PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2007 OPINION A13 Congress headed for same setup Precious vote THE WAY IT LOOKS, THE SAME SETUP IN THE can’t depend on them. MY LUCK HAS RUN OUT. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY 13th Congress will remain in the 14th Congress: • Many were surprised at the strong showing university life, I have flunked a subject. Fluid Mechanics the Senate will be in opposition hands (even if POLITICAL of GO candidate Antonio Trillanes in the Senate should have been a cinch, given the other tougher subjects I Team Unity wins five new seats), while the House race. Pundits ascribe this to his strong media ex- was able to pass during my five years in the university.But tak- of Representatives will still be dominated by the TIDBITS posure or as a protest vote against the establish- ing the subject lightly proved too costly for me. Not only did it administration coalition. Our only hope is that ment. Others noted the continuing fascination of blemish my transcript, it was also a blow to my ego since most the incoming Senate wouldn’t be as obstruction- Belinda some people with rebel figures (Gregorio students get grades of 1 in the subject with minimal effort. ist as the present, and that the gridlock between Honasan, too). What’s sad is that those who vot- Enrolling in the summer class was the obvious remedy. the two chambers wouldn’t be as bad as it was in Olivares-Cunanan ed for them didn’t think of the damage they did to the past Congress. A most urgent legislation the economy. This shows an urgent need for a However, I already had given my word that I would volun- Congress ought to consider is the automation law, won despite efforts by Tan and his five brothers continuing voter education program to help peo- teer in asocialout- which was passed by the House but unacted, like to go into massive vote-buying and herd people ple mature politically. Only in this country would reach program in many other bills, in the Senate. into their warehouses and resorts in the guise you see those rebelling against the political sys- Davao during the YOUNG BLOOD *** of getting them into election seminars. In Is- tem being elected to that very system! summer vacation. I I’m personally heartened by the victory of abela’s 4th District, lawyer Gigi Aggabao of Much has been said about the enormous ex- just hoped I made several personal friends: UNO, who also supported Team Unity, trounced penses• incurred by many senatorial candidates in the right choice to Mark Anthony S. Goroy • In Pangasinan’s 4th district, Speaker Jose Rep. Anthony Miranda of Kampi. Aggabao and the recent election, and questions have been honor my commit- We want to know what the young de Venecia knocked out challenger Dagupan Isabela leader Heherson Alvarez delivered an 8- raised about how they could recover these in a ment. are thinking about. What are their 4 vote for TU. On the other hand, in the home- Mayor Benjie Lim, 75 percent-25 percent. JDV job paying P35,000 a month. A lot of the expens- It was the first thoughts on current issues? We said it could reach 80 percent-20 percent in his town of the Albanos, the family of TU’s deputy es went into tri-media ads as well as transporta- time I stayed in a far- favor. Doubtless, a strong factor that worked spokesperson, Tonypet Albano, it was 11-0 in tion expenses. Recently, for instance, an opposi- welcome contributions from the flung barangay of twentysomething and below.—Ed. for the Speaker, aside from his track record of TU’s favor. It’s sad, though, that Isabela Gov. tion senatorial candidate hired 17 helicopters Davao City. The projects there, was this argument from Grace Padaca is losing to Ben Dy. from a private company, for deployment in vari- place is a typical barrio where farm animals roam freely and Heherson Alvarez: the Pangasinenses already Secretary Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan ous areas in Monday’s elections. That cost quite a houses are built far apart. I was with a group of three teach- won• as governor in Bulacan, regaining his have a Speaker; why give up that edge? lot. ers and 13 college students who stayed there for two weeks. Reelectionist Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar- post-Edsa post, while reelectionist Rep. Mau- *** Perez• trounced opponent Arturo Pacificador rice Domogan won over Councilor Joe Molin- Barangay Forbes Park Chair Jose Concep- Our task involved conducting academic tutorials, holding by 15,000 votes, despite the support of the tas in Baguio. cion Jr., who stepped down from chairing leadership seminars for the youth, assisting a medical mis- Iglesia ni Cristo for the latter. When INC an- *** Namfrel owing to his current post, made sure sion, organizing a sports fest and laying a 650-meter pipe nounced its choice of Pacificador, a good num- Show of strength: that voters of the exclusive Makati villages of from the water source to the barangay hall. ber of its members rebelled against their min- Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo’s ticket Forbes, Dasmariñas, Urdaneta, Magallanes, We thought that our main objective of laying pipes would isters and voted for Perez. The INC’s stand swept• the various posts there and delivered 11-0 Bel-Air and San Lorenzo were equipped with be “as easy as laying eggs,” as one student volunteer had frightened some people who decided to flood for GO, leaving only one slot for TU Bicolano can- the necessary election paraphernalia. These joked. But we city dwellers were dead wrong. Digging the province with pictures of Antique’s hero, didate Joker Arroyo. The Comelec’s move on elec- included the voter information sheet which in- proved to be an arduous task especially since most of us were the late Gov. Evelio Javier in a pool of blood