![[OPINION] We Reap What Our Purple-Stained Fingers Will SowBeing trapped into an endless cycle of oscillations between tr...](https://img3.medioq.com/494/215/3153042634942158.jpg)
05/05/2022
[OPINION] We Reap What Our Purple-Stained Fingers Will Sow
Being trapped into an endless cycle of oscillations between trapos, elite puppets, and outright fascists has been the history of our nation thus far. Four days from now, the day of reckoning will once again come for all of us. On May 9, our purple-stained fingers will imprint themselves on the history of our nation—changing its course according to the people’s will. Whether it changes its course for better or for worse relies on our democratic right and responsibility to choose the best leaders who will lead our nation for the next couple of years.
With the day of Elections looming closer, the pressure to select the best among the rest becomes increasingly heavier. After all, what the elders sow now will be reaped by us sooner or later. The decisions made by the leaders we choose will accrue on our palms, and years or decades from now, it will bear its weight upon us and compel us to move as the next generation of leaders. With questionable individuals leading present-day surveys and polls, now more than ever, it becomes our critical obligation to contemplate the meaning of responsible voting, and think about the ways through which we can apply this in the upcoming elections.
First and foremost, it is important for the youth of today to set aside the rabid regionalism of old, and instead align with the leaders who will uphold our national interests. Let us ask the important questions and seek the most essential of answers: Which leaders care for the interests of the youth, such as education and job security? Which leaders will prioritize the agriculture sector and aim for genuine land reform? Which leaders have expressed their will to strengthen national industries and decrease reliance on imports? Which leaders will prioritize an independent foreign policy, and not let the nation be swayed by global superpowers? Which leaders care for national minorities, such as indigenous groups, women, and the LGBTQIA+? Which leaders care for the working class who comprise the main foundation of our country? Questions such as these should be the premise of our choices for future leaders, and not shallow standards like geographical proximity or strongman tendencies.
Of course, the leaders we choose should also possess a clean and consistent track record. That is, they should not have any blots of thievery, corruption, and any other forms of unlawfulness in their persona. They should have extensive experience when it comes to serving the country’s people, and that standard definitely does not include career politicians from political dynasties, wealthy businessmen who want to preserve their status, or celebrities who have too much time on their hands. Unfortunately, elections can be a hotbed for the circus tactics of these powerful people trying to serve their own selfish interests, so as the youth does best, let us wield the potential of researching and choose the leaders with the best credentials and platforms—and not yield to the glaring temptation of popularity and name recall.
As a final note, it is well and good to become invested in the elections, but it is also essential to understand that elections are just another avenue through which we can change our nation. Because let’s face the heinous truth—those who will garner seats this May 9 will most likely be those who possess a great deal of money and machinery, and rarely will competent leaders get their chance to serve. Thus, it is important to note that the struggle for genuine progress and democracy goes beyond the ballots we shade on May 9. The fight does not end after we have casted our votes and painted our fingers purple. There are fights to be won through the streets, through our communities, through discussions, through movements, through protests, and fundamentally through our will to fight for change.
Let us reiterate our role as youth in the upcoming elections. As the future torch-bearers of our nation, we have an indispensable obligation to make sure that the leaders we select will uphold our national interests and pave the way for genuine change. We can not afford to stall in our decisions or lower our standards because eventually, we will be the ones to suffer when it’s our turn to lead. In the end, our generation will look back and realize how high the political stakes were during this critical time, and how they failed or succeeded to turn the tides by the power they contributed. Ultimately, it is important to vote responsibly today, for the future will belong to us someday. The question then remains: to whom will you entrust the power of your purple-stained finger?
Words by Eunice Angela Torreliza
