Before I begin, allow me greet everyone a blessed Easter! I am likewise extending my greetings to my friends and colleagues at Radyo Veritas846 in their celebration of its 53rd Anniversary whose festivities ends today (April 23) via the premiere showing of the Historical Documentary Film on the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines to which Radio Veritas has produced in partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines and Creative Travel and Tours International.

Our Philippine electoral arena has developed in a variety of situational realities that confuse the way we appreciate our ethical values during elections. All that has been discussed in my past articles point to the lack of patriotism or “Pagmamahal sa Bayan” among politicians and some of our compatriots as well. It is therefore along this line of thinking that Filipinos whose Democracy was born out of the blood of heroes, are engaged with a moral question for the 2022 Polls, “Who am I going to elect in order to regain this dignity of our Love of Country?”

1. It is through Our Vote that Good Governance begins. It is when WE conscientiously choose responsible leaders that WE contribute to good governance. It is when WE allow ourselves to be intimidated, bought or coerced that WE lose that right to be a citizen of our country. Voting the right way and for the good candidates enhances our right to suffrage and attests of our responsibility for our future and the future of our country.

2. Protecting Our Vote is an Integral Part of Patriotism. Our vote, though it is a singular one is a lucrative attraction to politicians’ desire to be elected at all cost thereby exposing us to the dangers of “guns, goons and gold”. It is in this light that bravery comes as a virtue. It is when we cowardly succumb to intimidation that we contribute to the perennial and blatant fraud permeating the country. It is when we protect this vote that others see its importance and are inspired to do the same. And that makes such an integral part of heroism.

3. Our Vote is a Responsibility to Our Country. It is when WE vote that WE participate in Nation Building because it is the leader, WE choose that shall direct us to such a noble task. It is a great responsibility for me to choose the best candidate for the job. It is when WE fail to conscientiously choose the better leader that WE also fail in our responsibility. We are therefore impelled to make the right choice and to vote if we are to belong to the movers of moral transformation. In the end, we are Filipino Citizens responsible for the betterment of our country – the Philippines.

For our Choice of Candidates, we should choose between the Honest vs the Corrupt …

H – ERO OF THE POOR AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED. In solidarity with the plight of the poor and the underprivileged; sharing with them the blessings of economic gains

O – PEN MINDED. Does not discriminate based on belief, religion, gender, disability, ethnicity or social class

N – ATIONALISTIC. Willing to sacrifice life for love of the Philippines and the Filipino People and to protect the Philippine Constitution and the country’s Democratic institutions at all costs

E – FFICIENT. Able to function well and achieve the desired results without waste and tempers this with acting on the basis of fact and analysis of data

S – INCERE. What he/she says is what he/she really mean and is evident in his actions conforming to his/her words

T – RUSTWORTHY. Trusted by the community as upright – a person of integrity in thought, word and deed

Versus those we consider as …

C – ONCEITED. Behaving toward other people as though they are less important and using his/her office and its resources and funds for self interest

O – PPORTUNISTIC. Taking advantage of all opportunities or situations, in a devious, unscrupulous, or unprincipled way

R – ECKLESS DISREGARD for the Degradation of the Environment. Circumventing the law to the destruction of the country’s natural resources in exchange for personal profit or vested interest

R – ACKETEER. Makes money from illegal activities such as bribery, fraud, or intimidation

U – NFAITHFUL TO HIS/HER PLATFORMS. Not fulfilling his/her campaign promises and supporting policies contradictory to his/her platforms in the past elections that he/she had won

P – ERVERSE LIFESTYLE. Purposely deviating from what is accepted as good, moral, proper, or reasonable lifestyle

T – REACHEROUS. Betraying or ready to betray the Filipino citizenry’s trust, confidence, or faith

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