My 2022 Election Evaluation

I am certain that I am not the only one who was disappointed by the incomplete results
of the national elections in the Philippines in 2022. Although I had previously anticipated this
result, along with many other people, I was still holding out hope against all odds that the
massive turnouts that were seen at the rallies and campaign sorties hosted by the Leni-Kiko
combo would convert into votes. And now when another Marcos and Duterte are about to inherit
the reins of a nation that is suffering with so many difficulties, I could only hope for a heavenly
intervention to get us through all of these problems. I could only hope for a supernatural
intervention to get us through all of these problems. In their desperation, many people pointed
the finger of blame at voters, claiming that voters had compromised the future of the nation by
allegedly selling their ballots to the highest bidder. This is the farthest thing from the truth that it
is possible to get. The machinery of a never-ending campaign of vilification and deception, not
to mention voting suppression and disenfranchisement, had long since determined that
Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte would emerge victorious from the election. It is not solely
the responsibility of a common person who, in an effort to find some relief from the difficulties
they have been through for a significant amount of time, desired a momentary respite.
And so, in light of all of this, what are our options moving forward? To tell you the truth, I
truly do not have any notion. However, it is almost certain that outgoing President Rodrigo
Duterte will not be held accountable for his crimes, despite the fact that the country has been
turned into a living hell as a result of his mismanagement of the pandemic and crimes against
humanity committed as part of his brutal war on drugs. It is not unreasonable to suppose that
his daughter, who would succeed her father as vice president, will do all in her power to thwart
any independent examination or investigation into her father's business transactions that may
be attempted during her father's administration.
As someone whose name and face had appeared on numerous pubmats and matrix
branding me as a subversive and a terrorist, I am also sure that red-tagging and harassment
against progressive and perceived enemies of the state will not just continue after June 30;
rather, it will intensify. This is because I am someone whose name and face had appeared on
numerous pubmats and matrix branding me as a subversive and a terrorist. More names will be
added to the government's "kill list," more critical journalists will be barred from any access from
the next administration, and the thing that people are most afraid of happening is that more
blood will be spilled.
But are these things scary enough to make us feel uneasy? Hell no. In the same way
that I am certain of the things that have been said above, I am also certain that the opposition
will be stronger, and that the government will have a difficult time pushing back against
resistance from those who are holding it responsible. If the previous administration's threats,
insults, and other forms of intimidation were unable to dissuade us from maintaining our
position, then it is unlikely that the next government will be any different in this regard. And if it
turns out that the government can't be counted on to carry out its responsibility of looking after
the people, then we won't think twice about picking up the slack and taking care of things on our
own. Because of this, it is excellent news that Vice President Leni Robredo will establish her
Angat Buhay program at the Office of the Vice President as a non-governmental organization
operating independently from the government. The Leni-Kiko campaign sparked a newfound
sense of community service and a commitment to watching out for one another, both of which
will endure.
 In addition to this, it should go without saying that the one thing I wanted more than
anything was to be disproved. That I have been too pessimistic about the upcoming
administration, and that they do in fact have strategies in place to address the challenges facing
the nation. However, a campaign that was built on falsehoods and a revisionist view of history
should never have been given the opportunity to rule the nation in the first place.
But considering that we are already at this location, I won't believe it until I see it with my
own eyes. And until that day comes, I, along with many others who think and feel the same way
as I do, will not be afraid to fight for democracy, justice, and the truth. Judy Taguiwalo, a person
who suffered during martial rule and later served as the secretary of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, says that nothing is permanent under tyranny. The battle is still
going on.
Marvin Joseph Ang is a writer who writes both news and artistic pieces. He is interested
in the latest advancements in democracy, politics, and popular culture. He is an advocate for
democracy on a national level and for a free press. He stands by the thoughts that he has
espoused.