THE sense of apathy among Filipino voters these days is palpable.

Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is acknowledging the sad reality that there are people who easily fall for the empty promises of some candidates.

Lacson was asked about the seeming lack of interest of the electorate in addressing the issue of corruption, since no politician in the history of politics in the country was able to solve this problem anyway.

The three-term senator — who has a long history of exposing widespread corruption in government through his privilege speeches in the Senate that led to the prosecution of some personalities — is aware that issues like these do get often ignored by the public at the expense of good governance.

“Maski may nakakaaway ako, talagang nagbabantay ako ng corruption. Karamihan ng mga privilege speeches ko ay mula’t sapul, hindi ba, tungkol sa maling paggastos ng kaban ng bayan? Importante ang track record,” Lacson said.

“Paliwanag ako nang paliwanag, kung hindi naman kayo interesado makinig, at ang gusto niyo lang marinig ‘yung mga mabababaw na isyu na halata mo naman ‘yung pangako hindi kayang pangatawanan ay nasa sa inyo,” the presidential aspirant added.

Lacson refused to attribute this frustrating situation to lack of communication. While he recognizes that there may be problems between the one who gives the message, and the one who is supposed to receive it, a sea change probably needs to happen for better understanding to take place.

“Kasi hindi natin siniseryoso masyado e. Para bang [sinasabi]: ‘Sige na, ganyan talaga kalakaran e.’ Pagka ganoon kasi ‘yung attitude, wala talaga tayong pupuntahan. Mahirap talaga. Kami alam namin ‘yung mga basic problems, alam namin kung gaano kalaki ang problema,” he noted.

To the disaffected voters, who keep complaining that all presidential aspirants are the same—only good at making promises every election season but have no plans to deliver after—Lacson advised them to go beyond these promises and look at what they have already accomplished instead.

“Sabi nga nila, kasi panahon ng kampanya, pangako dito pangako doon. Ang sagot ko naman doon ‘ang tagal ko nang ginagawa ‘yan.’ Sa tinagal-tagal ko sa serbisyo—mula doon sa military, sa police, sa legislature—ni minsan hindi ako tumanggap ng suhol,” the Partido Reporma chief said.

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