Philippine Election 2010

An article published today in My Paper, a free bilingual newspaper in Singapore challenging the capacity of the next Philippine President.

The Philippine’s first automated election is over. A country with over 50 million registered voters exercised its rights once again and voted for its leaders for the next three or six years. Although marred by a few election-related killings, the whole process was generally peaceful.

As the world is waiting for our next president, and the major change he can do to uplift the nation’s economy, I would like to share my personal reflections regarding our recently concluded elections.

1. Thank God for a very successful election. Our worst fears about the computerized elections did not happen. Instead, now that we are automated, there are no ballot-snatching/switching, no kidnapped teachers, canvassing was a breeze, and we have proved to the world that the Filipino people still value democracy. This is a major breakthrough in our electoral system and we should be proud of, our first ever automated elections.

2. Pray for our nation and our newly-elected officials. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, it is written, If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Instead of criticizing our leaders, we should pray for them, instead of rebelling against them, we should support them. We still need to learn a lot as a people in giving our leaders the respect they deserve as a way of honoring our God who placed them in their respective positions.

3. Do something to begin change. Let’s stop the finger-pointing and begin to realize that we ourselves can do something. In the song, Let there be Peace on Earth, the last line is “let it begin with me” so is with CHANGE, it should begin in us. If we want change in our families, schools, offices, churches, communities and eventually in our nation and we cannot see any hope? Let it be our initiative to begin the change.