You Want My Vote? 7 Unique Campaign Promises

Dear "Mr. Possible Next President"

Your circuses are in town. Your speeches, your commercials, your dances, your songs - it's that time again. Same old lines:

"I will stop corruption!"

"I will fight for the rights of the poor!"

"I will build roads, schools, and bridges!"

"I will not steal!"

"I will run for congresswoman!" - ngek.

Having thought about unique and unusual things that the next president should promise and do to help turn our nation around, I have come up with the following list. These are a whole different kind of campaign promises, the kind you wouldn't expect to hear from candidates. They are specific, concrete, but relatively simple actions that you, "Mr. Possible Next President" can do that will reflect your seriousness about bringing about- ahem - change. These actions are powerful manifestations of political will to do right. I've avoided broad major actions, like say you revamping the national food policy, and have chosen instead promises of policies that although on the surface may not have any perceived significant impact on national security or education; they instead affect the citizenry in a deep meaningful way - teaching and reminding the Filipino people of such values as order, discipline, fairness, humility in public service, transparency, and respect for the institutions and authorities of government- values that have been efficiently eroded particularly in the last 9 years by a governance culture of disorder, impunity, lack of transparency, lack of discipline, influence peddling, and a sense of false privilege by many. Your promise to implement some or all of these actions and policies could return the confidence of a people in it's leader and dissolve the collective national aura of cynicism for government that pervades our nations consciousness today, (And you just may get more votes).

These are seemingly "small" promises. If you can do these things, then you can run the country effectively. Conversely I ask you now, if you can't even do these, how can you run the country effectively?

1. "During my term as president, I will not accept any invitation to be "ninong" in any wedding.

Not accepting requests to be ninong during your term could be a symbolic but powerful policy that projects seriousness in avoiding the perception and taint of undue favor to a select few. It also shows how much you value the objectivity and impartiality of the Office of the President in that you are willing to deny even those closest to you with the "favor" of having the president as their ninong or kumpare. It reflects an extremely high expectation and standard that you have for the position of President of the Philippines in that you want it to be above reproach from any perception of favoritism and special relationships.

2. "When I am president, I will ban the posting of billboards that credit politicians for government funded projects."

Today's political billboard captures the definition of the patronage system in Philppine society. "This waiting shed was built through the efforts of congressman..." This message is telling me that I should be thankful to my congressman for the new waiting shed in my barangay, and that I now should reciprocate by voting for him in the next election. This is wrong. The waiting shed should have been built by the congressman. It is his duty, and more importantly my money. What am I thanking him for? (OK, a simple "thank you" could be in order.) Shouldn't he be thanking me instead? In fact, should billboards be allowed at all, they should only be thanking the taxpayers. (I even end up paying for the congressman's stupid billboard). Banning these billboards not only rids the country of numerous eyesores, (faces of ugly candidates all over the place), but it also puts into proper perspective the true nature of public service and the role of the public servant. When elected a mayor, congressman, governor, or president, it is your job to do things and build things for your constituents. You are bound to do that, otherwise you are not doing your job - you are failing. Don't try to tell me that you are doing me a favor or that it was through your efforts and kindness of heart that the road was built. A billboard projects just that. When we stop these billboards, we correct a wrong notion and we teach our children that public officials are there to serve humbly, faithfully, and quietly.

3. "If you elect me president, I will not have any of my relatives up to the second degree run for any public office."

I doubt if you or anyone else running for president has the balls to do this. But if anyone of you did say this, I'm sure many undecided (and decided) voters today, would take a serious look at you. Do you have the integrity and character to tell your immediate family and first cousins uncles and aunts to "give you these next 6 years" and not contest any publicly elected position? Again it's rather symbolic, but in an unparallelled era of shameless political dynasty-ism, the Mikeys, Datos, & Iggys; the Eraps, Jinggoys, & Lois, The Alan Peters and Pia's, why of course the Andals (Sr & Jr), Saudis, etc, etc, etc, a declaration like this by you would clearly put forward to the people that you and your family are willing to resist the temptation to utilize all the power of the presidency in the next 6 years in order to broaden the family interests. That is a bold course of action, one that is bound to votes.

4. "If elected president, I promise you that upon the end of my term, my SALN will not be worth more than when I was elected."

