An appeal to candidates: Value the people, Respect the Electorate
First, there was decadence and a show of machismo by putting down solo parents when Pasig City congressional bet Christian “Ian” Sia said with confidence:
“Minsan sa isang taon, ang mga solo parent na babae na nireregla pa–Nay, malinaw, nireregla pa–at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon, puwedeng sumiping ho sa akin.
(Some time of the year, to those single mothers still menstruating—no, not you old lady—when you’re sad, you can have sex with me).”
Then, a thoughtless and sexist remark, along with excessive exhibition of impropriety on the nursing profession by Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia during a campaign sortie in Mindanao:
“The nursing scholarship is only for women, not for men. And only for beautiful women. It is a no-no for the unattractive because if a male [patient] who is already weak is attended to by an ugly nurse, what would happen to them? Their illness could get worse.”
And these are the words of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa during a proclamation rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipinas-Laban in mid-February: “There is no shame in having blood on my hands because I protected the Filipino people … ‘yung aking mga kamay ay may bahid ng dugo, hindi ko po ‘yan ikinakahiya. Kung ‘yung aking mga kamay ngayon ay may bahid ng dugo, dugo ng masasamang tao. (If there is a blood in my hands, I am not ashamed at all. If there is blood in my hands, it is the blood of bad people.”)
This is a chilling message of continuing impunity. This is apparently unremorseful and disrespectful to human life, and shows lack of accountability for the deaths of thousands of poor people.
Of late, Gabriela, a progressive women’s group, condemned what it called a “kissing auction” during the campaign rally of Mayor Rammy Parayno and Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. An elderly woman called to the stage was promised P1,000 in exchange for a kiss from Vice Mayor Parayno. The reward reached P5,000.
Why use an elderly woman for amusement during a sortie? It was not an issue whether the elderly willingly agreed; the question was why the Paraynos used her for amusement.
What has become of us Filipinos? We have a pathetic situation—18.9 million youth who could not understand what they read, and politicians with no dignity in their actions. While the situation of the youth could be blamed on the educational system, social services, and governance, what explains the behavior of politicians?
Moral bankruptcy is manifested in their way of campaigning, which reveals how they treat the electorate as cheap people and provides a glimpse of how they would govern and exercise their political obligations.
Do not trust the trapos and those who rose to power through connections to big businessmen or dynastic families. If candidates are sincere and have good intentions, they should treat people with dignity. Candidates should learn by listening to people and edifying them rather than entertaining or putting them down. The electorate must be respected and given the highest esteem and honor.
The campaign period should increase the awareness of people about issues that connect to their guts and daily survival, for them to live with respect and dignity. Lewd and misogynist remarks, humiliating gimmicks, and carrying out impunity do not make a better person or better politician.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2 (NRSVUE)
Dss. Norma P. Dollaga,
KASIMBAYAN,
