It was a surprise for all of us here at OpinYon Media Advocacies when our publisher, Mr. Ray Junia, suddenly decided to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) for representative of Leyte’s 1st congressional district last Friday, October 4. (Editor’s note: Mr. Junia later withdrew his candidacy a few days later.)
Of course, I have no illusions about how Sir Ray will fare in the 2025 elections. His opponent is none other than House Speaker Martin Romualdez – and we all know that the Romualdezes still hold sway over Leyte province, especially now that Romualdez’s cousin, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., is in charge of the country. As much as I’d like to see Sir Ray win, I know it would take a miracle to convince Leyteños who are still in the grip of traditional politics to vote for an ordinary man (not that I’d consider Sir Ray an ordinary man, given his long experience in the fields of public relations and journalism).
But it’s how Sir Ray explained his “spur-of-the-moment” decision to join the 2025 elections that made a deep impression on me. His reason: “to revive a dying democracy.”
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One vital component of democracy is the people's ability to choose from among them the people who would lead them.
Elections have been part and parcel of mankind down to prehistoric times, when cavemen choose the person who would lead them on hunting activities or moving from one place to another based on that person’s strength and abilities.
Unfortunately, one had to agree that elections here in the Philippines had been so “bastardized” that political dynasties, celebrities and even those with criminal records can actually still run for election (and sometimes even win!)
Isipin ninyo, ngayon, pati mga “vlogger” at “social media influencer,” pinapatos na ang pulitika! Tapos ang reasoning pa nung isang senatoriable kung bakit sila tumakbo? “Bored ako kaya ako tumakbo!” Ano ‘yan, tatakbo ka forda content lang?
Hindi lang iyon. Tila ginawang game of chance ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan ang eleksyon. Hindi na tayo nag-iisip kung ang iboboto natin ay may kakayahan o may sinseridad na akayin ang ating bayan, lungsod o lalawigan.
Wala na tayong pakialam kung sa pag-unlad ba o sa pagbagsak tayo iaaakay ng mga pinipili natin – at wala na tayong pakialam kung pati ang ating kapwa at ang ating mga anak ay madadamay.
Ang criteria natin? “Guwapo/maganda siya!” “Tinulungan niya kami, kaya wala akong pake kung nagnakaw siya sa iba!” “Ayaw ko sa kalaban niya!” “Dito na ako sa siguradong panalo, kahit parang pinabili lang siya ng suka ng nanay niya!”
Please lang, mga kababayan. Aanhin natin ‘yang laman ng bungo natin kung hindi naman natin ito gagamitin para sa kapakinabangan nating lahat, bilang indibidwal at bilang isang bansa? If we really want our country to achieve the progress that we so desperately hoped for, we’d better start using our heads and start using them wisely.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonColumn #ColumnbyJamesVeloso #UnCommonSense #RevivingADyingDemocracy