PAKSHET POLITICS DESERVES MY PAKSHET VOTE

For some voters like me, this coming election is not a search for the best candidates but a difficult reflection on who is the lesser evil to whom I shall entrust the next number of years of my life—at least my social life. Of course, there are also some candidates who have advertised themselves so good enough to merit hopes that they are the few good remaining candidates, and I am voting for them, but in greater cases, I am left with the choice of among lesser evil. Politics just got so messed up that running candidates are like recycled foods: good for micro wave packs that one has to stomach when cooking good and new foods is just so out of reach. Then you realized that some of these foods are stale and you got f**ked up. And sh*t happens.  This is what I call—pakshet. And because I am talking about politics, let us call it pakshet politics.

In this case, I will talk about the pakshet politics in my own yard, the Partido District. I am caught between Wimpy Fuentebella and Aga Muhlach.

Fuentebella is of course a well-known name in Partido politics. If you are from our district and you don’t know that name, you must be a Martian who just landed there last night. Fuentebella’s have served the district for over 100 hundred years already. Imagine that! With those long—no! very, very long!— years, Partido district must have been the most prosperous place in Camarines Sur already. Given the rich natural resources of our land, this dream must have not been difficult.

Last national elections, the Fuentebella’s claimed that under their rule, Partido district has seen formidable developments: road constructions and concreting, water way systems among other. But hey, isn’t that just so pakshet? After 100 years, it was like only 10 years ago that we had a descent water way system? Road concreting? Well of course! You served for 100 years.

For this election, there are 3 Fuentebella’s running for an elected position: Arnie for Mayor in Tigaon; Nanay Belen for Mayor in Sagñay; and Wimpy for Congressman. Guess the 100 years of ruling are not yet over.

The other candidate for Congressman is Aga Muhlach. Months before the campaign period, travelling to Partido is like watching his face competing against the beautiful sceneries. His face sprawling along the highways with tarpaulins greeting me “Marhay na Aga,” my mind just go ballistic with two conceptual corruptions: first, the Good (Marhay) as now belonging to Aga so that you can translate it as Good Aga or Aga is Good, and second: Aga (morning) which is no longer that hopeful morning greeting me but Aga as the face to reckon with this coming elections. And of course, his wife, Charlene, started greeting everyone from Partido in The Buzz with hard pressed Bikol just confirms the anomaly of the greetings Marhay na Aga!

But of course, the real issue is that how good can my mornings get when Aga wins a seat in Congress? Aga Muhlach is like a long lost prophet of this district. He was no show in this kingdom and suddenly, because Partido district seems not to have a good savior of its future, here he comes announcing that the way to salvation is near! Pakshet! Aga is like someone who was hit by a lightning and suddenly realizing he is from Partido all through out his life!

Another issue with Aga is his political experience. Surely, politics is, in a large extent, like showbiz and undoubtedly, he is one of the good actors of my generation. I cried so many times because of his drama movies especially the one with Vilma Santos. But politics too is not showbiz! We need someone who will craft laws for our common good, who will think of the political and social life of coming generations of the children Partido!

But of course, that Aga has no experience bears no great weight for an argument anymore. In fact we have lots of the inexperienced personalities who are now occupying high positions in the land. But forgive me, I still require experience. Aga’s dimples are cute and sexy, but they may not write for me the common good that Partido thirsts for.

And so I am caught in this pakshet situation: to choose between (1) someone who comes from a 100-year dysnaty rule and for God’s sake, we from Partido need a fresh air and (2) someone who suddenly becomes enlightened to help his District and that help means running a seat in Congress.

And with this pakshet situation, I think I only have to cast my pakshet vote. A pakshet vote means rubbish for rubbish; no choice or a lesser evil choice. I will cast my pakshet vote if only to show that I am one of those who are forced to vote not because of any ideological fight but because I have to choose a cleaner trash.

On May 13, I will cast my pakshet vote that honors pakshet politics.

(photos are from google)