It was the image of Mikey Arroyo struggling to explain to Winnie Monsod how his SALN grew a gazillion times in the last 8 years that made me come up with this one.

I heard someone once say that the one clear clue to the integrity, honesty and"cleanness" of a president is whether his wealth increases or decreases during his term of office. It may be a simplistic and unpractical approach to this judgement, but then again, it could be a sensible measure. In a country where the president of the nation is paid about as much as a branch manager of a savings bank, seeking the presidency implies your willingness to sacrifice your material wealth in order to lead the nation effectively. "Sacrificing material wealth" in this context means not only divesting of your holdings before asuming the presidency, but also foregoing any business opportunity that could enhance your holdings, while you are president. It implies being ready and willing to spend whatever personal resources you already have prior to the presidency in order to maintain your lifestyle beyond what your salary as president can afford. In other words, "abonado" ka pa. Which means that after 6 years of "making abono" logic dictates that whatever wealth you had prior to your presidency, would be less than after your presidency.

5. "When I am president, as commander and chief, I will only authorize one police bodyguard per elected local official."

Another promise screaming "Political Will." The premise here is, "If you run for office, you accept the security threat (real or not) and you deal with it". But don't deal with it by making my taxes pay for your retinue of police bodyguards. Logic dictates that the more policemen are guarding Andal Ampatuan and his kind, the less police are out there to protect my family and I. So you need extra protection? Then pay for a private security agency to provide this. Get a blue guard with a whistle and batuta - to intimidate as many tax payers as you can.

6. "When I am elected president, I will ensure that all barangays or towns in the country have a disaster plan within the first two years of my term."

While the promise to create a disaster plan for each barangay may not be quite the vote-getter promise as the promise to uplift the poor, or provide free education for all Filipinos, it is a logical, sensible, (and post 2009), necessary action on your part. Ondoy showed us we need to prepare better. In her State of the Nation address in July 2009, (just a few months before Ondoy), GMA proudly declared that her government had put in place an unprecendented disaster plan in preparation for the usual season of rains and typhoons. In keeping consistent with her behavious over the last 9 years as president, she lied. There was no "unprecedented disaster plan" to speak of whatsoever, as government was severly lacking in preparation and resources. Translation: "Not enough rubber boats."

In a country which is hit by at least 10-15 typhoons EVERY year, having a disaster plan at the barangay level should be the same as having electricity and water in the barangay level. But today, evidence points to the fact that we have nothing. We need to plan and act fast. Each barangay should have it's own allocation/stock of rubber boats, digging and excavation equipment, together with first aid kits, medicine, blankets, jackets, etc. The national government would do well to stock up on those "energy meals" or high nutrition biscuits that have to be flown in from other countries after the disaster.

But the point is, you, our national leader have to make sure that all the agencies tasked to do this, do this well and with dispatch. The next big flood could be less than 12 months away when the rainy season begins again.

7. "When I am president, I will ban all wang-wangs!"

It was poet/blogger/musician Lourd De Vera who put it perfectly when he said that the Wang Wang symbolizes everything wrong with our country today. It tells us that some are much more important than others, that my time is more important than yours, and worst of all, you ned to respect my authority over you.

The level of abuse of these officials and non officials who use wang wang-fortified convoys of SUV's and security back up vehicles today is unprecedented. I remember the day when those that used this were much fewer. Today, even the city councilor, has a wang wang convoy. Why even some carnappers or bank robbers use a wang wang convoy because no one, not even the police will dare stop and check on a wang wang convoy for fear that it might be Saudi Ampatuan inside the heavily armored and tinted vehicle. I've seen many a traffic policeman stop, stare and scratch his head when a heavily tinted SUV and back up vehicle, both without license plates speeds and counterflows the opposite lane, crossing a red light. On some instances, I've even seen the goons in the wang-wang convoys threaten other motorists, and even slam or kick another's car which is not giving way. It is a total breakdown of law and order.

The proliferation of wang-wangs on our street is a manifestation of the "warlord mentality" that exists in the Philippines today. It is the breakdown of law and order in the simplest sense. It's one end of the spectrum of the definition of impunity, the other end of the spectrum being a massacre like that in Maguindanao. It's a false sense of privilege or entitlement that makes some people believe and behave like the law does not apply to them. It's the attitude that contains the famous statements: "What are we in power for?"; "Back Off!", and "Pu%#*g ina mo, di mo ba ako kilala?" - all packed into a convoy. Oh and the worst of it is - in most cases, my taxes are actually paying the salary of the goon that just kicked my car and cursed me.

