While silence and apathy may keep the peace, they are a tacit
condonation of evil and a resignation to the hopelessness
of things. When we are apathetic, it means that we no longer
care.
Once every six years, the Filipino nation faces the ultimate
question: Who will be the next President of the Republic?
For Filipinos in Japan who are used to watching in the sidelines
as the election fever envelopes the country, the wait is finally
over. With the promulgation of the Absentee Voting Law, overseas
Filipino workers and expatriates will finally have a say in
their country’s state of affairs.
But for them to participate in the next elections, their
first task is to troop to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo
or to consular offices from August 1 to September 30 to register
as an absentee voter. The next two months will be a virtual
litmus test of the level of involvement or apathy of Filipinos
in Japan. The registration period will determine whether the
political bigwigs in 2004 will give a hoot about Filipinos
here or whether the Filipinos themselves really care about
their voice as a sector or the future of their country.
The latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations
has shown that TV personality Senator Noli de Castro remains
the frontrunner among the so-called “presidentiables,”
but former senator and education secretary Raul Roco could
possibly overtake him if President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
who lags at 4th place, does not run as promised. The SWS survey,
conducted from May 28 to June 14, showed that De Castro is
ahead with 22 percent, followed by Roco with 19 percent, and
movie star Fernando Poe Jr. with 16 percent. From now until
next year, the winds could blow unpredictably.
When Filipinos troop to the polls next year, where will you
be? Will you just watch hopelessly as undesirable elements
grapple for political power? Will you regret that you and
your vote could have made a difference if only you were wise
enough to register when you had the chance?
The registration period will be short and the days will be
fast. Once the window closes, it will be shut permanently.
If you cannot register from August 1 to September 30, then
you will have lost the chance to perform a sacred duty, not
just to your country, but to your self and to your family
back home. Most unfortunately, you will also lose your relevance
as a Filipino.
If you personally decide not to register or if you believe
that it is unnecessary, then you could become a party to the
worst evil that has no cure: apathy!
