Election Day approaches in the Philippines and despite certain rules that are supposed to be in place and followed by candidates and their supporters. Enforcement from the COMELEC is really bad (and that’s the truth everywhere around the country). Otherwise, we’d have a lot of disqualifications every election and perhaps many incumbent politicians won’t be able to run for office. Here are a few examples in my home city of Antipolo in Rizal where a dynasty “rules” and also has connections with another family in Cavite.

Antipolo’s city hood anniversary tarp features a Cavite politician who is closely related to the current leaders of the city and the Province of Rizal. Below the tarp are posters of a Pampanga politician who is also a movie actor like the other guy. 

Antipolo roads are full of these campaign materials. Supporters have not spared private property of the garbage.

Perhaps those who will do the Alay Lakad to Antipolo this coming Maundy Thursday should each remove a poster, tarp or more as they journey to the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. This could be part of their penance and serve also as cleansing of minds in preparation for elections.

Try to explain again how these politicians are not overspending (and probably charging the costs to taxpayers). The math is pretty easy. You can check how much a politician’s monthly income is based on the salary grade of the position he/she is running for. Compare that to the amount spent for his/her campaign. You can’t recover the amount spent in one term. Are they billionaires willing to part with their money to get elected to positions that demand a lot in terms of the competence and dedication to good governance. Rather, the suspicion is that politicians will likely be corrupt and get his/her money back in a variety of ways to recover millions or even billions spent. It’s really a vicious cycle that doesn’t end well for the Filipino people in terms of the infrastructure and services we could have if only politicians moderated their greed.

–