af- tion eve to disqualify Robredo only served to dicated the voters’ precinct numbers and the doing it for the first time and many of us didn’t even know ter he was murdered in February 1986 by strengthen his hand. list of candidates for all posts. His idea was, as how to handle a spade. The scorching summer heat aggra- goons suspected to be followers of Pacificador. • The administration banked on the com- he put it, to give a sense of what barangay em- vated the situation. It was so hot that a mere ice candy tasted The photos carried the caption, “Never Again.” mand votes of certain “controlled” areas, to cut powerment is all about. as delicious as a Roman gelato. The episode in Antique is a good lesson for the down GO’s strength; but this is being assessed in But despite this preparation, only 45 per- In digging the soil, we came to know not only the nature of INC: it should choose whom it should back up; view of initial returns showing TU’s inability to cent of the voters in these rich villages showed manual work but also the difficulty encountered by people why did it support a suspected murder master- gain the majority. To be sure, three municipalities up at the polls. Most of them were house who construct roads or lay down water pipes or wait on us in Eastern Samar voted 12-0 in TU’s favor, and re- mind? In the same province, Rep. Exequiel helpers, drivers and gardeners, the majority of while we eat or those who try to keep our streets clean, etc. Javier, Evelio’s brother, won over Robert ports say some ARMM municipalities did the whom voted for the opposition candidates. Doing their kind of work, I learned to appreciate them more. Delfin by a small margin. same, while parts of Leyte delivered 10-2 for TU. The low turnout in these villages reflected the In Santiago City, Isabela, reelectionist But on the whole, even TU strategists concede low turnout in the National Capital Region—a It made me resolve to be patient when I can’t have my way Mayor• Amy Navarro won in a three-cornered that the senatorial and local elections shouldn’t fact that pleased the administration coalition, with them. It made me realize that they are not supermen fight against her Vice Mayor Armando Tan and be held together, as local candidates normally as it will need less votes from the provinces to who can do anything we want them to do. former Mayor Pempe Miranda. Reports say she look after themselves first, so national candidates cover for the NCR’s opposition votes. We got to know the members of the families we were help- ing. One was Mang Edwin who has three children with his wife of 12 years. They live in a house that is just big enough for an SUV to fit in. A teacher, a sheltering tree Their apparent poverty didn’t keep them from sharing IT WAS HARD KEEPING TRACK OF THE BODY his mother more than the honors that would be their joy when we visited them. From their hospitality and count or the exact number of casualties during heaped on her? And what does one say to Ba- engaging stories, we got the impression that they feel more the campaign period and the election day itself. HUMAN naag’s husband? What does one say to her family, fulfilled than other well-off families who live empty, materi- The INQUIRER put at 147 the death toll since the her friends and, of course, her students? alistic lives. Their only wish is that their children will be able election campaign began on Jan. 14, the Philip- FACE When a teacher is killed, I imagine a huge shel- to finish their education and grow up as upright citizens. pine National Police total is 143. tering tree being felled. It comes down with a Idealism rushed through my veins while I was conversing I know the number stands for individual lives monumental thud, shaking the forest ground and with Mang Edwin and his family. I wished I could do more than with faces and names, and with a network of fam- Ma. Ceres P.Doyo making the other trees sway and tremble. So lay pipes for their barangay. I felt helpless. I could do little more ilies, friends and colleagues grieving for them. many living things are orphaned by the falling of than cheer them up for a few minutes of the day. But my en- But sometimes the tally and the list of names just work of pitiless men. What did a teacher do to de- one huge tree. The birds, insects, animals and counter with them made me more grateful for the things I have seem to numb feelings because they are just num- serve this? plants that thrive on it, even the village beyond is and inspired me to think of ways I could help them. bers to those of us who do not know the victims Two weeks ago, the media world celebrated affected by one tree’s falling. After reflecting on the situation, I realized that there was personally. This is not to say they do not matter. World Press Freedom Day and remembered those A teacher is like a tree. Imagine the hundreds, something I could do to help alleviate their condition: I could One case suddenly stood out of the rest who died in the line of duty—88 Filipino journal- even thousands, of students who will pass do it by voting prudently.In our society where most politicians though. It was the death of a teacher. She died ists since 1986, the year we were supposed to through her and learn from her, who will call her become lords instead of public servants once they get elected, with apoll watcher, their bodies found in atoilet have regained our lost freedoms. Journalists be- name and remember it the rest of their lives. the poor are the most powerless. Their requests usually fall on where they had taken refuge after gunmen wear- ing felled has become commonplace. There are teachers we remember so vividly and deaf ears. It is therefore every citizen’s responsibility to elect ing bonnets set the schoolhouse ablaze. Nowadays, getting killed or murdered