HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE
(Part I)
This isn’t a feature about New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve never been one for resolutions; if I felt something needed changing or had to commence, I’d do it then and there, and not procrastinate until January 1st. When I finally stopped smoking two years ago, it was in the middle of June, and it was a case of going cold turkey. So this is more about creating a wish list, as there are a number of things that I foresee could happen this year; and in the popular practice of the times, I’m ‘manifesting’ them, and spreading thoughts of positivity, or more importantly, trying to cast away the negative.
We don’t need to be reminded that 2025 is an Election Year. And as I observe our political landscape, I sense that this will be one of the more sensitive and ferociously fought non-Presidential election years. I say this because it’ll be seen as the litmus test for what may happen, and/or what has to be done, in preparation for 2028’s Presidential election. More than ever, it’s about warring factions, about taking sides; and to be honest, that scares me.
It’s turning our country into a macro-version of the ‘fair Verona’ of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with our own version of the Montagues and Capulets - and there’s no romance, or love lost, in sight. Our 2025 elections will about about battle lines being drawn, with the raging question of whether a candidate is pro-‘Rom-Rom Montague’ or pro-‘Lady Shiminet Capulet’. It’ll be about whether a candidate is fortifying his or her position over the next three years, or hedging his or her fortunes for 2028 and beyond.
Will there be an all-time record of election-related violence in 2025? I truly hope not; but if I go by what was happening over the last months of 2024, it’s clear that passions will be riding high, with each faction believing they’re the ones standing for justice, fighting with principles, and on the side of righteousness.
Me, standing on the sidelines with no vested interest, I sense it’s really about power, about privilege and dominance; and that there was obviously no prior agreement on the ‘rules of engagement’. Hence, we get all this mud-slinging, feelings of betrayal, and stone-walling. And meanwhile, the rest of the world shakes it’s head, and wonders what’s happening in our country - as it’s our number 1 and number 2, who were voted in on the same party, duking it out in public, and talking assassination, and talking of impeachment by invoking non-impeachment. A sorry state and pathetic, exactly what we didn’t need as we strive for national recovery and economic progress.
As for their minions and ‘trolls’? I’m saddened to watch so much passion, dedication, and loyalties expended on smear campaigns that are a disservice to our country, and just make us look ridiculous to the rest of the world. It’s reached the point where one can’t even recall who slung the first mudball, or why. At this point, everyone is muddied, dirty, and just waiting for the next salvo - in other words, one big, sad mess.
Speaking of the upcoming 2025 elections dominated by LGU races, I’m reminded of a conversation I had with a member of Congress in early November of 2024. This Representative is a lawyer by profession, and mentioned how in the present Congress, the sitting lawyers got together to check how many they were, and were surprised to find they only made up 10 percent of the present composition of House members.
Curious, I then asked what these lawyers discovered was the dominant occupation of our representatives today. The answer? Contractors. And this is strengthened by the number of congressmen (and women) coming from the provinces. Now, I’ll leave you to make your own conclusions from that piece of statistical trivia. Real-life Monopoly board game? I can’t say, but I will admit that it does look like law-making, local politics, and business are intertwined, and institutionalized in an unprecedented manner.
Did this happen overnight? I very much doubt that; but Yes, it seems to have escaped being commented on - or has easily gained public acceptance. And if they run for office and are elected, why can’t they sit? It’s just funny to observe how it’s such a departure from the traditional image of who enter public service - but perhaps it is time to overhaul those traditional images - along with the Party List system that has been so misused and abused.
Me, I’m just wishing and praying for a relatively peaceful and non-controversial election this May. And that those who will be holding any form of public office post-elections, will do so with a sense of duty to the public that voted them in, and not a sense of the victor’s entitlement. Why do I wish this? At one very basic level, because my children deserve better than this ongoing travesty. Sure, the ‘travesty’ may be fun to comment on, and it fuels media platforms and social media; but ultimately, it truly serves no positive purpose.