| While motives do play a fundamental role in | | | | The other group can be aptly named the |
| influencing one's political decisions and actions, it is | | | | hysterical populars as their leadership was actually |
| equally important to explore the power of | | | | brought forth by a hysterical mob, mostly |
| emotions as touching the various dynamics of | | | | composed of their fans and admirers as |
| political exercise. In fact, psychologists attest to | | | | prominent celebrities and stars. There is no |
| the fact that emotions are the closest propellers | | | | denying the presence of a few outstanding |
| of most human actions as mirrored in the | | | | leaders we have who have found access to |
| statements like "I feel like doing..." or "I hate to | | | | politics through their celebrity status, but have |
| do..." And as far as the Filipino society is | | | | duly proven their capacities for leadership and |
| concerned, perhaps no other season can rival the | | | | governance in their respective areas of |
| degree of stirring in the emotional climate as in | | | | assignment. But for each one of such caliber, how |
| what comes out during the season of elections. | | | | many celebrity lawmakers do we have who'd |
| Notice how people - from candidates to | | | | better bring their sleeping bags for their sessions |
| supporters - feel so strongly about the camp or | | | | in Congress or Senate? Oh that Juan dela Cruz |
| the cause they represent, even to the extent of | | | | would soon learn his lesson in this area and |
| dividing family loyalties and making enemies out of | | | | accordingly avoid ramming this jagged hook in his |
| long-term friends. | | | | own throat and those of his children! |
| A keen observer can also readily recognize how | | | | You may have heard this not-so-funny definition |
| campaign materials, musical jingles, TV ads, and | | | | of democracy in the context of Philippine politics |
| slogans maximize a candidate's appeal to the | | | | one too many times: "Philippine democracy is a |
| people's emotions, sympathy and eventual loyalty. | | | | government off the people, buy the people, and |
| The Filipino tendency to be drawn toward | | | | poor the people." Personally, what I would regard |
| polarities of regional, kinship, or nepotistic relations | | | | as the worst mode of sentimental politics is the |
| are often being preyed upon by most if not all | | | | practice of using the poor as the politician's |
| candidates. How many times have we heard the | | | | fashionable hook to manipulate the voters' |
| lines "I will vote for him for he is a fellow Ilonggo..." | | | | emotions - most of them of course are coming |
| or "He is the son of your father's best friend. | | | | from the poor, eagerly waiting for their political |
| Make sure you and your wife will vote for him..." | | | | messiah to show up. Watch out for television and |
| Also related to this phenomenon is the Filipino's | | | | other media ads in particular that pose a |
| deep-seated, oftentimes crippling sense of utang | | | | candidate to be intimately allied with the poor, |
| na loob (debt of gratitude). "Remember that we | | | | subtly presenting himself to be their champion. |
| now have this casual job in this City Hall because | | | | Unless backed up with a consistent pro-poor |
| of Mayor So-and-so's recommendation and | | | | day-to-day lifestyle, that person is nothing more |
| appointment. How dare you vote for the other | | | | than a conscience-less hypocrite who is very |
| candidate?!"... "Let's make sure that Congressman | | | | capable of doing many more crooked acts |
| So-and-so gets re-elected. Remember that had it | | | | behind-the-camera once voted into power. In the |
| not been for his initiative, we would not have this | | | | Chapter 6 of St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus Himself |
| beautiful covered basketball court in our | | | | was very adamant against the practice of |
| baranggay! (village)" I personally regard this last | | | | displaying and advertizing one's "acts of |
| statement as actually frying the taxpayers in their | | | | righteousness" toward the poor and the needy. |
| own fat. It is simply disgusting how these | | | | He even went further to condemning such |
| politicians would employ this brutal emotional | | | | Pharisaical hypocrisy in Chapter 23, comparing |
| blackmail, touting the projects they have | | | | them to "whitewashed tombs which look beautiful |
| accomplished when that is actually what they | | | | on the outside but on the inside are full of dead |
| were elected for to do! And to think that those | | | | men's bones and everything unclean". |
| projects were also funded by the taxpayers' | | | | I am not saying that emotions have no place at all |
| money, that in many if not most cases were | | | | in the exercise of politics. No. As human beings, |
| actually delivered at a much reduced budget cost | | | | we are entities with feelings and are indeed |
| after all the kickbacks and S.O.P.s (corrupted | | | | moved into action by our prevailing emotions. But |
| deductions) have been taken! Take note how | | | | woe unto him who takes advantage of this |
| secure is the sharpened arrowhead of this | | | | delicate human faculty just to advance his |
| emotional hook: persuading its captured subjects | | | | personal political ambition! |
| to change their stand will literally require plucking | | | | We will do well to use the following filter questions |
| their gills out to make it possible... | | | | to check whether or not a particular candidate is |
| The hook of sentimentalism is also the culprit | | | | actually using Deception's hook of sentimentalism: |
| behind the election of incompetent and incapable | | | | "How often does this candidate refer to his family |
| leaders voted into office mainly by virtue of their | | | | roots, ethnic identity or organizational affiliation as |
| popularity. This disgraceful mess on the face of | | | | compared to his honest presentation of his |
| Philippine politics is divided into two major lumps: | | | | capabilities and political platforms? How many |
| the historical populars represented by this line: | | | | members of this candidate's family is also running |
| "This candidate's family hails from a long line of | | | | for other related political positions that might |
| seasoned politicians; why entertain somebody else | | | | obscure accountability in the future? Is he in any |
| who is a neophyte?" This group also includes the | | | | way using his accomplishments or favors |
| now shameless, official legitimization of the most | | | | extended to exert an emotional pressure upon his |
| closely-knit nepotism in our country: the | | | | beneficiaries and in effect demanding for their |
| prevalence of political dynasties wherein the | | | | votes? Is the degree of his popularity consistent |
| father can be running for governor, the mother | | | | with his known competence in leadership and |
| vying for congress, a son for the provincial board, | | | | governance? Is this candidate employing campaign |
| another son for mayor, two daughters-in-law as | | | | propaganda that utilizes exaggerated or theatrical |
| municipal councilors in two separate towns, and | | | | alliance with the poor and capitalizes on their |
| perhaps the grandson for SK Federation Chairman! | | | | hopes for a political savior?" As we passionately |
| You can bet your last meal to the possibility that | | | | take up the cause of God and really go for the |
| if their dog can be admitted to run for baranggay | | | | best available candidate we'll vote for a particular |
| captain, they've long registered him, too! Boy! But | | | | position, we actually receive the divine fuel |
| the worst part is, such families still prevail from | | | | necessary to keep the dynamo going and |
| one election season to the other! | | | | maximize the power of our sacred vote. |