Election Day blues
Posted on 05-10-10 · The Mommy Journals Tags: 2010 elections, Alex, politics, Quezon CityI was planning on following the news coverage of the elections but Alex is very sick and, well, to hell with the elections — I have a sick child to attend to. She’s here in my study, watching the DVD of Rent over and over. It keeps her relaxed so the TV is hers. I figured I could get whatever news I wanted from the internet.
I checked my mail and there was a press release from the EcoWaste Coalition entitled “Now that the people have cast their ballots, let the eco-cleanup begin”. How apt to talk about cleanup. I took this photo yesterday in Cubao, Quezon City, in front of the Ramon Magsaysay High School and you can see how much cleaning up will be required after the voting ends tonight.
Heck, we couldn’t even see the sky anymore — just all those posters. And it wasn’t a unique scene. Everywhere where there was a public school (a voting precinct, in other words), the posters were as thick as the face of the crassest politician you’ve ever met.
In another part of Quezon City, the posters were falling off the walls — peeling because there were layers and layers of them pasted one over the other as candidates sought to literally erase their opponents by pasting their own faces over theirs.
Anyway, so I updated myself with some of today’s events and I was so disgusted to read that three Vice Presidential candidates couldn’t even respect queues.
Some registered voters in Malabon got irritated when Nacionalista Party (NP) vice-presidential guest candidate Loren Legarda went ahead of the queue at the precinct when polls opened on Monday…
“Ma’am, pila po kayo,” some voters said.
“Ay pila ba to, ay sorry ha? Gusto nyo akong pumila, balik ako sa pila? Sobrang bagal ba?” replied Legarda.
Despite the appeal of those who were in line, Legarda still proceeded to vote ahead of them.
Later, Legarda called ABS-CBN entertainment reporter Marie Lozano, who covered the event, to say that she was merely ushered into her precinct. The media that crowded her also led her to go direct to her precinct.
Lozano later tweeted that Legarda was not the only VP bet who did not fall in line. She said there were also those who pointed out that Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay also went ahead of the queue at their respective polling precincts.
Wow, since when did reporters set the rules in polling precincts? Such a simple rule and they wouldn’t even respect it? If they were senior citizens, it might be justified. But none of those three are senior citizens.
Hell, I really don’t like politicians.
UPDATE @ 5.06 p.m. From Lala:
Loading ...
Ms. Connie, “aside from 3 vice-president candidates couldn’t even respect queues,” one of them even had the decency to tweet: “Stay in line. Be patient. Let’s make our vote count!” … to which I just had to reply: @MARoxas how dare you tell us to wait in line patiently… bakit pumila ka ba?
Oh, good for you! I don’t follow MAR, obviously.
Get well soon Alex! I am shocked to see those posters Connie, I think it has gotten worse from my last election there more than 10 years ago. At least nuon hanggang pader lang, not banners covering the sky!
Thanks, Geri. She gets clingy when she’s sick but she’s still sleeping so I can do some writing for a while.
Re posters: And those are plastic!
Re: Posters, now I am horrified!
wow.. so only noy noy fell in line and waited for four hours? na-astigan ako bigla sa kanya!
One point in his favor.
pumila nga sya, tagal namang lumabas. nag-photo op pa.
Oh my!
If not for this picture, I wouldn’t know how bad is the political trash.
We have a general idea what kind of mentality these people (the royal ‘me’ attitude) have just by knowing how they violate a simple rule of forming a line and it’s sad to learn that nothing really changed since then.
Extrapolate that kind of ‘me’ attitude and you have an idea what kind of leadership this country will have for the next gruelling 6 yrs. (that is if 2012 didn’t come true). lolz
d0d0ng, multiply that by thousands of times since the scenario is repeated in almost every polling precinct.
Ludwig, well, I think the fact that some voters dared to remind Loren to join the queue is a big improvement. At least, the average voter can now discern when abuse is being committed. But the attitude of the politicians that rules don’t apply to them — I don’t think that’ll ever change.
So where does all the trash go? No, I’m not talking about the politicians. I meant the banners, streamers, posters, etc. Is there a landfill in Metro Manila? Recycling System perhaps?
Dunno, actually. Eco groups are urging peeps to take whatever’s reusable.
Personally, I don’t really care to reuse a tarpaulin with a politico’s face even if only to cover the dog’s crate. Yuck.
Miss Connie, pambalot na lang ng dog poop
.
Yung made with paper, pwedeng pwede!
