Get Out and Vote

“Get Out and Vote” is probably the first sentence I learned as a toddler. Posters of “Get out and Vote” in yellow and white colors were plastered all over our house. My dad used to lead the Citizen’s Quick Count in Cebu, the equivalent of today’s civilian quick count. I lost count of the names. Is it NAMFREL? Though dad was not involved in politics, the civic duty of citizen’s tabulation rested on his sharp mathematical skills.

I tagged along with my dad to those quick count centers. The numbers tallied on the board excited me. Strange thing. I probably grew to love numbers because of my father. I can add a long list of numbers without the use of calculators because the latter just slows the tabulation.

Memories on election day remind me so much of my dad that’s why I wrote it today.

My entry is Get Out and Vote yet I can’t vote. Not because I don’t want to vote. I stupidly forgot to re-register. Still in denial, I checked my name at the online COMELEC Precint finder. And what do you know?

My name is not listed of course but my husband’s name is. Now how did that happen?. haha.

Do my votes really matter? How many Filipino citizens are not registered voters? I have gone really apathetic of the candidates. I don’t blame my daughter’s views on politics that no matter what promises the senatorial candidates make, we’re still screwed.

I’ve held ideals for so long, as far back during my activist days at the University of the Philippines (UP) , as far back as a student council member of the very first UP student council after Martial Law. Then when I got married, I gave up US immigration papers, just because I believe in this country. I wanted my children to live in the Philippines though it’s their choice in the end. I still believe in the Philippines but my hope does not lie in senators, congressmen and other politicians’ reforms.

My hope does not lie in my generation.

My hope lies on my children and my children’s children. Our children will shape our country’s destiny not our politicians.

It’s for this reason mothers and even parents are the prime movers of this country. They influence and shape the minds of the future leaders of our country. ““The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” rings true even more.

From a non-voter to a voter: Get out and vote. A glimmer of hope awaits us.