The
Philippines adheres to the same principles expressed in the American
Declaration of Independence in the following words: "We hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure
these rights, Government are instituted among Men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of
Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the
People to alter or to abolish it ….."
The doctrine of people's sovereignty is founded on the principles of democracy and republicanism and refers exclusively to the sovereignty of the people. Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution is quite clear on this, thus: "SECTION 1 -The Philippines is a democratic and republican State Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them." And the Preamble makes it clear when it opens with the solemn clause "We, the sovereign Filipino people . . ." This sovereignty is an attribute of the Filipino people as one people, one body. Thus, the government is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the statesmen, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest voter. We set up government by consent of the governed.
*****
The people participates in the conduct of the affairs of the
government unit through the exercise of their right of suffrage. For
this reason, the vitality of republicanism derives from an alert
citizenry that is always ready to participate in the discussion and
resolution of public issues. These issues include the conduct of
government functionaries who are accountable to the people in the
performance of their assigned powers, which after all come from the
people themselves. Every citizen has a right to expect from all public
servants utmost fidelity to the trust reposed in them and the maximum of
efficiency and integrity in the discharge of their functions. Every
citizen has a right to complain and criticize if this hope is betrayed.
*****
In just five days, we will go to the polls to vote. Our future
depends upon how we exercise our right of suffrage. We have to be very
careful in making our choices. Incidentally, in this regard, let us
confront a sad reality which recurs every election time – vote buying.
This is my advice to voters, especially the poor and needy: if money is
given by a candidate, accept. There is nothing wrong in accepting
a gift, and the money may provide the next meal for our family. What is
wrong is when we vote for the candidate only because of the money we
received. So, vote only as your conscience dictates, even if you have
agreed to vote for the candidate who has given you money. That kind of
agreement is invalid as it is both immoral and illegal. An immoral and
illegal contract does not give rise to any obligation enforceable in
law.
*****
So, vote wisely we must. Let me repeat what I have already said
before: an actor with impressive looks who is again running for
president may not be as good as the heroes he has portrayed in the
movies. The sad reality is that he is a convicted plunderer, and is
renowned not for his intelligence, but for his blockheadedness and
loathsome vices. For another reason, another presidential candidate (a
businessman who is a mega-millionaire) who has been throwing away his
money as though money has gone out of style, will certainly try to
recoup the billions he spent if elected in office. Considering that the
salary of a president is not really that much, corruption appears to be
the most likely way by which he can recoup his investment.
*****
Our best choice for president appears to be the reluctant candidate,
Noynoy Aquino, who is running for president on a platform of honesty and
is guided by the sterling record of his parents in public life. Unlike
the first two candidates I mentioned earlier who craves to be president,
Aquino had no such ambition until he was practically pushed into it by
the collective voices of countless ordinary people who wanted an
alternative to dirty, traditional politicians.
*****
Regarding the race for governor of the province, my thoughts on this
are as follows: the congressman who has already served his three terms
does not deserve to be the governor of the province. He is running for
governor not because he has suddenly lost his appetite for the immense
riches available to congressmen, but only because he has already served 3
terms as congressman and is already forbidden by law to run for
re-election. Let us retire him for good.
*****
On the congressional contest, it must be remembered that Congress is
the branch of government which, among other things, imposes taxes and
appropriates funds for the expenditures of government. In other words,
it is the custodian of the taxes so laboriously paid by the people – the
wealth of the country. It is of little wonder, therefore, that it is
the favorite target office of rapacious politicians who want to suck the
lifeblood of our country and feast upon its dead carcass. So, be very
wary of the woman candidate for congressman who is running for the third
time and has spent millions and millions of pesos each time she ran for
a congressional seat. She is a businesswoman who has nothing in her
background which even remotely suggests that she is competent enough to
occupy a seat in congress. If elected, she will certainly try to recover
the mind-boggling millions she has spent. Be very suspicious, too, of
the traditional politician who has already served three terms as
congressman in the past, and two terms as governor. The 15 years he has
spent supposedly in the service of the people of Catanduanes did not
lift Catanduanes out of the quagmire of poverty and desperation it is
stuck in. It is time we try other sons or daughters of Catanduanes who
might be more competent and more deserving. Too, do not be deceived by
the candidate who claims to come from the premier municipality of Virac,
which delivers one fourth of the entire voting strength of the
province. The accident of birth in a populous place does not guarantee
one’s competence and honesty. In fact, there are reports that this
candidate sold his candidacy to an opposing candidate in an earlier
election. While this may not be true, this suspicion casts a heavy cloud
upon his integrity.
*****
Our mother country is now bleeding to death. Let us save her by the
wise and proper exercise of our right of suffrage. The voter holds in
his mortal hands the power to save the government, or to abolish it
altogether. As so aptly stated in the American Declaration of
Independence, whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of the
rights of the people to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, it
is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.
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