Philippine Election Special, Voice from a New Botante

Would like to post here a letter/comment from Michelle who will
be voting for the first time this coming Philippine Election
on May 14, 2007.

I'm 23 and I will be voting for the first time this
May 14. I have always been passive about the elections and
have always seen it from an outsider's point of view. This
time, I will try to be a concerned Filipino citizen and
participate in choosing the people to hold the reins. For the
past month, I have been following and watching the news to see
which candidates are worthy of my vote. And to be honest, I
still do not know who is deserving. They are all the same,
I see them as a power-hungry, corrupt officials who have
been milking on the people's tax. What I hate most are
those who bragged about the facilities they have built while
they were in position. (i.e. a bridge with a huge sign
"contributed by Congressman____"). The money used for building
each and every "project" (for lack of words to use), are taken
from the taxpayers'contributions and how dare them take
credit for that.

I have graduated just last 2005 and am in the labor force
for two years. I have felt the bite of tax contribution.
Maybe those who have been working for a longer time now has
taken for granted and/or just choose to forget about these
deductions. But I do not. I get angry while looking at the
"Tax Deductions," in my payslip. It is the amount that I
contribute to the politicians' pocket every month.

This election, I will write the names of those I think are
the lesser devils. I won't vote for actors running for
senators. What do they know about law and lawmaking?
I hope I will make a good choice.

One thing that has been in my mind were the words of
a woman who lived in one of the squatters areas in Manila.
She was interviewed about her views about the candidates
and about the elections. She said, "kung pagsama-
samahin at tuparin ang lahat ng plataporma ng mg kandidato,
tapos ang problema ng Pilipinas" (something to that effect.
How true!

One show in ABS-CBN was also featuring about what children
see about the candidates and politicians; all of them
answered that all Philippine politicians are corrupt.
How sad is that?

I continuously pray for the betterment of the Philippines.
I hope those elected and who will be in power will be
conscientious, and I hope that they would forget their
personal agenda and see what our country desperately needs.
What makes me sad is that I know that I shouldn't hope for
such miracles.

From Michelle