One
morning in a busy sidewalk where jeepneys customarily pull over and
load passengers, I found myself watching a little girl tugging
frantically at her mother’s blouse to no end. What I was seeing was
obvious – a little girl insistently pressing her want to try some
of the sweets sold by vendors nearby. From a distance, the raw and
utter eagerness in her eyes was virtually noticeable. “She really
wants it”, I decisively thought. Then for a split second, I was
reminded of the day of the election campaign. The day when, full of
confidence, election candidates eyeing for posts in College of
Education Local Council (CEd-LC) and Obrero Campus Student Council
(OCSC) crossed thresholds of classrooms, stood all innocent-like,
plastered close-to-phony smiles and spoke of ribbon-bound and
sugar-seasoned pledges and platforms. Needless to say, that
little girl and the election candidates have one thing in common –
they eagerly wanted something. With that in mind, I realized that
while the election may have been over for almost a month and a half
already, it is still not too late to take a look back at it. And thru
this opinion column, let me share to you my thoughts on candidate’s
candidacy, campaign strategy, their oh so sweet promises and the
Miting de Avance.
ON
THEIR CANDIDACY
If
it’s not to be misconstrued, their choice to pursue a post in the
student council is highly appreciable. They chose to take a path that
most students would just rather sweep under the rug. It is not an
unknown fact that being a student these days requires more than just
an effort. Obviously enough, being a student-leader doubles what
being a plain one requires. And they sure were aware of that before
they pinned their fingers down on their choice to run. That said,
their acquisition of an office (say they won) which does not give so
much compensation is a clear picture of them carrying further weights
upon their already-weighty shoulders just to serve the students. An
absolutely selfless act, indeed. However, a sheer suspicion
can take a form if we look at it deeply, sharply and analytically. As
said, being a student-leader is quite of a situation because it asks
so much from the student (given that examinations and quizzes are
never rare) with no enough compensation in return. That leaves one
question hanging unanswered: Why would they prefer being a
student-leader whose responsibilities can always pile up in an
instant to being a plain one? Is it because sacrificial bones are
just abundant in their bodies? Or is it because the perks (fame, free
t-shirt, sanction immunity whatsoever) that the position comes with
are just too tasty that they hanker after them? Which is which, I do
not know. It’s too early, so early to leap into conclusions today.
Their (meaning those who made it) term hasn’t even started yet. We
are yet to see the authenticity of the sincerity of their intentions.
However, I believe a keen vigilance can always open one’s faculties
to see what they try to hole up even at this early hour.
ON
THEIR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
Hearing
platforms during elections is good. It clues us in on who deserves an
Aye. It is from where we coin our disposition as voters. But that
story is entirely rewritten if the speeches we’re hearing are
misleadingly unrealistic.
Every
so often, I overhear conversations upon walking along the college
lobby. We all do, perhaps. But one overheard statement I still hold a
fresh memory of was “Unsa
man tong ilang gipang-ingun oy! Klaru man kaayung gi pang memorize.
Practiced kaayu ang inenglish...” and
they went out of earshot. As I was hearing it, I was like “Amen,
Sister!”.
I mean, would it be nimiety if they give us words sincerely
proceeding straight from their hearts? The problem with most of
candidates this year is their very strategy of trying to capture
voters through ways that mislead.
That’s
the way of it, why would I and you get upset?
Simple: Because
misled voters elect ineffective leaders. Diverting the attention of
the public from their lack of EXPERIENCES, POTENTIALS AND NOTABLE
GOVERNING RECORD, some candidates tapped on masterfully memorized
speeches, googled leadership quotes and all the indecipherable
unsubstantial metaphors for help trying to make the students commit
the stupid mistake of electing unfitting so-called
ready-to-be-servants candidates. It was indeed a poor election tactic
and a deliberate display of desperate need for power. Sadly, a lot
are still vulnerable to such deception.
ON
THEIR PROMISES
The
university realizes annual elections in order to select
student-leaders that would provide for and respond to the minor needs
of the students. Thus, the latter naturally derive their decisions
from all the platforms or promises the candidates present.
This
year, the university has heard platforms of different sorts. One
pledged to erect lampposts on the university football field, another
promised to push for I.D System that’s fuelled by an I.D Machine
and stuff. All sound equally interesting and well-thought. I
appreciate this year’s set of candidates for coming up with such
brilliant plans. But these brilliant plans are, if ever chances don’t
turn slim, yet to hop into reality and unless that happens, those
plans will remain sterile bags of air.
MITING
DE AVANCE
With
the very opportunity to emphasize scrutiny on the election candidates
not totally afforded in just a mere classroom campaign, it is just
natural for students to anticipate Miting de Avance with great
expectation. However, what has happened during the event was pretty
disappointing. Seats absent and speakers not so audible, it was
evident how poorly the audiences were accommodated. How would they
expect the students to allot attendance to the essential event if the
venue itself didn’t seem to look welcoming at the first place? And
they had this general-questions-only policy which according to them
was necessary because of the limited time. Funny how they seemed to
religiously conserve time by preventing anyone from asking
individually-directed questions but still afforded to allow a
non-sensible performance in the program. Really, I can’t seem to
see what causes ComElec to still dysfunction given that it only moves
its joints once a year. Perhaps, one student was right when I
overheard her blabbing “Basig gi una pa nila ang pag paprint sa
ilang t-shirts kaysa sa mga mas kailangan gastuhan!”
