A true friend is tested in times of need, they say. So do our politicians.
It is in times of crises like this latest war in the Middle East and its economic impact that we Filipinos should really, really consider the types of leaders we should choose come 2028.
While ordinary Filipinos suffer from the high prices of oil products – and the domino effect it has had on basic goods and commodities – some of our officials have completely abandoned themselves to being lapdogs for political lords instead of focusing on helping our people through the difficult times ahead.
One of them hasn’t been seen since last year, no doubt due to fears that he’ll face the cudgels of justice.
And to top it off, the current Marcos administration is completely downplaying the situation with banal remarks like nothing’s wrong, our fuel supplies can last us through this latest crisis, and our people should keep calm and carry on their normal lives.
As if carrying on our normal lives is THAT easy, Mr. Marcos.
Already, we are feeling the effects of the global oil crisis – not only on the prices of goods and commodities but also on the behavior of society in general.
I often gauge the way the tricycle drivers behave in our subdivision as a viable measure of how the ordinary people cope during crisis times.
In days of “normalcy,” tricycle drivers would proceed all the way from our subdivision to the end point at the National Highway without feeling the urge to pick up extra passengers.
Nowadays, however, tricycle drivers are wont to roam around our subdivision, suddenly turning at side streets or stopping in the middle of the road upon seeing a random person walking by, in the desperate hopes that that person will ride their trikes.
One side consequence I’ve seen during times like these is that we begin to think of people not as people but as another peso that we can collect like Pacman scores.
And unfortunately, the temptations for cheating, stealing and lying to get by is just too irresistible – especially in a country where it’s virtually impossible to live decently by living decently.
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Oh, where was I?
Back to my main point: it is in times like these that we Filipinos should understand how our votes have the power to shape our country’s history.
The quality of the people we choose to become leaders will determine the future of our country. The type of the leaders that we want will ultimately translate to what type of country we want to give to our children.
It’s a bitter irony, that most of us wanted genuine change, and yet we choose the same old trapos, the same old incompetents, the same old people whose goals are simply for personal gain and never for public interest.
There seemed to be a complete disconnect between the quality of our votes with the qualities we want to see in our leaders.
In a democracy, people must understand that actions have consequences. And the way that we vote every three years will ultimately dictate what future we hold both individually and as a nation.
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