IT’S July. Ten months of tulog na lang, Election 2025 na.
The political candidate who wants to win next year may not be able to sleep anymore. Is it worse for the first timer, the one who has never occupied any political position since birth, not even in the barangay level? The answer is no for the newbie whose political family has been occupying political thrones since forever. There’s no more thrill—his victory is sure na.
But the newbie who has no political connections whatsoever has to be a billionaire to be able to produce cold hard cash for the political party that will use, misuse, and abuse him. He may or may not win, but at least he will know the real meaning of charity.
There’s even a possibility the political party will drop him on the eve of Election Day. The campaign will be so over by then, his money won’t be needed anymore for campaign expenses, so para que to keep him close? Oh, for the bribes. So, the friendship forged during the campaign season will be terminated only after the winners are officially declared. Meanwhile, the political party will continue to milk him dry until he will be opening boxes of almond milk.
Politics is the art of being used, misused, and abused without the political candidate behaving like he’s being used, misused, and abused. In other words, he has to always look loving and friendly with the other candidates of the political party that has accepted him as a member of their team. Otherwise, how will he be able to convince the potential voter that their team is staying true to their campaign mantra, We are one?
We are one sa imong mata.
One particular partnership in Election 2022 no longer exists. That time, even I went goo-goo-eyed over that partnership. Sigh. But now, it’s more like, Why? Why break the partnership? The Pinoy does know the answer to that: Election 2025. “Everybody wants to rule the world,” as the Tears for Fears song goes. Er, everybody wants to rule Pinas. China is even waving. Or perhaps only the political dynasties from the North and South are craving to rule Pinas.
Meanwhile, here I am, craving for halo-halo again. But since the resto’s menu has no halo-halo, and the blueberry cheesecake that’s in its menu has been phased out, all I can have for now is the Spanish latte. Ho-hum. But since the coffee may make me morph into a grammar police, it’s more like, Who, whom…
Which to use for this: The incumbent president who has said goodbye to his vice president who he appointed as education secretary once upon a time…
Or should that be, The incumbent president whom has said goodbye to his vice president whom he appointed as education secretary once upon a time…
Hmmm. Using “who” sounds better, eh?
It doesn’t matter what the right word is—“who” or “whom”—in the world of politics. What matters is what happens to politicians who are friends today, enemies tomorrow; or enemies today, friends tomorrow.
Still, there’s First Lady Liza Marcos with Kris Aquino’s children Josh and Bimby, proving that it’s possible for the Marcoses and Aquinos to create a new partnership for Election 2025. By then, the 1986 People Power will be commemorating its 39th anniversary. Let’s see—pronounced as that Spanish word for milk—who will turn in their grave if ever that will happen.
