I SAW this tarpaulin signage erected along the highway. I could not help but notice it, not because of its size (it’s only about 4ft tall and 6ft wide) but because of what it says. Something is wrong with it.

I have a friend who lives in Dapitan and he gives me updates about the political situation of the city. He told me that the people there have been so used to receiving money from a powerful political clan for their votes. I had to ask, “Do they have to buy votes? Aren’t they powerful enough to gain position without resorting to vote-buying?” He told me that it is already part of the system and that nothing could be done about it.

I RECEIVED my Voter Information Sheet for the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections and with it is the official sample ballot from the Commission on Elections.

Have you received yours?

The COMELEC is actually required by law (RA 7904) to furnish every registered voter a copy of the Voter Information Sheet that looks like that sheet of paper  in the photo above. According the law, the COMELEC should distribute it 30 days before the election. The last day should have been last 10th of April. I got mine the other day only. Well, due to the intermittent brownouts, the COMELEC has a scapegoat.

ELECTIONS IN the Philippines would not be complete without vehicles–from a luxurious Everest to a lowly tricycle–roaming the streets, broadcasting campaign jingles through loudspeakers and turning the town’s thoroughfares into an open-air music bar with a frantic mix of borrowed music with localized (and often awkwardly-written) lyrics.

Jingles are a creative way of introducing a candidate and conveying his message across to people. They are played over and over again to increase the probability that the electorate will recall the candidate’s name and characteristics.

BARELY A month before the May 10 Elections, I still haven’t finalized my list of candidates to vote. In fact, I still haven’t known all the candidates running for positions in the local government. So must be most of our populace.

This list of candidates in Sarangani must be helpful:

Printed: 01/30/10

(Grabbed this from Sir Avel’s blog)

Let’s ponder upon this list and  start getting to know them deeper.

This year is going to be a exciting election for two reasons: first, we have Manny Pacquiao going against Roy Chiongbian for Representative; and secondly, this is the first automated elections. I’m expecting (not hoping, never) too many invalid votes.

IT’S MID-APRIL already and there is still no action. I figure, this summer break is never going to match the fun I had last year. Or, is it too early to tell?

Good thing, I have a small venture that keeps me busy these days and erases the idea that I am going to have a boring summer vacation this year.

Well, I don’t want to make it sound big because it’s just a small business and I am not expecting it to be lucrative. At least, for now. I don’t want to count the chicken before the eggs are hatched, but I hope it could augment my income in the coming months or sooner.

I WAS on Youngblood last Tuesday but I wasn’t able to savor the feeling of having been published again because I was in a quandary. It’s perplexing how easily people judge you and condemn you when you only did what you know is right and how people could easily sever relationships just because your principles do not meet?

But that is for another blog post.

Well, I went to the principal’s office last Tuesday and happened to scan the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I saw my name on the byline of the Youngblood contribution for that day. It somehow lightened my mood. There was too much pressure that day but God knows how to make me smile.

I’M NOT talking about tenses here nor about girlfriends.

I’ve never had a conversation with an online friend quite a long time. Just this afternoon, we had the chance to chat on Facebook.

Our conversation came to a point that he said he doesn’t have a future anymore. He told me that his parents used to tell him to always think about the future but until now, he said, that future hasn’t come.

Then I told him, “What you are today, was once your future. The future you are thinking of today will soon come. That future will become your present, and eventually, your past.”