In exactly 4 days, the Philippines is going to have its new president. The last election, I voted for someone I believed in, someone I really liked to become the president. Unlike in 2010, until now I’m still undecided who to vote for. I know thousand others like me share the same sentiments. Sometimes I caught myself thinking, are these people the best that we got? 1 of these 5 hopefuls is someone who will lead our nation in the next 6 years, someone who will be our representative in the international community. 

When I learned that MDS is running, I immediately thought she could be that someone. But she has been sick for a while now, and the last presidential debate where I thought she would redeem herself, turned out to be much too painful to watch. I would love her to be our president, but from the looks of her, she isn’t even 70% healthy. Her medications clearly deprive her of what she used to be. If ever I decided to vote for her, it’ll be not only because she deserves to be the president, but out of respect and honor for her life and deeds. Its just sad that MDS is the president we never had. 

The leading candidate now, Duterte, I’m not sure if I even like him. I know where a lot of people are coming from, being he promised to swipe crimes in 6 months. But clearly, he isn’t the role model type. He has a bad mouth (he swears on national TV all the time), a womanizer (which he is proud of), a liar (maybe? because of his undeclared wealth), a killer (i guess? how do you even intend to stop crimes in such short period? unless you quietly take care of them), and many other negatives I could think of. Duterte’s avid supporters called Dutertards (hahaha) are very protective of their bet, thats why he’s too confident in this race. Imagine jumping from mayoral to presidential. Well who knows, maybe, just maybe, he can change the Philippines. But maybe not because out of respect and discipline, but out of fear. My biggest fear would be another Martial Law under his regime.

The 2nd in survey, Poe, I disliked from the very start. I didn’t know where she gets the galls to even dream of becoming a president. Granted that she’s a foundling and maybe a Filipino, we can’t deny the fact that she used to be US citizen. If she has plans of becoming a president in the future then, why on earth did she turned her back on her PH citizenship? It just meant that she has no plans before, but because she has found an opportunity due to her popularity (using her deceased popular father’s name all the time of course) and the people’s so-called clamor, (as well as Chiz’ pushing?) she just decided to run. She must have had good intentions, but she is just one ambitious opportunist neophyte politician in my eyes.

The next in the survey is the government’s bet, Roxas. I have mixed feelings about this guy. Whatever the truth about his whereabouts during Yolanda, just take a look at the metro’s trains and traffic. Its a mess. I hate it when he says the government is already doing what the others still promise to do. They maybe doing it but its obvious they’re not effective. He maybe the most qualified next to MDS, or he maybe the next lesser evil of them, I just wish I have other better option than him. I seriously dislike his face, and his snotty face of a wife. 

The last is Binay. Honestly, being a resident of Makati for such a long time (I live in Paranaque now) I do not have any bad blood against him. Having practically grown up in the city where my family benefited so much under his governance, I actually feel sorry for him if he loses this election. If he wasn’t involved in too much corruption, he could have been a good president, he could have been my choice.

On May 9, one of these men and women would be the next president of our nation. I hope I pick the right one, and I hope my fellowmen do too. I wish I would live to see the day where politicians have honest intentions of serving the country. Tick tock tick tock. God bless the Philippines. 🙏🏼