Election day is also judgment day

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The results of today's electoral process will also be a judgment on us as a people, although some may think that it is only the candidates who are seeking the various offices who are being judged here.

What will be finally reported as the "decision" of the citizenry will show how mature, how discerning we had been when we chose the people in whom we will entrust the leadership of our country, our provinces and cities for the next three years. This is something we cannot, and should not leave to mere chance. Because it could mean that we will be seeing our communities and the lives of our people improve because of the performances of the ones we have chosen, or see our poor become poorer because we had picked men or women who pay lip service to them during the campaign period, but who forget them, or allocate to them a pittance out of the great funds made available supposedly for their constituents, and who steal the greater part to provide themselves and their families with unimaginable perks and luxuries.

Sadly we must admit that such kind of politicians do manage to trick the people into trusting them and believing their spiels. We admire the efforts of various groups who have been conducting voters education campaign and we hope and pray that their efforts will influence to as great an extent as possible, the voting practices of our people. But we should at the same time develop the determination to perform our roles as concerned citizens of this land in that we send the strongest signals to the candidates now, that we will not tolerate any shenanigans that they may attempt to pull on us, that we will be unforgiving, and will see to it that they face up to their sins against us.

This is the warning we are sending to all our would-be officials, and we pray earnestly that Our Father in Heaven will look upon us and guide us all as we cast our votes today, and as we monitor the ones who are chosen in the performance of their duties, and demand their accountability. And so be it.*