Hi Roming thanks for the article.
(Editor's note: Our political culture of throwing mud cannot be controlled. It's becoming dirtier as noted by the author.)
Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown (Labour) was in North England campaigning for Britain's election on May 6. He made a slip when he referred to one voter as bigoted (narrow-minded, prejudiced, or intolerant).
His comment was heard on microphone by "more than a few voters."
Deep remorse
When TV and a host of media men confronted him, Brown bowed his head and cupped his hand to his face in sincere and deep remorse. He apologized publicly and by telephone to the voter who said she "was upset and annoyed."
But not in Philippine
"Bigoted" is 100 times lesser or milder than the act of calling a major national candidate a "mental case" and showing fake documents to this effect. In two instances, the documents and signatures were called consistent and colossal falsifications and forgeries.
But the person or persons who headed the division for dirty tricks had no time nor intent to say "sorry" even in a whisper to one friend or make a half-bow of pagsisisi.
The above spells the difference between two political cultures, in Britain and RP, ours being the model of thin or thick filth.
Preferences
Most analysts in London can't tell if Labour, the Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats may be rewarded with clear victory. As things now stand, voter preference is on the side of the Conservative Party, by a whisper.
Most TV, radio, and newspaper owners in RP don't show true color in their choice of candidates, local or national. Airtime anchors and journalists don't campaign nor endorse candidates for one big reason: Political ads costing billions may not land in "bigoted" TV, radio, and newspaper offices.
Endorsers
It's different in the US. Oprah Winfrey, the most popular TV figure in the US, came forward and proudly endorsed Barack Obama in the state primaries between January and June, 2008. Hillary Clinton's biggest endorser was The New York Times.
TV debates
The highlight of the presidential campaign before November, 1960 was the series of four televised debates between Senator Kennedy and Vice President Nixon. This was the first time in history that most of the American people were able to see and hear both major party candidates state their views and question each other face-to-face.
Clear platform
The Democratic platform was the most liberal ever presented up to that time by a political party: 1) Expanded civil rights for minorities, and 2) enlarged social security program. Nixon and Lodge ran largely on the record of the Eisenhower administration.
Of the 68.8 million votes cast, Kennedy won a plurality of 114,673, the slimmest margin in history. But Kennedy's 303 electoral votes to Nixon's 219 had settled this question and doubt.
The more the merrier
The Filipino candidates' preference for "mud" is understandable. The country's biggest poverty problem may find partial solution in population control by means of the most effective birth control methods, such as use of pills, condoms, etc., other than accepting heaven's natural gift.
Debate on this issue is done only in the homes with assurances of secrecy. If the discussion is presented on national TV people will hear evasive and safe answers in conformity with the prescriptions of priests and bishops - only the natural method at all cost.
Prescriptions from religious leaders RP is more than 80 percent Catholic or 76 million plus of our national population. We have one of the highest population density of close to 850 persons per sq mile. On average, the growth rate is counted by the million yearly.
All of us rely solely on the same resources of low production and full import of rice, meat, petroleum, etc. If population boom is not controlled or reversed, the poor Filipino will eat less and less for years.
There is no accurate count of the squatter population in Metro Manila on a population of 15 million plus projected by WHO.
Cleanliness, before and after
Last month, pictures of a clean estero beside the Paco public market were seen on TV. Those in charge of the cleanup were naturally proud to affirm that "cleanliness is next to godliness."
But last week, there was an appeal for more volunteers to clean the same Paco estero/creek. What the volunteer cleaners can do in 10 hours can be undone by the so-called informal settlers (squatters) and their colonies before nightfall for the next 12 hours.
Population control
Cleaning the Pasig and tributaries, with tens of thousands of shanties on their banks, remains a promise, but not a promising dream.
Ours is a case of the population controls! please direct your comments to roming@pefianco.