seems who remain part of the history of our souls. someone who will take up the causes of the poor. Why should a teacher die this way? to be part of a journalist’s job description. But not And there are evil men who deprive a genera- In one conference that I attended, a former governor re- The name of the high school teacher is Nellie a teacher’s. Journalists are out there, roaming tion of learners from knowing one teacher who vealed that he had once been offered at least a million-peso Banaag and the local poll watcher is Leticia like lone wolves so to speak, with no one to look might have changed their lives, influenced their every month simply because of his position. The proposition Ramos. Their names happen to be familiar Fil- after them or watch their backs for them while thinking or inspired them to be the best they was very tempting but he said he never accepted the offer. ipino names. They are Everyteacher, Everypoll- they challenge fate and demigods. We are sup- could be. Because they burned the schoolhouse I can’t imagine too many of our government officials re- watcher. Banaag is a common family name in posed to live dangerously. in Barangay Pinagbayanan in Taysan, Batangas. jecting similar offers. No wonder, many of them think every Batangas and there must be thousands of Leticia A teacher roams too, but with her mind, her But who were those men? Who sent them? government post is worth dying for despite the meager Ramoses in the Philippines, two former diplo- heart. She takes her young students to worlds they They came before the break of dawn, at 3:20 salary it brings. mats among them. never knew before. The physical dangers are sup- a.m., when bodies were tired and sleep would There is only one characteristic that I look for in a candi- Several years ago, a teacher, Filomena Tatlong- posed to be almost nil as long as they are in the have been the better option for those teachers date for public office: his willingness to sacrifice. Latin hon- hari, who tried to protect the ballot, was also killed confines of their classrooms. Alas, not anymore if who had spent a whole day making sure that vot- ors, professional competence and immense popularity are of in Batangas. A school building is now named after you go by what have happened in US campuses, ers exercised their rights. Evil came hooded and no use in public service if an official will pursue his own per- her. I remember getting a call from a nun in Batan- the massacre in Virginia Tech and Columbine High armed, snatched ballot boxes and poured gaso- sonal interests. I would rather have someone who is willing gas and getting sketchy details on what happened. among them, which were the handiwork of stu- line on them and set them ablaze. to make enemies rather than make compromises that do not Tatlonghari’s name got into the news but she was dents with diseased minds, spawned by a problem- What was this supposed to accomplish? promote the public interest. The candidates who are worthy only one of many. When the frenzy died down, she atic society and genes gone awry because of it. Classes will open in a couple of weeks and of support are those who have the fortitude to pursue the emerged as special. She was a teacher. But a Filipino teacher watching at the polls, there will be no more Mrs. Banaag for the stu- common good even if it means inconvenience, struggle or Now another teacher is killed and I feel a knife making sure that the conduct of the elections is dents to greet, for her fellow teachers to spend even sacrifices on their part and who work for the public in- stabbing my heart. The way she and the poll- peaceful, is not supposed to be in the crosshairs of pleasant moments with. Oh, if only she had terest and not their personal glory. watcher died was horrible. Those who killed a gun. She has no intention to grab power. In the stayed home, defied her superiors and refused to We volunteered to help Mang Edwin’s barangay but in the them were without mercy, without conscience case of Banaag, she was just doing her job. She do her duty, she would still be alive. But no, she end we were the ones who benefited most. Not only were we and I am tempted to say they deserve the same or even ran and hid to get out of harm’s way. went out there, like many teachers like her, to offered after a hard day’s work the best coconut I have ever even worse fate. But no, no one, not even the A photo shows Banaag’s young son, Galileo Jr., quietly fulfill aduty. tasted, but our stay with the rural folks also taught us things most loathsome of human beings deserves to die holding his beautiful mother’s photo. What does She will not be forgotten. we could have not learned inside a classroom or through that way. That is, to be trapped, suffocated and *** one say to this child now? That his mother is a mere observation alone. The experience changed my per- burned in a violent rampage that was the handi- Send feedback to [email protected] hero? What would that mean to one who needs spective on life and the way we choose our leaders. I used to think that my one vote would be too insignificant to have an effect on the outcome of the election and that it didn’t matter The verdict who won since their action or lack of it would not affect my IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, A VOTE IS A being foiled. Even last Monday’s exercise, we all life. But now, I consider my one vote precious for it could “division of the house,” and since January, the too quickly forget, almost didn’t happen. If we ac- help provide aglimmer of hope to people like MangEdwin. country has been basically conducting a gigantic THE LONG VIEW cept the strengthening of the peso and the stock I believe I made the right choice in volunteering for com- division. Everyone, from the candidates to the