Our country has been a laughing stock for other countries to scrutinize. The competence and discernment of the Filipino people are being put into question as the victims of the torments have now become blind to all that they have suffered from.

May 9, election day— d-day. As the countrymen head into precincts wielding their markers and list of candidates, anomalies begin to rise. Issues with vote counting machines, handing out of sample ballots on-site, pictures of watchers holding wads of thousand peso bills, videos of police officers tearing filled-out ballots, government vehicles ornamented with stickers of candidates, riots in electoral precincts, and a candidate being offered a sure win spot by a smartmatic operator, these are—to name a few—some of the issues that have risen just this week. I would go as far as to say that this has become one of the most chaotic elections the country has witnessed since the EDSA Revolution.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is the government body tasked with regulating and facilitating the country’s national elections. With the number of issues transpiring it seems as though this body has been covering its ears from all its countrymen voicing out their concerns and shedding light to injustices they have faced during this election period. The voice of the Filipino people fighting for the betterment of this country is being shunned. A lousy excuse for a government body which was predicated upon the expectation of a clean election period.

Since the day of the elections, more and more anomalies are being exposed by the hour. The unofficial results show that former senator and son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is miles ahead from current Vice President Leni Robredo. Just hours after the end of the set voting schedule, millions of votes have already been counted. This would be an acceptable thought as the voting machines used are now automated, but knowing that hundreds of the Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) were broken, questions rose from the masses. How could the COMELEC be projecting such a large amount of votes for the unofficial results when some voters have not yet voted because of their lack of preparedness? Voters have shown their dissatisfaction on social media saying they waited until midnight to cast their votes so they were shocked when they saw that millions of votes have already been counted. And what does the COMELEC do about it? Nothing. 

I am sad to see that the body tasked to regulate all matters regarding the rulers of the country have failed to do their job. We have not received any assurance from them that they are working for the good of its people. They have let us wander in nothingness. They have allowed unqualified people to run for positions they have no background in. They have allowed a son of the dictator—who shunned the voice of his citizens—to be given an opportunity to become the country’s ruler. An action star with no background in politics. A former president with plunder charges. These people were chosen over qualified candidates with clean records. 

To me, the next six years are black. It hurts to see that the discernment of our people are being questioned. I do not know what the future holds, and so I hope my current judgments are proven wrong. I only hope that my dear fellowmen have learned and will elect leaders capable and fit for their positions in the next elections—if there even is one. So let us brace onto our seats because the next six years of the lives of the Filipino people will certainly be a ride: a bumpy one or a smooth one, is yet to be determined.