REALLY 8-STRAIGHT

Was the name not a clue? Said Robin Williams

I have been alive since 1990, but I have only been aware of Philippine politics at the time of the Estrada Administration. Ever since that day, or before, I can be stand corrected by anyone older than me, I have never seen the opposition, being soundly defeated at the midterms. Even with the time of the late President Cory Aquino’s Administration, there is Estrada and Enrile, who won running against the administration slate. I don’t know if there are other names, that I didn’t mention. But those two, are the popular opposition names at the time.

But now, all those who ran under the banner of the opposition, Otso Diretso, did not do well in the polls. With Bam Aquino, only placing 14^th overall in the polls. What happen to the opposition? Is it black propaganda? Is it election manipulation? Or the people just really don’t want them? I will lay down, of what I think the reasons why Otso Diretso, became really Otso Diresto, but in being defeated in the 2019 senatorial election.

I . Victim of the Times

Everywhere in the world, in Europe, in Asia, in South and North America, may be even Africa, people are turning to those so called populist leaders. Leaders that are action man, and those who agree with the grievances of the people, and their proposed solutions. In the U.S. they elected Donald Trump. Japan has Shinzo Abe, Turkey has Edrogan. And in the Philippines we have our own, President Rodrigo Duterte.

In the 1930’s, the same phenomenon have happened. They weren’t called populist leaders at the time. Some are called fascist, and others communist. But they have a common name, Totalitarian leaders. Hitler, Stalin, Musollini, Franco, Antonescu, Tito, where some of the names in Europe. Japan has Tojo, China has Chiang Kai-Shek, and Mao Zedong. In South America, they have Peron. That was just some of the names that I remembered.

I don’t know, if the trend is for the good the world this time. The trend in 1930’s was definitely not for the good of the world. For those leaders, gave us World War 2, and the Cold War thereafter. In which the world, is still reeling of its effects.

The common thing about the populist leaders, is they have won against those candidates, which was considered liberal democrats. Again I don’t know, if it is for the good of the world, or not. We are still to see.

But what is the connection, between the rise of populist leaders, and the defeat of Otso Diretso. Let’s go to my next reason.

II . Rabid attack against Duterte

From the word populist itself, it means that the population agrees with them, and in turn, they are popular. Yet the opposition, attacked Duterte. But they attacked him, at the worst possible timing. Just after being elected, by 13 million plus voters. Because of that, they have been seen by the people, as an obstructionist opposition.

Not only that, the Vice President who is from the opposition, keep criticizing the President, and joining rallies against him. But somehow keep doing things, that ruins her. Now they have been seen not only as an obstructionist, but an opposition, who wants to overthrow, the duly elected President, via the Vice President. An opposition, who has an intention to usurp the Presidency.

Because of that, the daughter of the President, Mayor Sara, rally the people to not vote opposition candidates, and support only the candidates of their ticket. And that’s what the result of the election indicates.

The opposition should have given Duterte, his grace period as President. But they attacked him early on his term. Naturally the President, of all that I have seen, Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo, Aquino the son, all loses popularity in the middle of their term. Arroyo, by the end of her term, has a negative percent trust ratings. But because of what they did, it has been seen, that the opposition, doesn’t want the President to succeed. Because of that, they lost credibility. All of the future attacks against the President, whether unfounded or true, will be considered as slander. They will either have no, or little support in whatever they will do.

III . Wrong Choice of Candidates

If the opposition ran without this candidate, one or two of them may have won. And that candidate, is Mar Roxas. Who has a lot of failures, in his time of service in the Aquino Administration. MRT, Mamasapano, Yolanda, those are some of his many failures. Being the biggest is the Yolanda relief handling. How brazen is he, to even think of running again? Did he think that his twins will make him win? Rated K is losing ratings against Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho. People had not forgotten yet about you, Mr. Roxas. You should have waited for another three or six years, before running again, or retire for that matter, and take care of your twins, Pepe and Pilar. You and your wife, having the twins, was not seen as a cute thing, but rather a luxury. Even how rich you are, being luxurious during election time, is not good.

