Let’s vote wisely

We are on the threshold of the midterm elections. We have to be sensible and clear-cut. It is up to us, the people, to choose the leaders of tomorrow. It is our moral obligation to choose wisely.

This senior citizen would like to nag about canceling the names in the dynasty list.

The Binay family is in full fighting force. I live in the Kingdom of the Binays (otherwise known as Makati City). Our young mayor, Junjun, is again running for his already very warm seat. Oh, but that had already been a done deal long ago! Sister Abigail is running again for her seat as Makati representative. Her political rallies and motorcades patrol endlessly in her second district. In my crystal ball, she is going to win hands down against her independent opponent. That is the Binay lineage: mighty strong, defiant, dauntless.

Big sister Nancy, however, is the most ambitious one! Nancy is running for senator. This neophyte seems to be at her best as a nanny! If you watch her TV ads, you’ll be enlightened as to why she should instead run for nannyhood. No professional background to show, except that her father, the wannabe-president, pronounces her highly qualified because she has been his shadow all this time in his political career.

But the mystery of this family alliance is: How in the world did Nancy—a greenhorn, a nobody—get to occupy a “safe” place in the ratings game? Has there been an error in the surveys? I am baffled at the overnight popularity. Can anyone out there brief me on my Nancy puzzlement?

The illegitimate son of Erap by a past romance was given the baptismal name of JV Ejercito, Erap’s original baptismal surname.  Because JV has decided to run for senator, quicker than lightning he is now an Estrada! A leap to a saucy and spicy surname? Olé!

Then we have the brother-sister act, the Cayetanos. The perfect political tandem! Alan Peter needs to be reelected to remain in his comfortable and juicy seat in the Senate, hence he is running, natch! Sister Pia is waiting for a reunion with him in the cozy upper chamber.

Then there is that spoiled brat of a son of the now infamous father, Jackie! Again, what qualifications can be gathered about dear Jackie? What has he made of his life so far to warrant a seat in the Senate?

It was a blow to me that P-Noy approves of political dynasties. There is his cousin Bam, who sounds qualified, but due to blood relationships, cancel him out! A pity!  And Tingting, the ex-ramp model? She sure had the best of education, and she has a reserve officer’s rank. Of course, she firmly believes she is  mightily qualified for a senatorial post, but then blood is thicker than water. Cancel her out!

The Angaras, wow! High caliber, high power! Sonny, a congressman, was very visible on TV during the Corona hearings. His father is one of the elders in the Senate, but is a senatorial post inherited?

Cynthia Villar is queen in a highly successful business empire. Now that her Manny’s term in the Senate is up, she has to fill in that post! She has stated that it will be the public’s loss, not hers, if she is not elected! Bravo!

It seems we are being introduced to a new wave of political gimmickry. Politicians have become brazen, with their “eyes on the prize.”  We, the people, stand in disbelief that all this is happening before our very own eyes!

There, to remind you, is the “dynasty list.” If you want to get our country going for a better tomorrow, let’s be solid and wise. To paraphrase Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, political dynasties will only be powerful if you and I let them!

Marcia Evangelista-Sandoval is a feature writer and naïf artist. She says her retirement from a journalism career has not stopped her from writing. She hopes to publish her first book within the year.