On election anxiety, unsurprising initial results, and heartbreak rants

On election anxiety, unsurprising initial results, and heartbreak rants

Election anxiety was and is real. Haluan mo pa ng quarter/third-life crisis, minsan mapapaisip ka, “Ano na, Pilipinas? Ano ba ibig sabihin maging Pilipino at ipaglaban ang Pilipinas?”

Gets naman kung bakit ang mga kakampinks, umaasa sa Google Trends. But as a researcher myself, I cannot discount the validity of the surveys. Yes, there are “theories” kuno na “False Asia” or “mind conditioning”, but as professionals and personalities have vouched for, these survey firms try to be transparent and employ relatively good-but-imperfect methodologies.

For the past months, it seemed clear that the majority (not just a plurality!) were for BBM-Sara. Kaya in a way, now that ~50% of the unofficial results are transmitted, di na nakakagulat ang results. The early signs point to one of the most empathic electoral wins in recent history.

Nakakainis ang COMELEC. Ang daming incidents na sira ang VCMs. Di naman ganito nung 2016 at 2019 diba? Anyare po sa inyo? Paano namin kayo pagkakatiwalaan? At kung tunay na minority ang kakampinks, paano kami mas makakaunawa na walang anomalya sa eleksyon kung ang daming palpak? (Shoutout though to our poll watchers and volunteers na napagbubuntunan ng galit, di niyo po kasalanan! Mabuhay po kayo!)

It is not surprising, but fuck, it hurts. Sana may miracles pa, but all reasonable evidences point to an empathic BBM-Sara win.

My friends know that I tried to adopt a more balanced or neutral view since I did not want to be a blind follower. In 2016, I truly considered voting for Duterte (so I understand his charisma, disciplina kuno, and “change is coming”, yun pala change scamming, kontra oligarchy pero bagong oligarchy lang din). Ala Heneral Luna ang dating (kunwari). Pero kapag pinagnilayan… Rape jokes? Dapat daw nakauna si Mayor? Nasaan na yung jetski kontra XJP? Bumalik ako kay Mar-Leni.

VP Leni represented values and principles I believe to be manifestations of good governance. Pero di siya perpekto. Sabi ng mga iba, baka mahina si Leni, malalamon ng nga backers niya. So, pinag-isipan ko rin iboto si Yorme, baka mas mahinahon na Digong. Pero lumabas ang tunay na kulay, balimbing, minsan kontra admin, minsan kontra BBM, tapos presscon kontra sa Top 2 sa survey…? “Switch to Isko” is appropriate kasi si Isko, switch din ng switch! In the end, mas tumaya at tataya pa rin ako sa rosas na bukas.

Di ko lang matanggap bakit si BBM. Sa totoo lang, mas gets ko pa kung bakit si Pacman ang iboboto eh. Pero BBM? Bakit? Tapos maniniwala tayo sa TikTok at YouTube? Kahit nga Wikipedia na dinidiscourage na source ng mga paaralan, yun na lang, madaliang research, makikita na natin yung red flags. Bakit sa kulay pula pa rin?

Pag natuloy na naupo si BBM, mauulit ba ang mga Archimedes Trajano tortures sa mga paaralan? Bilang guro, matatakot ba ako magsabi ng totoo kasi baka mapahamak ang mga estudyante, kapwa guro, at mga mahal ko sa buhay?

Dadami ba sa mga mahal ko sa buhay na pipiliin mangibang bansa kasi nawawalan ng pag-asa at oportunidad sa Pinas? Hirap na hirap na, at mas nakakakita ng liwanag sa ibang lugar?

From listening and reading the thoughts of neutral political science and sociology experts, I think the real mechanism that led to these: the erosion of Truth and the preference of personal truths and narratives. Guilty tayo diyan. Dahil tinuring na mala-santo sila Ninoy at Cory, nabulag din tayo sa mga mali at pagkukulang ng gobyerno natin. People Power became an imperfect representation of democracy; narrated more in terms of saints versus devils, and less about virtues versus vices. Personalidad pa rin.

The age of social media highlighted our immature democracy, which is susceptible to narratives, conspiracy theories, and propaganda. Naging labanan ng kwentuhang gusto, hindi ng katotohanan. The first to realize this context were the Marcoses, and as early as the 2010s, they were investing in social media to revise history and form pro-Marcos groups.

We allowed and our allowing ourselves to be sheeple. We are all guilty.

So, I try to ease my anxiety and that of my loved ones. At least, we are learning. And the majority seems to have spoken. Okay lang. I respect our due process.

Pero para sa mga naniniwala at naniwala na kulay rosas ang bukas, hindi ito tungkol kay Leni lang. It is a movement about courage, bayanihan, and humility – we shall be a vocal minority. Maraming kwento na gusto ng kakampinks i-unfriend ang mga pro-BBM. Huwag. Mas kailangan natin ang isa’t isa.

If the UniTeam does proceed to win (I’m still hoping, but not expecting a comeback), the first step is to hold the UniTeam accountable to their message: unity.

For kakampinks, radikal na pagmamahal. For the UniTeam, unity.

Simulan na natin ngayon. Let’s walk our talk.

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John 10:1-10. I am the gate for the sheep

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 129: MAY 9, 2022]