market as signs of confidence in the country, the munity work in Mang Edwin’s barangay. And I hope every voters, has had to take sides—and every question boost only goes to show how useful elections are. voter will choose his candidates like I do in every election. has three sides: for, against, and abstain. Last We were all given the opportunity (except for the Monday, the voters did their part, voting for or disenfranchised, of whom there were, sadly, Mark Anthony S. Goroy, 22, is a fifth year BS Industrial Engi- against the candidates. And since Tuesday, the Manuel L. Quezon III many; the unable to register, particularly heavy neering student at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. political operators have been busy figuring out among the youth; and the unconcerned here and which verdicts at the polls are so massive they abroad) to peacefully express our opinions by can’t be altered. Those verdicts they might as well take exception to this; and Namfrel for its part means of the ballot. The Senate race, for one, will IN THE NEWS leave alone. But as for the verdicts that can still be said the media counts weren’t very different from serve to show where public opinion really lies. tinkered with, it’s now open season for them to their own figures, which they had sourced from The House, too, though on the whole acaptive produce results different from reality. Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, chamber, also had its fair share of interesting It’s really a problem of stages. The counting of Kalinga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, fights, from Garci to Pacquiao, to Dato and Mikey votes was done simultaneously for national and lo- Batangas, Laguna, Marinduque, Quezon, Rizal, Arroyo; as did several gubernatorial races, start- cal positions. By now, most local races have been Albay and Catanduanes in Luzon; Iloilo, Negros ing with Pampanga. Whoever comes out the win- announced, though the formal proclamation of Oriental, Leyte, Samar and Southern Leyte in the ner in these races can claim something no official winners might take a little more time. There are Visayas; and Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga has been able to claim since 2004: a mandate. exceptions, of course. As I was writing this, a re- del Sur, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oc- And we can only hope that, on the whole, most port came: canvassing has been stopped in cidental, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, North mandates are accepted by the constituents who Guagua, Porac, Apalit, Lubao, Floridablanca, Can- and South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Agusan del voted, if not by the losing candidates themselves. daba and Arayat, which can only mean Fr. Ed Norte and Agusan del Sur in Mindanao. The question remains whether a combination Panlilio’s votes are in peril. Heckle and Jeckle then tried to head off the im- of media scrutiny (local and foreign) and public The national votes, however—which we can pact of Pulse Asia’s national exit poll, pointing to vigilance (from foreign observers to poll watch- presume were fairly counted up to the precinct the National Capital Region results as, again, in- ers and quick-count volunteers) will be enough to level—are being processed further: on the munic- dicative of Metro Manila’s anti-administration thwart the efforts of electoral manipulators. It ipal, then provincial, and finally national, levels. sympathies. “What about Cebu?” Tonypet asked. seems, for now, that all the energy and resources There’s a saying that you don’t want to see how a What about Cebu, indeed? I asked a media col- used up in the Charter change movement of last sausage is made; you don’t want to see how the league there and his reply was, “of those I’ve year, plus the cannibalizing of Lakas by Kampi, votes are processed after the precinct count. And heard in radio or submitted from the field, I’m and the behind-the-scenes bickering within the the political operators don’t want anyone to see getting the impression many opposition candi- administration (not to mention the crucial ab- the sausage-making process, either. Dagdag- dates are doing well, particularly Chiz.” That was sence of the President’s husband from the “scene” bawas is like adulterating meat products: exten- Tuesday afternoon; but as the INQUIRER reported at crunch time), took its toll on the administra- ders, offal and so forth make for an unappetizing yesterday, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Negros tion’s ability to roll out its machinery and the mix. If you let the public watch sausage-making, Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Leyte and East- “command vote.” a public health alarm could ensue. ern Samar had opposition votes remarkable But even if these factors hold true, a crucial test The Heckle and Jeckle of the Palace, Tonypet enough to suggest Visayas voters weren’t about to remains. Who will render judgment on the elec- Albano and Romulo Macalintal, had to go out and be ordered around. And from Davao came news tions? Who will determine whether, on the whole, try to convince the public of an alternate reality. that Mayor Rodrigo Duterte broke ranks with they were credible or not? For a time, I feared that The media counts, they said, were biased in favor Prospero Nograles, which might affect the “deliv- the institutions we tend to rely on to do that—the of Metro Manila, which is traditionally pro-oppo- erables” in his area. Catholic hierarchy, civil society, watchdog groups sition. Since 2005, our country has been divided, with like PPCRV and Namfrel—might not be up to the Jonas Burgos But the AMA and STI volunteers were quick to every means to resolve that division ending up job. Maybe, just maybe, they will be.