Though the result of the recently concluded May 9 presidential election was anti-climatic, it might go down in our history as the most emotional and polarizing election that our country ever had.
Because of the personalities involved, it is understandable why it was so. Yet, the final tally is quite an obvious and overwhelming validation of the people’s choice. There is no doubt that Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Sara Duterte achieved to get the confidence of a majority of all the voters. The result does not lie.
Hence, all of these talks about cheating are but a jerk reaction of the candidates who do not want to concede defeat. All of the blaming and finger pointing against fake or false news are nothing but angry rhetoric by those who lost. They are “sourgraping,” so to speak.
It is understandable because their loss is a clear indication that they are rejected by the electorate. No amount of criticism will change the outcome. The people have spoken. By the rule of majority, the new leadership must be ushered in. This is democracy at its best. This is freedom at its greatest.
Instead of casting any doubt against the result of the election, those who were defeated should concede and accept the will of the Filipino people. Instead of warbling and mumbling about their defeat, they should extend a helping hand and cooperate with the incoming president in finding ways on how to solve the ills that bug the country. They should be a part of the solution rather than be a part of the problem.
Ah yes, losing is one of the most painful experiences that anybody goes through. It is true for us and it is true for all those who were shunned in the last election. However, life must move on. It is so much more constructive to move on toward a brighter future than to step back toward a blight past. Let bygones be bygones.
Let the UniTeam live up to its true potential and let every Filipino expect the best in what it has to offer. There is so much to look forward to with our new government.
There is a song immortalized by James Ingram entitled “Just Once.” While it is aptly a love song, its lyrics might be the most eloquent way to describe what is in store for all of us, if we finally decide to unite under the banner of the new regime.
The song goes: “Just once, can we figure out what we keep doing wrong, why we never last for very long. Just once, can we find a way to finally make this right, to make the moment last for more than just one night, if we can just get through it, I know we can break through it.”
Yes, just once, let us figure out a way to make our country right. To make its success last for more than just one night.
With our new government, we can do it, we can break the spell that had us underachieve as a people and as nation. We only have to believe and unite.
April 27, 2024
