l.y.n.K.s

Secret (last minute) campaign

I hate politics, it's such a dirty business - compromises here and there, rampant graft and corruption, evident bribery, dishonesty and disloyalty. Philippine politics really sucks!

But much as I try to avoid it, I just can't.

My father ran twice in a row as municipal councilor during the 1998 and 2001 elections. He didn't make it the first time... nor the second. But I knew then that it wasn't the end of my father being a political figure. A few years after those failed attempts, the town mayor personally appointed my father to be the community leader of a new subdivision -- a really big subdivision. From what I heard, it has a voting population of 3000+. Let me reiterate that the figure was just the *voting* population -- a subset of the residents' population.

Since then, my father devoted most of his time, resources, and energy for that community. We often tease him that he's a border of his own house because he spends the rest of the day with the homeowners of that subdivision than with us. Since then, we got used to being disturbed in the middle of the night by people or incidents that would need urgent decision and attention of my father. Since then, we contented ourselves with the fact that our father is a public servant, and being a public servant meant less time for us, more time for them; less of his money for us, more of his money for his subordinates who are sick and needy; less for us, more for them.

If I were to be asked to describe him as a father and as a public figure, I would say that he is a public figure more than he is a father. He was a better provider to his subordinates than to us. He was more visible in the community programs than in our school events. He has given more advise to the children of that community than to us, his own daughters.

But I don't hate my father for that. I LOVE HIM FOR THAT AND I AM SO PROUD OF HIM. He was a better provider to his subordinates, because through his efforts, a public school was built in that community. He was more visible in the community programs, because he conceptualizes and heads almost all events in the community -- talents' night, cultural shows, Wish Ko Lang type of shows during Christmas, battle of the bands, sportsfest and even gay pageants! He has given more advise to the children of that community because he looks for the drug-dependents and thieves, disciplines them, teaches them a lesson and eventually gives them decent jobs and sources of income (garbage collector, driver, makers of charcoal, etc.).

My father has proven his worth as a public figure. But he didn't stop there. A few hours from now, people will decide if they want my father to be their Barangay Captain. My father said that he doesn't need the position anymore, yet he decided to run, again, for his subordinates and for other people who haven't yet benefited from his competence as a leader.

If I were to decide, I want my father to be just a father. I want his full attention to us, his family. But whenever I remember what kind of leader this community will lose if my father stops, I wake up to my senses and realize that this country needs a leader like him. I am so proud of him, and so is our whole family. I am glad that our whole family is behind my father's back in this endeavor - my grandfather, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles have spent so much time and resources creating his campaign paraphernalias (fliers, posters, stickers, sample ballots), cooking food for his supporters and running errands for his every need. My father is not running alone, we are with him in his every step.

I really pray that my father will win this election, even if it means more for them and less for us. I know that it is his utmost desire to serve other people. But if he loses, so what? He'll still be a FATHER anyway.

Labels: family, father, politics

posted by K.L.Y.N at 12:38 AM