Why I remained glued to my seat

By Paul F. dela Cruz
Balita (Toronto, Canada)

It is usual for Filipinos to jump with glee whenever someone Filipino, even with just a tiny drop of brown blood running in his veins, achieves a feat.

In the recent elections in the US of A, news reports say thirteen Filipino-Americans won the seats they vied for, some in the national level others in their own States. These are achievements which any Filipino should rejoice about. They were elected, not appointed.

They were voted to their posts based on what they presented to the voters in particular and to the public in general. It is through the vetting process that the electorate were able to decide that indeed they are worthy to carry their voices to the legislature. It is a process that separates the chaff from the grain.

These Fil-Ams run the gauntlet of the electoral process. They bared their lives to the public to be dissected, criticized and worst even vilified and ridiculed. These are unpleasant consequences which those seeking public office must be willing to face.

In highly crucial political fights the campaigns become nasty and dirty. In politics this is nothing new. The ancient Romans were experts in this art. The Catholic Church was full of such machinations, even murders and assassinations were common place. But that’s another story.

Dirty or not, it is during the campaign that a candidate’s character, qualifications and gravitas are laid bare for the electorates to examine to help the people make informed choices — very important in a democracy.

If who the people put into office to represent them do not measure up to their expectations, the people have no one else to blame but themselves. But then again there will be another election to come. The people may have to wait but there will be one, a mechanism to oust those who do not perform.

It is a different case when a person assumes office by appointment. Mostly, appointments are based on friendship and political patronage. It is known fact for example that the Canadian Senate have members who are in this so called “red chamber” precisely because they are recipients of such rewards. In some instances, the senate has been referred to as a repository for ‘has-beens’ or friendly wannabes.

Yes, they may be qualified as their appointing powers claim but the fact remains that they are not true representatives of the people because the people did not choose them — they were rammed down the people’s throats whether they like it or not. There are two ways for the Canadian Senate to go; either abolish it or have future senators undergo a process we call elections.

Let them undergo the political gauntlet like all other political officials in Canada undergo. There must be a vetting process not a mere selection and appointment based on patronage.

I jumped with glee when thirteen Fil-Ams got elected to their posts in the US of A because they underwent the process which should be in a democracy.

In the case of a recent appointment, I remained glued to my seat.