Mr. Possible next president, if you can't stop wang-wangs, there is no way you can disarm any private army. If you can't stop wang-wangs, you will soon have another death on the street, or another Maguindanao massacre. If you don't stop wang-wangs, you are weak.

But if you can stop wang-wangs, then you have political will. If you stop wang-wangs, you prove that no one is above the law under your leadership. If you do stop wang-wangs, you confirm order and civility in our country.

So Mr. Possible Next President, what do you think?

Failure of State - Yes GMA should be blamed for Maguindanao

Not much more can be said about the grizzly events of a week ago. Many of us are still in a state of shock - less and less from the monstrous details of the Maguindanao Massacre, and more and more from the way the investigation, and specifically the reaction and action of GMA and the rest of hers.

First was the pussyfooting about actually arresting Mayor Andal Ampatuan (it took 3 days until he "voluntarily surrendered" to Dureza and Devanadera), and then there was the stupid stream of comments from the hare brained GMA minions starting with Secretary Gonzales (Raul, not the other idiot Norberto) saying:

"If we use the iron hand on them, they might fight back. We should take
precaution. These are not ordinary people..."

Damn friggin right they aren't ordinary people. They are beasts!

Then there was Ermita - practically pleading with the Ampatuans to "voluntarily submit"... what the F&%K is that about??? Like my 5 year old child says: "Please, puhleeze, pretty puhleeze!" Ok it was more like:

"It definitely will help if those who feel that they are already being considered as suspects to turn themselves in and cooperate with the law enforcement agencies,''

further he sayeths:

"To prove they're innocent, they should give themselves up rather than go against the law by not turning themselves in".

Makes you want to strangle yourself with a wire hanger.

But among the many, the first prize still goes to my favorite, Ms Lore "lie" Fajardo.

"But it doesn't mean that we are no longer friends with them if they are guilty"

BFF!

So here we are, one week post massacre. One suspect in jail, for now. The events of last week, and the next few days show one thing. The state has failed, the government has failed, the president liliput has failed.

She has not been able to control these warlords, no she even gave them more arms, more money, and more power. The power to do what they did. The guts to do what they did. Their sense of impunity all came from her. To the point that she and her like have to "plead" for them to surrender voluntarily. To the point that she and her like are afraid the Ampatuans, to use the newest word in the English dictionary - would "unfriend" her.

Quoting Armando Doronilla:

During her presidency, the government has appeared to have lost control of the feuding private armies in the region, and to have lost its sovereignty over parts of the country in which private warlords have imposed their rule of violence and slaughtered people wholesale, immune from retribution by the army and the government’s law enforcement organs, including the national police and the prosecution arm of the Department of Justice.

Failure of State.

Lakas Kampi Pathetic

Yesterday, my favorite political party, Lakas Kampi, announced their "compact" senatorial line up for the May 2010 national elections. What an impressive (not!) cast. Bong Revilla, Lito Lapid, Ramon Guico, (who???), Secretary (of whaaat???) Silvestre Bello, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Jesus Arranza (who again???), and last but not the least, Broadcaster Rey Langit, ngek!

Are they nuts? Probably not, just desperate. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. It's difficult to attract politicians to sail on a sinking ship. If I was in their desperate shoes, I would pay candidates to run in my party.........hmmm.......hey, now I get it.

Of these, only Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid have any chance of winning - and not sure at that. So much for qualifications. It will be hard for the administration party to hurl the "no qualifications" argument against the Noynoy camp with this line up, as the only two who have any chance of winning are the least qualified to be senator of the republic in my opinion. The charge will just backfire. This same line of thought applies to the choice of Edu Manzano as vice presidential candidate of the party - no qualifications.

I've been scratching my thick head with these curious choices of candidates. Well more of why would someone like Edu, or Ramon Guico (who?) or even Francisco Duque agree to run in a national election when they know for sure that they don't have an iota of a chance to win. Why oh why laway??? Unless delusion has set in. But I think Edu is smarter or saner than that. I'm sure he knows he will not be able to beat Mar, Loren, or even Willie Revillame, (if he were running), yet there he goes. Why go through the difficulty of enduring a 3 month, gruelling campaign - leaving your work, family, and stopping your life entirely, to chase after something you know will never be yours?

