Drawn-out battle

One may think that this would be a historic golden moment for voter education.

- WILFREDO G. REYES

That all these revelations linking both elected and appointed government officials to anomalous deals would be enough to convince voters about the need to choose according to national — and less personal — interests come elections.

I mean, how often does one see such widespread rage at corruption? A survey which Octa Research conducted on Sept. 25-30 showed 60% of respondents expressing anger and 30% fear and anxiety at the extent of corruption being revealed in flood control projects!.

Yup: all these revelations should lead to better choices of officials... well, perhaps in a perfect world.

Better temper that hope, says a veteran of one election watchdog who has conducted voter education for decades. The reason, he said, is simple: it is difficult for one to think of the good of the community for the next three to six years, if his/her kids have nothing to eat today. Give such a person P1,000-P5,000 (or even just promise an even bigger amount), and you have their deepest thanks — and, chances are, their vote as well — compared to someone who proclaims lofty ideals and has even backed conviction with a solid track record... but has not connected with voters at such a personal level.

That logic is made more graphic when one remembers that socioeconomic classes D and E account for 78% and 16%, respectively, of the country’s registered voters, while ABC folks make up just 6%? The latest available Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, conducted on June 25-29, found nearly half (49%) of Filipino families — estimated at around 13.7 million — rating themselves mahirap or poor’, and 16.1% saying that they had nothing to eat “at least once in the past three months” (involuntary hunger was highest in Metro Manila and in the Visayas, both at 21.7%)⁴.