Pity.

        • popoy says:

          Karl what says me you asked.
          I only needed to read the title and
          few lines of the link you gave
          to think and write this reply.

          You know artificial intelligence and
          must know its opposite.
          AI is man’s concoction while
          its opposite is NI which can sink
          in the wink of an eye,
          under west Philippine sea waters
          the alien’s occupied islands
          while at the same time it raises
          above the ocean surface the rich sea bed
          up in Luzon’s north east shore
          to augment Philippines dwindling
          and abused natural resources.

          National Security in case of nuclear war
          is nothing but a noisy smelly fart of “bad job”
          as opposite the rare and honorable
          National Pride of having done a “GOOD JOB”.

          National Security if it is a job, JUST DO IT,
          Yaking and yaking about it
          makes it National Insecurity. BECAUSE
          In the practice of Medicine, even paramedics
          know the urgency of preventive measures
          before the need for curative CURES.

          Kasusulat ko lang Karl, LAHAT MAY BAYAD.
          Yung problema ng Pinas sa mga maliliit na isla
          Kung hindi kaya ng mga Pinoy sumingil ng bayad
          baka ang kaibigang mga Kano ang kumolekta.
          Pero di yata alam ng mga sangkatutak na t…..
          maraming sabit sa ganyan problema
          dahil kasi sa halip na pera, BAKA
          ang bayad ay buhay at dugo
          ng mga sundalo at karaniwang tao.

  8. karlgarcia says:


    The unused water is because most of the supposed recepients have anrtiquated or no pipes at all.
    This bulk water promise was over-sold,-meaning it promisesmd to service all, but can only serve a few due to reasons they could have anticipated.

    • popoy says:










      H10 –totoo ba more than 75% of the human body is water?

  9. karlgarcia says:

    The main source of water in the early 20yh century coukd have been tapped a long time ago.
    The late inquirer columnist, Neal Cruz had been clamouring for it for years


  10. karlgarcia says:

    Elect those that deserve your trust, confidence and respect.

  11. karlgarcia says:

    Democrazy is fool the people, buy the people… so help us god.

  12. karlgarcia says:

    @Popoy, Did you leave FB?
    Hindi kita masearch.

    • popoy says:

      Hindi Ah! Pero puro socials (birthdays) paporma lang ang makikita mo doon kasi di ba FB eh social media lang, socialan lang walang bolahan ng balitang peke at kotong bayad sa boladas. Meron kayang ibang FB?

      • karlgarcia says:

        Naunfriend mo aata ako, I sent another request.

        • popoy says:

          Singaw ng bagong negosyo (bilyon kita diyan ginaya ng Uber at Grab) sa unfriend, unfriend na yan. Wala dati niyan. Mga friends ko HINDI ko ina-unfriend, ako hindi rin nila ina-unfriend. PINI-FRIEND ko pa nga sila kung hindi sila masamang tao. Yung mga hindi ko kilala sa personal o sa pangalan lang niri-remove ko lang, mga kalat lang sila na gawa ng FB. Parang in-apply yun sociometry for profit. Hindi ako marunong mag-unfriend Karl kaya hindi rin ako marunong mag-friend. Seguro tignan mo na lang sa internet. Okay?

  13. https://behindtherubble.wordpress.com/2019/03/14/2019-philippine-elections-indelible-mark-romanticism/ I hope this can complement your well-written article. It is viewed on the perspective of the voter, how each behaves in the electoral process most importantly during the day of elections.

    • popoy says:

      Thanks but be careful what might be behind the rubble could be more rubble. If a voter wants to change the status quo, what is or who are the status quo? the poverty, the crimes, the killings, the corruption or is the status quo the incumbents or the current elected and appointed officials of the government? Have they failed to change the bad status quo or have just created it? Answer it and it might tell you where you stand.

      To put the subject or topic in a broader context, three perspectives will suffice for analytical scalpel viz.(1) the voters, (2) the candidates and (3) the election process. There could be more perps of course. My piece above tried to lump all three perps as determinant variables in dynamic interaction to constitute FATE. I can view and write about the three with biased cynicism of hopelessness; all three in the NEGATIVE SENSE: bad voters, bad candidates and bad election process; as it will be done by those who might not believe in democracy.

      It is good mental exercise if one is not paid to do so, or just profiting from the three perspectives to just toy or play with some notions like (1) bad voters beget bad candidates or turn it around (2) corrupt candidates corrupt the voters, or (3) defective election process and incompetent election personnel could have negative and damaging effects on both voters and candidates and the country’s democracy.

      A cross cultural viewpoint could be interesting like dissecting elections in UK, USA, FRANCE, or the ASEAN neighbors like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc. comparing them to/with Philippine elections.

      Sorry, my response is a little long but shorter to read than most of the informative links contributed here in TSoH. Thank you.

    • Love the title of your blog. Thanks for the reference to the article that states how important these elections are.

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