Everything seems ‘normal’

By Alex P. Vidal

“The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.”— Alfred Adler

WE shouldn’t be shocked anymore that a suspected spy from a foreign land was elected into public office in the Philippines.

Even if you’re stupid, sex fiend, illiterate, scammer, circus player, drug dealer, gambling operator, warlord, prostitute, agogo dancer, faith healer, pseudo journalist, and peeping tom, you can file a certificate of candidacy (COC) and even win in the Philippines.

With due respect to majority of the Filipino voters, “it’s not that difficult anymore” to participate in the election and dominate a public elective position in the Philippines.

In the first place, the electoral system is easy to penetrate, exploit and abuse, to say the least. Everything seems to be “normal” when it comes to wrecking havoc and compromising the integrity of our electoral system.

Look at the presidential contest. If the Commission on Election (Comelec) didn’t eliminate the names of candidates with mental disorders who were able to file their COCs, we would have more than 50 candidates for president even if most of them should have been confined and treated in the mental institution.

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The “defects” actually emanated from our electoral process aside from the “lenient” qualifications. Anyone who is a registered voter; who can read and write; 40 years of age at the day of the election; and must have resided in the Philippines ten years before the election is held, can run for public office.

Money and popularity reign supreme. If you’re a joker or a criminal but one who possesses a shipload of wherewithals and history of notoriety in real life and in showbiz, you’re “in” or a sure winner.

The most heartbreaking in the present electoral system is that the most popular but deficient in basic qualifications were the ones who dominated the races, especially in the national offices.

The best and the most qualified were left in the wayside to eat the dust; many of them were never elected even if they tried to run again in the elections thereafter.

We have become a laughingstock of the world actually. And we are shocked and surprised that a suspected spy has been elected town mayor?

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Below is the statement from the Secretary-General of Kapisanan ng mga Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas Inc (KSMBPI) on the controversy whipped up by an Iloilo vlogger in a recent shooting incident in Miago-ao, Iloilo:

The Kapisanan ng mga Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas Inc (KSMBPI) unequivocally condemns the recent actions of vlogger Wilfredo Talaron for falsely identifying himself as a media professional during the coverage of a shooting incident in Miag-ao, Iloilo. This incident, highlighted by the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Press Corps, starkly violates the ethics and professionalism that we, at KSMBPI, advocate for those in social media broadcasting.

Misrepresentation, coupled with unprofessional behavior, severely undermines the trust and credibility that social media broadcasters strive to build with their audience. It is imperative for all social media broadcasters to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, accuracy, and respect in all forms of engagement.

The KSMBPI stands committed to promoting responsible and ethical social media broadcasting. We underscore the importance of accountability and the impact of our platforms on public opinion and discourse. Let this incident remind all social media broadcasters of our significant responsibility to the public and the need for a steadfast commitment to truth, professionalism, and ethical conduct.

We join the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Press Corps in advocating for the responsible use of social media platforms and call for a collective effort to elevate the standards of social media broadcasting in the Philippines. BERNIE G. MIAQUE, Trustee & Secretary General, Kapisanan ng mga Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas Inc (KSMBPI)

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(Ini gin balay ni Ambassador Leo Tito L. Ausan, Jr., sang ika-16 sang Mayo, 2024, sa Dhaka, Bangladesh, halin sang alas 4:45 tubtob 5:50, sang hapon.

PANUGYAN LANG BORDAGOL!

I

Hoy, Bordagol,

Indi kami pagkabiga

Nga mga tawo-tawo lang sa duldol

Kay maathag sa amon ngaimo kami subong ginabudol

Sa amon mga kumod kag yamo,

Hinugay ka gani sang pabungol-bungol.

II

Hoy, Bordagol,

Kak’sa sa imo dulunggan,

Ang kon ano man nga nagakapol,

Agud imo kami sang matigda nga mabatian

Kay indi maki mga tawo-tawo sa duldol,

Kag namutikan na namon nga sa matuod ang kwarta sang banwa

Imo lang ginapamulsa, pagkatapos  mo kami nga mabudol!!

III

Hoy, Bordagol,

Dasiga huksa na ang sa mga dulunggan mo nagakapol,

Kay basi mag-abot ang tion,

Nga indi ka na mabatas namon

Kag ikaw daku nga magahinulsol,

Kay indi lang tuk-ap, kag tindak,

Ang kastigo nga imo matilawan kundi lakip na ang sikol kag tapungol, nga paaman sa amon mga barakol,

PANUGYAN LANG INING AMON BORDAGOL!!

IV

Hoy, Bordagol,

Indi ka malipat kag magsala,

Kami nga mga Pilipino, indi mga tawu-tawo sa duldol,

Bisan kami tanan nagapaukoy kag nagahipos lang nga daw,

Sa bungsod, isa ka hugpong sang amamakol!!

Nahibaluan namon ang imo ginabuhat,

Gani sa imo sa pagpili sa imo kami na ang nagahinulsol,

Untati na ina sa gilayon , indi na maghulat,

Sang tion nga ikaw ang amon madakpan kag mabakol!

V

Hoy, Bordagol,

Daw maano na gid kami,

Kag sa imo, sa subong, ginaumol-umol,

Luyag na gid namon nga ikaw ang madukol,

Pili ka lang sa tatlo, dukol, tapungol, ukon, barakol

Ang imo maaguman kon kami sa imo, ang matak-an na sang yamo, ngurob kag taghol,

PANUGYAN LANG INING AMON TANAN, BORDAGOL!..

VI

Tandaan mo Bordagol,

Tungod sa kainit  sang panahon subong,

Ang pagdako kag pagdabong sang mga tanumlakip na ang lapunaya ang nagpigado kag nagkunol,

Gani kon ikaw hinali namon nga madamukol

Sa imo mga lagub, basi wala ka na sang ipang hampol,

PANUGYAN LANG

HALIN SA AMON TANAN, BORDAGOL!!

NGA MADUGAY MO NA GINAKABIG KAG GINATRATO NGA MGA TAWU-TAWO SA DULDOL!!!

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)