Grateful Dad #25: Undecided
It’s been over a week since the 2022 Presidential Election was held and I must say that it’s been one of the most remarkable, emotional even, voting seasons in recent history. Months before this fateful day, there were a lot of scrambles in both traditional and social media between the supporters of former Senator Bongbong Marcos (Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. aka BBM) and current Vice President Leni Robredo (Maria Leonor Robredo).
Grateful Dad #25: Undecided
Anyway, this article is not meant to be a political post so I wouldn’t go into much detail regarding the issues that brought about the conflicts and clashes between the supporters of BBM and VP Leni. Nevertheless, we were looking forward to the elections because that meant that we would have a long weekend, which we spent in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija.
What somehow struck me about the recent elections is how some people can be overly judgmental and I’m saying that without regard for the party that they are supporting. One perfect example is how one should be ready to defend their position when asked about the candidate that they will vote for, including those like me who are undecided as to who to elect.
While I was partial to VP Leni Robredo, I wasn’t a 100% believer. Her intentions are good, no doubt. However, I was looking for a candidate who was of the same caliber as the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Hence, my indecision. Again, I really don’t want to delve into the track record of the candidates. However, I do want to say my piece with regard to the attitude of other people towards the undecided voters.
I often see social media posts bashing undecided individuals, with some people even calling them (us!) stupid. I beg to disagree. When a person could not arrive at a decision, it just means that nothing merits that person’s taste or beliefs. The same way for political candidates. Personally, I believe the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was the worthiest presidential candidate. She was a feisty intellectual with a genuinely good heart. It was just sad that she passed away in 2016.
Being undecided also meant that I didn’t vote. Again, I personally thought that it didn’t go to waste. It was my decision not to cast a vote. The candidate who received the most votes was destined to win the Presidency.
A few days after the elections, I was talking to a friend via FB Messenger. We discussed the partial results and how we were frustrated with the outcome of the Presidential Election.
Here are some of the points that struck me from that conversation:
Six years is too short to implement real, impactful, and palpable change. Given, it doesn’t really matter who the president is because that person couldn’t do everything in six short years.
It may be hard for some but we need to work together to support the new president. If we continue to be divided, it will be the people who will lose. Just the same, we should hold our leaders accountable for their failure to implement their platforms.
Friends and families should stop quarreling because of their differences in political beliefs. Relationships are more important than politics.
How about you, what are your thoughts regarding the recent Presidential Elections? Feel free to share them in the comment section below.