The Peoples’ Primaries, a method of selecting candidates through direct people’s votes, whether through communities or non-government organizations was launched yesterday at the AIM in Makati city. Present and Hosts were the Movement for Hope, the Movement for Good Governance, Global Filipino Nation (GFN), the PPP and other groups.
Attendees came from various organizations like Bagong Pilipinas of the Jesus is Lord, Connie Gomez of GFN, Ester Pacheco and Nina Galang of Miriam College engaged in the issues of environment and peace, Ang Kapatiran, and from Australia Prince Omar, inventors Mr. Dingle, Mar Nicosia and Danny Soriano, PPP officer Jun Aguilar, Bill Luz and some other civil society officers.
The conference had the following as speakers: Atty. C. Serapio, Ricky Xavier, Andy Rosales, Roy Cabonegro, and Philip Camara. Mae Paner of Juana Change You Tube fame provided short skits in DVD of political statements criticizing politics in the country, and also did a stand-up comedy challenging everyone to make the Peoples’ Primaries a reality.
Mr. Rafanan who fought three times for the governorship in Ilocos Sur, the province of Chavit Singson narrated his political experience of the people making him win but his victory being sabotaged by Comelec. He emphasized that PP can be achieved but we also have to guard against manipulation by Comelec people.
Some of the comments on the floor were the following:
1. What would be the qualifications of the candidates? Will this come from the national or the district organizers?
2. The PP underlined that its aim is to distinguish traditional from non-traditional politicians and to put up the latter as the people’s candidates for change. However, a question arose, Is it not possible that district organizers would also have that traditional outlook about politics and hence the aims of the PP will not be realized?
3. How about putting up a broad net of asking the people to nominate themselves, as there are individuals without organizations yet are willing to serve the government honestly and sincerely, and then these names being farmed out to district levels for consideration as nominees?
4. A participant mentioned that the Tondo district has about 30+ districts but an organizer was wary about putting up himself as a candidate due to lack of funds. But they are ready to conduct primaries in the area. Would the National Organizers of PP put up the funds for the purpose? The answer was that this will be tackled by the Technical Working Group of the PP.
5. As the conference produced an overload of information, is it not possible to simplify this for the majority of the people who may not have that capacity to understand and speak English? and
6. The question remains though: even if 10 million committed voters are engaged by this movement, how could the organizers insure that their votes will be counted properly, and accurately?
Ecumenical prayers by bishops from different denominations were read at the beginning and the end of the meeting which started at 1:56 and ended at about 6pm.
It is normal to doubt the feasibility of conducting this movement as many people are already tired of political talks. But the heavy labor migration to other countries reflects the people's frustration over the conduct of governance here, as they are willing to stake their future even in foreign soils. It is time to have a new political image.
The experiences of Grace Padaca, Among Ed, and Rafanan, who fought against traditional politicians and won, except for the latter who was not allowed to sit, provide inkling that the people are ready for a new type of political experience and will support new moves that can bring about a new ethic in governance.
Hopefully, history will show that the aim of having a changed Philippines by 2010 is achievable despite the prevailing skepticism.
A new idea will always be viewed negatively by those who are afraid to leave their "comfort zones" as Juana Change said; but unless everyone is willing to try an untried method, frustrations, disappointments, skepticisms and all negative thoughts that bring about various illnesses, not only corruption, will persist.
Hence, let us cling to that thought: A winner never quits; a quitter never wins. We will never know if the Peoples Primaries will work unless we work for it.
"Vega Kontosh" Abstract Print by Victor Vasarely
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