Politics, power, livelihood and others

Political science subject in college defines politics as an art of governance. Like any art discipline for any individual who wish to enter politics, must possess a different kind of talent and skill. Most artists do not engage in artistic works to become rich, famous and powerful. Vincent Van Gogh and Edgar Allan Poe did not wish to live long to gain power. They only wished to express the reality of life through their works, perhaps to teach some lessons to humanity.

Politics, Philippine context is also a work of art, generally in a comic way. Blame it perhaps to the Constitution, among others upon which the only requirement to ran for a public office is for an individual just to be able to read and write. Anybody who is elected in a public position is regarded as someone in power, a demi god. In fact, the word of anybody who is in authority is the word of god, so they taught us, so we bow and believe without asking why. Blame it to history, they say. Spaniards overhauled a race, a nation and the distress that lasted for hundred years remains. “Filipinos have the whole world to blame except themselves” however quotes Francisco Sionil Jose, the multi awarded Filipino writer in his book Filipino Malaise, Historic Heritage. This is not the only country colonized by the western world. Most if not all of the other countries with a dim past have moved on. Yet we remain in constant search of who we are and what we want to become.

In relation to the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Elections, I conducted numerous meetings to barangay officials advocating the purpose of the said organizations as independent and non political. I innocently pushed for the compliance on their own election code among others. They denied my legal right to claim charges. I felt ashame to push for the compliance of the said code. I was the immediate beneficiary. It is frustrating however, when a candidate for president who eventually won shamelessly bribed me with Five hundred Pesos to pay for my lunch. He even offered to bring me to the national highway with his brand new Strada knowing that I could only reach the place through a public single motorcycle if service do not permit. I asked him why he refused to pay for the charges while he spent so much money in campaigning. He just laughed it off and said “that’s the way it is”. I was a goldfish swimming in a fish bowl living in the context of ideas which does not exist. I could only laugh at myself. Each time I leave the town, I touch my nape just to check if a blood clot hopefully is not formed.

Politics is a good means of livelihood. Notwithstanding a few brilliant souls who have vision for this country who i personally know and deeply respect, politicians do not need to exert much effort as compared to lawyers and farmers, yet this branch of art can be a good source of a sustainable wealth enough to guarantee a lasting comfortable lifestyle never mind the prevalence of malnutrition, ignorance and poverty…. And we just laugh it off. Fun loving and highly intellectual Filipinos as we are, borrowed institutions and faiths taught us that god will do the work for us and so we do… we survive and life goes on as we remain starving yet fun loving people in the middle of growing communities among the other nations of the world ..