Voting is defined as a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action. Voting is an important tool in choosing our leaders and how they run our country. The citizens hold the future of the country’s economy in their hands, and it is their responsibility to choose the right leader to guide them to have a better country. A citizen should vote for his own good and for the good of all.
One should vote because it is a responsibility and the future and good of all depends on it. Voting gives us the power to lead our country to a better future, because through this process we choose our leader; the right leader to lead us to what is good. Our economy’s future fully depends on our leader, our guide; the rise and fall of our country is based on his decisions.It was a huge disappointment for many finding out that the voting process and mechanisms can be tampered and cheated. Motivated by the power, influence and fortune gained from having a government post, these politicians are willing to capitalize on a great expense just to win a posts that brands them as “public servants” because that intention of public service is merely a facade to serve their personal and ulterior motives of gaining or remaining in power.Nevertheless, we still need to exercise our right to vote even if it seems to be a hopeless activity.
and here are just some guides to “smart” voting:
1. Never vote for a re-electionist – even if they seem to have a good track record, remaining in power for so many years corrupts even the most noble of persons. Give others a chance to serve the country.
2. Never vote for a member of a political dynasty – It becomes a family business that gives them unfair advantage. It is better to have just one representative of the family to serve the country.
3. Never vote for an “artista” especially comedians or action stars – They’re famous for their craft as artists, and lives in a make-believe world that would pose as a great disadvantage for the people that they would represent in the real world. Just look at the bad examples of Philippines politics – Sotto, Lapid, Revilla, and many others.
4. Never vote for an “epal” – Those who use public funds to continuously advertise their accomplishments. We see their names, faces, initials, symbols on tarps, posters, announcements, waiting sheds, lamp posts, government vehicles, business permits, etc.
5. Never vote for those that kept silent or gave “no comment” during scandals and issues within their ranks – A good example is former Vice President Noli De Castro who kept quiet during the Arroyo irregularities, but is now very noisy and opinionated back in mainstream media.
6. Never vote for those who are way too extravagant in their campaigns – Those who can afford to spend thousands and even millions in pesos just to campaign their candidacy, generous giveaways, tokens and paraphernalias, extensive tarps,billboards and posters, etc.
7. Never vote for those who attend Sunday TV mass – It is obvious that they want to bee seen on TV because they just need the media exposure to get votes. It is the worst using religion and seeing the likes of Alma Moreno, councilor of Paranaque and Daisy Reyes, councilor of Pateros, on a Sunday TV mass broadcasted live over ABS-CBN last Sunday was a horrible example of how low our politiccians would go just to get exposure.
8. Never vote for those who spends more time in other places than their own city of responsibility – Who ever heard of a politician who spends a greater percentage of his or her time attending events that do not have anything to do with her responsibility as a government employee, or is seen in many places most of the time except her own city of responsibility, likes to go out of the country, and is more active in Facebook than regular meetings in the city hall.
Plus a lot more…just use your common sense and you’ll be able to identify them easily.