Talent fee?

These Motorcyclists Are Getting Out of Hand

In the last several months, I have seen motorcycle accidents twice. Each case was a collision with a car. I may be biased, but I'm pretty sure the fault in those instances I witnessed was the motorcyclists.

Yes, the motorcyclists are getting out of hand. Ok perhaps there is a good side to it - like motorcycles have become cheaper and more accesible to more, enabling more people to move around. But some control has to be imposed or more and more people will get hurt.

Drive around Metro Manila today and you will experience what it's like. Motorcyclists weaving in and out of lanes, making circles around cars, buzzing by at break neck speed - there is no order to their driving. They are above and beyond conventional driving wisdom. They tailgate, then at the first opportunity, they will attempt to pass you - on either side of your car, sometimes inches between you and the next car.

It baffles me what makes these guys so brave, (or stupid). Don't they realize that with just one slight collision, it is they who will be at the terrible losing end? What match is a motorcycle for a solid moving vehicle? While the car may end up with a scrape, scratch, or a dent; a motorcyclist's injury could range from a scraped knee to a shattered cranium. The annoying thing is that, even if the car driver is not at fault - it shall be he (or she) who will most likely bear the responsibility for footing the medical bills at worst - or at the very least suffer the incovenience of delay or having to fix that dent.

Lately, I've been noticing more and more motorcyclists driving without lights. Now is that crazy or is that stupid? Who in his right mind would speed down EDSA at night without turning on his headlights??? I've pondered this time and again and I've come to one conclusion. Motorcyclists in Manila drive the way they do, not so much because they are stupid or crazy - but mainly because most of them have never driven a car in their lives. They do not know what it is like to be in the drivers seat of a vehicle - what one's field of vision is, where the blind spots are, and the limitation of coverage of the side and rear mirrors.

Motorcyclists seem to assume that the driver of the car can see them at all times. They do not realize that the angle from which they are fast approaching from behind or beside a vehicle is a blind spot and so there lies the potential for the accident. Motorcycle drivers don't know what it's like to be cruising down the street in your car and suddenly you hit the brakes because of a pot hole or a bump that suddenly comes into sight. That sudden brake can be a mini disaster for the eager motorcyclist inches, behind you tailgating your vehicle. And when the fool slams into your car and smashes his face in your rear windshield, guess whose responsibility it will be to take him to the emergency room, get x-rays and a CT scan done, and who knows what else. And after several hours at the hospital (or police station), you need to deal with the repair of your damaged vehicle.

The motorcycle has become more accessible to people with less to spend. It has become the cheaper alternative to a car; the entry level to the world of motoring. More and more people who never drove a vehicle now drive motorcycles - and they think they rule the street. As the numbers of the two wheeled tribe increase, so will the numbers of accidents and deaths.

What to do? The answer is obvious, the LTO needs to be stricter in issuing motorcycle drivers licenses as well as the registration of motorcycles. If instituting a (real not mickey mouse) mandatory drivers test that one cannot bribe his way out of; is a pipe dream, then enforcement of traffic policies that ultimately protect the motorcycle driver himself might help. Motorcycles should traverse roads as if they were a car. This means that they need to "occupy" space in the road just as a car does. They should travel in the middle of the lanes and not on top of the street lines. They should be banned from weaving through vehicles while moving, when they overtake, they need to overtake like a car as well; occupying one whole lane and only on the left side. They should have their headlights on "AT ALL TIMES". In some countries even cars are required to have their lights on at all times - even during the day. This is the way we should have it here, especially for motorcycles.

I believe there already has been some progress in the control and safety of motorcycle drivers. It seems the police and traffic aids are stricter in implementing the no helmet rule. They are pretty strict in apprehending and penalizing motorcyclists without helmets. I see less and less motorcyclists driving without helmets these days.

It's been a while - more than a year since I tapped into the hut. Many days passed with many "that would be good to write about" moments happening. This morning as I drove to work, I was thinking about street lines, signal lights, and railroad barriers. Three anoyances in my current state of mind. Will write on these later.

For now, step one - re-start this engine...check!