Electiion 2k7 Presence

Presence? Communication presence? Yes, that is the title of my blogsite which starts scribbling today, Election Day, here in the Philippines.

Filipinos will elect 12 out of 24 senators, all 236 House of Representatives members and nearly 17,500 governors, mayors and other local officials..

There are 45 million registered voters.

Weeks before today, we already felt the “election fever” due to the almost daily presence of election-related violence.

As of mid-afternoon today, Joel Guinto of Inquirer.net wrote that 114 Filipinos had been killed and 132 had been injured in 191 election-related violence. Tomorrow, there will definitely be higher numbers.

According the Inquirer website, in the 2004 elections, 189 people killed and 279 others were wounded in 249 poll-related violence.

One of this election victims is Jonas Burgos. The 36-year son of the late Joe Burgos has been missing since Saturday, 12 May 2007. I knew his father as he shared with my thesis group (which included Joyce Saulog, Chie Ileto, Edith Garcia and Jovy Vitan) his time and presence as a resource person. Our thesis focused on the “We Forum” which was then one of the leading alternative newspapers during the Marcos years.

What does this election mean for us Filipinos?

Change? Definitely, not a change of leadership, as GMA will continue to be president up to 2010.

Maybe, some change as more “real” opposition or independent-minded senators will get elected among the 24 senators or 236 congressmen.

Maybe, some “trapos” from political dynasties will be booted out of office among the 17,500 governors, mayors and other local officials.

Food on the table? Millions of pesos probably exchanged hands today, as thousands of voters would have sold their votes for as low as 200 pesos to be able to have some food on their table tonight.

For as long as traditional politics continues to makes its strong presence felt, millions of Filipinos will continue to live below the poverty line and not feel the change, if any, that could have been brought about by today’s election.