|
she blames it on her acads
She is a woman of strength, a woman of courage.
No one would probably expect to see an old woman vigorously taking part in a rally along EDSA under the prickly heat and blinding glow of the sun. At the age of 62, she should be spending most of her time staying at home. So all day she was in the house sitting face-to-face with the family's PC - chatting, net surfing, downloading photos and other files. She helped paint the gate and window steels and cabinets of the house, she fixed her old stuffs. Meanwhile, outside, were "R-18, Kaya mo na 'tol" posters, forums and symposia organized by a youth party called Anak ng Bayan as part of its nationwide voters' education campaign. Registration forms were being distributed in the barangay. Families and barkadas were crowding the registration centers, everyone else was lining up all day long just so they could cast their votes in May 2004.
The right to vote of every Filipino starts with the responsibility to register. However, in 2001 only about 7 million of the 15 million Filipino youth (18-27 years old) were registered - many youth are still disenfranchised of their basic constitutional right to suffrage. How come?
"(why should I spend time, effort and money to register when I know that intelligent voters' votes don't count for much in our country? If you think about it, the probability that a good president will be voted to office is very low (less than 50 percent)…And even assuming that a good president will be voted to office this time, if I vote come election, he/she cannot do much in six years, not only due to dirty Philippine politics but also due to the shortness of the term…Why go through the process of registering and voting when nothing can be gained in the present system of choosing a leader? Isn't it a clear exercise in futility?"
"I didnt re-register, I feel my vote wont count anyway. Was dsppointd in d spectacle of d primitv, shameful n cheating in our country's votecountng."
"Our country is cursed with greedy and conscienceless leaders."
She, just like those who uttered those words, has lost faith in the country's politicians. But she didn't want to be unable to vote. She gotta get listed.
So did phone brigades looking for old classmates within their vicinity who haven't registered yet. October 27 was the original plan. An important errand changed it to October 30. That day, young and old seated on newspaper-covered ground playing tong-its, or the guitar filled the scene as they walked towards the end of the line. Some who managed to bring their folding beds, blankets and pillows were having a good dose of sleep. The place looked like an evacuation center. Finally they got to the end. The line was stagnant. The sun was totally up then. One of her friends, unwilling to line up for long, went ahead. So there was she and Analee. For an hour they were there standing... she... well she was sleeping. Yes, sleeping while standing. She didn't get sleep the night before fearing that she would arrive late at their meeting place. An hour more passed. Wow, the line was moving fast. She said, "huh, we're gonna tell Eric that we got registered as soon as he left. He surely would regret he left". The line moved on. "Tapos, yun pala pinapauwi na tayo, noh?" she said laughing. And she was right. Everyone was told to go home and just come again Monday. They have number cards for only 600 people, they reasoned out.
Monday was 1st day of enrollment for school. She had to be there the whole week for she was a registration assistant. For that, she found herself being one of the thousands who weren't able to register. (In Cebu alone, at least 5000 prospective voters failed to register. They were just too many to ignore that Comelec officials there have decided to list down the names of those who were already at the registration areas at closing time.) A lot of prospective voters could not be accommodated.
Comelec blames it on the Filipinos' penchant for doing things at the last minute. She blames it on her acads. The registration and validation periods started in August this year for most areas in the nation. The Comelec's Education and Information Department has advertised announcements in major newspapers across the country. In fact, they have provided a schedule of 8 a.m to 8 p.m., Monday to Sunday, to accommodate those who may be too busy with their work or studies. Still, people chose to flock to the offices of the Election Officer toward the end of the registration period sometime in August. But "hadn't my acads made me sooooo exhausted I wouldn't have spent my vacation thinking and caring absolutely about nothing. Ayan tuloy", she thought. In her mind she kept defending and convincing herself that it wasn't really her fault. "E hindi ko kasi alam yung place... at kahit alam ko kung saan yun, wala akong kasamang pipila dun mula hatinggabi hanggang kinabukasan (her cousin told her that people really have to line up midnight to be accommodated). "Wala namang pwede sa bahay na samahan ako... yung kapitbahay na dapat kasabay ko nauna nang nagpa-register, di man lang sinabi sa 'kin... Yung mga friends ko naman puro taga Quezon City... " and so on.
When her friends knew about it, they were like, "ano ka ba?!?" And she really feels shame for she is known to be a politically active student. No matter how much she justifies herself, she knew inside that it was her fault... and of course, her acads' fault. What now? Is there any way she could be of use this coming elections?
Ah, probably she could do what a certain John Lester Caberto did last elections. Lester, 18, a member of the non-government group Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) was seen sweating it out in the sun behind a desk outside the gate of the Pinaglabanan school, handing out leaflets urging voters to "Vote Against the Debt" by joining in the group's signature campaign. As an unregistered voter, he said, "Parang eto na rin yung contribution ko dahil hindi nga ako makakaboto (I guess this is my contribution to the election process, because I am unable to vote)." An FDC table was also seen on the grounds of Ramon Magsaysay high school and Rafael Palma School, manned by unregistered young voters. Or, she and some friends could, perhaps, set up a first-aid booth just like what a group of high school students did at the Ramon Magsaysay High School for voters who may need assistance, be it fainting spells or proper precinct directions. Uhm... or maybe she could invite friends and neighbors to a group discussion on how to vote wisely or on how to read political ads. What if?
Napallacan, Jhunnex (Nov 13, 2003) Thousands fail to beat poll list-up deadline. http://www.inq7.net/reg/2003/nov/13/reg_3-1.htm
Youth played their part (---) http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/features/f2001_0515_03.htm Dec.8, 2003
Abalos, Benjamin (nov 21, 2003) Comelec Primer on 2004 elections www.philstar.com/philstar/News200311210406.htm
Pascual, Federico Jr. (Sept 28, 2003) 33 days left to register for elections in 2004 http://www.manilamail.com/archive/sep2003/03sep28.htm
Youth Launches Nationwide Campaign on Voters' Registration (August 9, 2003) http://www.tinig.com/v34/v34lp_anb.html Dec 8, 2003
|