Besides the usual recycling of the tarps by making them into bags, I think they could also be added as ingredient for the garden or landscaping bricks being made by one of the model barangays in Project 4 QC. They shred the non-biodegradable materials and combine them with other materials that act as adhesives and then mold them to become like the bricks that we see on patios, gardens, walkways, etc. Hehe– at least through this method, the faces of the politicos aren’t as distinct anymore.
makes you think how they’re supposed to lead the country if they can’t even follow simple rules and they put themselves first before the people. I hope that the respective posters of each politician-wannabe to be dumped on their houses.
Eh di ba, it’s always best to set an example?
Hi Ms. Connie!
I have a question on parenting. I’m not really a parent but I sometimes act like one since my dad is working abroad and my mom’s too busy and unfortunately lacks skills in the parenting department (or at least how I see it).
Anyway, I just found a urine pregnancy test and a pack of cigars in my younger sister’s stuff while I was cleaning up our house. She’s already 19 and I believe is entitled to make decisions on her own. Previously, I also saw photos of her on our PC of her while she’s kind of intimate with her BF. That was one of the most shocking experiences I had, to see your bunso no longer being the sweet girl she used to be.
I myself am not a goody two-shoes, I also tried smoking and drinking and even casual, premarital sex during my teen years (I’m already 24). I try to live a clean life now to set an example to my 2 younger siblings. (BTW, I’m gay and growing up one wasn’t the most pleasant experience but I learned to live with it.) Sometimes I even feel that I’m cursed being a witness to a lot of bad things happening around me.
My question is, should I tell my parents about it? I mean, she’s no longer a child who needs to be corrected and guided every step of the way. A part of me wants to go ahead and do it but deep inside I feel that I should let my sister grow, make mistakes and learn from her own wrongdoings.
Ms. Connie, as a parent, will you feel offended if you found out that your child knows something about the other but decides not to report it to you? Do you think you’ll feel some sort of alarming increase in blood pressure when you found out that your child is doing something you certainly do not approve of? I have read in your other posts and even in your banner that you do smoke, but is it okay with you if you see your own children do the same?
This is actually the 2nd time that I will be asking for advice. The first one was about the bitchy airline staff 2 weeks ago. Pasensya na po ha but I really feel safer asking to people whom I don’t know personally. Iwas tsismis kumbaga, besides I feel that you give good advice being the level-headed, intellectual person that you are.
Thanks for reading me out Ms. Connie and I’ll look forward to your reply.
She’s 19. Leave her alone.
Seriously.
“will you feel offended if you found out that your child knows something about the other but decides not to report it to you?”
No, unless it’s a matter of life and death (includes drug addiction) and withholding information led to disastrous results.
“you’ll feel some sort of alarming increase in blood pressure when you found out that your child is doing something you certainly do not approve of?”
While they’re minors, it’s my responsibility to “guide.” But that’s it. I don’t want them to think that everything they do must meet with approval, mine or anyone else’s. They want to smoke? Fine, if and when they can afford to buy their cigarettes.
Next time, ask in a thread where the issue is relevant, okay?
Super thanks po ulit. ^_^
I just signed up @ pinoyexchange. I’ll post my questions there in the future. Pero hopefully wala ng mga maseselang issues like the one i raised here..
Anyway Ms. Connie, I hope you post more about Philippine Law which I’m very interested to know more of and hindi siya boring basahin when you explain it unlike sa libro na pauli-ulit yung mga jargons. I also like your home decorating posts and your bargain finds.
About the topic of campaign waste materials, well the tarpaulins can be made into handbags like the ones made by Payatas women. Being a silent recycling advocate, I’ve also been eyeing some tarpaulins in some parts of my neighborhood, pwede pang-sapin eh maybe I’ll wait pag tulog na mga tao and I’ll get some
Thanks again and more power. I hope your daughter gets well soon.
It’s okay to post your questions in my blog but in entries with related issues. Yun lang naman.
“I hope you post more about Philippine Law…”
I probably will. Used to A LOT in the old blog but got tired.
“I also like your home decorating posts and your bargain finds.”
HAHA ME TOO. hehehe
“the tarpaulins can be made into handbags like the ones made by Payatas women”
That’s good! We need more ideas considering the quantity of tarpaulins in our midst.
bat nga ba ganun ano? hehe only in the philippines ba?
i saw atoy co wait in line. even if i wasnt gonna vote him as pasig city councilor, he made it to my list simply cos he waited in line like me.