On Candidates Criminally Hugging Trees

by Rodne Galicha

On candidates wanted to be elected as public servants, I once asked this question: How many of our leaders now are willing to stand up selflessly for the general welfare, for a healthful and balanced ecology?

Once elected and sworn into office, these ‘chosen’ people, depending on the position won, shall either make or implement laws. How can we measure the seriousness of these people – their honesty? How can we expect them to really make and implement sensible policies? How can we be sure that they themselves will follow those policies enacted?

Simply, let us learn from the words of a Greek philosopher named Aristotle: “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.”

Once political wannabes signed their respective certificates of candidacy, they have sworn ‘to support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto.’ Significantly, affixing their signatures, they promised to ‘obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities,’ and pledged to ‘impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.’

The campaign period started in February for national candidates including partylists and last week of March for local ones. The city life becomes more colorful and the once lush green rural villages are now filled with a kaleidoscope of smiling images and super promises of heavenly lives. Literally.

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