Eduardo Pontaoe
17 Oct 2007

 

 

The Philippines beaten America to the draw having a woman elected president the first time, is not a joke nor trivial. The pun lies not in Arroyo herself but the way she got elected . . . it’s a joke.

The betrayal of Estrada and her political adventurism with Garcillano put a dark cloud over her head. The corruption swirling around her is like climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen tank, but she will survive because of the material rewards that she throws around.

After her presidency, she will be relegated in the dustbin of Philippine history like the rest of them, leaders in mediocrity.

The corrupt election applied in the Philippines wouldn’t happen in America. Election laws in this country are so stringent that violations in the local or national level are federal offenses, and would bring the full might of the government crushing down on your head.

The raising of campaign funds alone is tricky. Solicitation is individually limited to $2300 dollars for the primary and the same amount in the national election. This is where the Philippines and America deviates in campaign finance laws.

In America, all funds collected must be reported to the government to the last penny while in the Philippines, laws are not followed, and thereby creates breeding ground for corruption.

In America, votes are not for sale like candies in a sari-sari store.

Equating the hyphenated Macapagal-Arroyo with Hillary Clinton . . . if she is elected, she has a lot of hurdles to overcome, foremost, the primary and the heavy luggage in her back . . . is like putting side by side a meteorite to a galactic star.

No comparison could be applied either by intelligence and the quickness of wit, or the stature of a leader notwithstanding she’s married to the philandering Bubba.

However, Marcos is a perfect symbol of the Pinoy. This word Pinoy which Filipinos used like butter on toast seemed unaware of its true meaning. It’s derogatory, stereotypical of the Filipino who is corrupt . . . uneducated . . . rude . . . uncouth. Words like damn Polack to a Polish. Mick to an Irish. Wop or grease ball to an Italian. Chink or slit-eyes to a Chinese and so on.

Pinoy or Pangalatok, anyone?