I can’t say anything about the other four, for I don’t know them. Macalintal being a lawyer, would have been a good and capable senator. Also Congressman Tanada. But they are with Mar, who has a tainted reputation as politician, that’s why they lost.

Another one is Bam Aquino, who is the only one, who did well, but fell short in the polls. I don’t like, maybe not only me, his credit grabbing on some of the laws that had passed. His family really has a history grabbing things. Land grabbing, for example, while he was credit-grabbing.

Like that of the free college education bill. I don’t know who particularly is the proponent of the bill, but I am sure that Bam, is not the one who brainchild it. But he presents himself, as if he is the one who made it, while in reality, he only co-author with some legislators. To put it on words that is easy to understand, he only suggested ideas to George RR Martin on some things, edited some words, but he is presenting himself, as if he wrote the whole A Song Of Ice and Fire series of novels. Where in reality, he didn’t. George RR Martin wrote it. I really like his work, especially the one that inspired the Game of Thrones TV series, which the show runners, ruined in the end. I don’t read the book yet, and I want to read it. But if the show, is only the tip of the iceberg, how much beautiful the books would be. I really would like to get my hands on that books.

IV . Calling Voters Names

Everyone has it’s supporters. Administration supporters, even the President himself, call the opposition as Yellow, Yellowtards. Opposition called them as Dutertards, DDS, etc. The candidates did not really do this mistake, but their supporters, in which affected the candidates big time. Calling the ones who will not vote for the opposition candidates as bobotantes(stupid voters). It had turn away votes, leaving only the support base, which is not enough for them to win.

Election is mathematics. It’s all about numbers, the more you can get, the merrier, for you will win. You don’t turn away voters, by calling them names. Another equation that should come to mind is this. Candidate plus Voters. Candidates capability, popularity, are important. But for someone to win, they need votes, which will come from the voters.

Voters nowadays, don’t really care about platforms, or on what you will do for the next ten years. What is important to voters, is the voters. Yes, themselves. We are selfish individuals, we Filipinos. That’s why we never won a war for independence, both against the Americans and the Spaniards. That’s why, at least in election time, candidates should not think of themselves. I am this, I am that, no. The message should be, I understand you, we shall do this, we shall do that.

Look at how, President Duterte won against other candidates. All of them, have plans of what will they do. He has none, but only one message, which is this, my god, I hate drugs. He has this federalism, as a plan. But it’s not popular among people, for they don’t really know what it means. So the rallying cry, is he should end drugs in 6 months. And he won, why? Drugs are affecting the daily lives of Filipinos. Families are destroyed, men, women, children died because of it. Its really a problem from the ground, that people want to be really addressed. Only he among the candidates, had said something about it. I think that’s really the reason why he won. He admitted himself in a debate, that he will just copy the platforms of his fellow candidates at that time. Candidates are not the most important thing in the elections, but the voters.

V . Lastly, Campaigning

Many known names, among the local candidates lost the election, especially those who are opposed because of this. Not campaigning, and complacency. They think name recall, is enough to win seats of power. Not even going to places, that are not that far.

The same happened with the Otso Diretso. They did not go to places, which they think they are unpopular. Which is a big mistake, had they done it, Bam might have won. Elections is a numbers game. Its about popularity. Have they try to reach from the other side of the fence, and try to change the minds of the people, they might have a chance.

I can attest to this, because on the day of the election, one voter said: “I will not for them, they did not go here”. Which only means, that person can be swayed. And I and that person, is from Davao City, a Duterte territory.

I think their problems come being lazy, half-heartedness, and being pessimistic about the outcome. Have they really put up a fight, which I think they really did not. One of them, could have won. Because they don’t, they lost. Na Otso Diretso talaga. Lastly I think, naming is also important.