Party List

As early as 9am today I went out to photocopy some documents for my mother. She was suppose to stay in the van with my dad because the weather was beginning to warm up a lot even at that hour. As there were so many people even at that time who needs documents, id's, etc to be photocopied, my mom got impatient and she joined me inside the computer shop. Suddenly she started a conversation with one of the customers. Mom started by asking if he was still working in Makati City, and if he still takes the "service van" to go to work. From that conversation I learned that he is also a senior citizen, he already retired and then I heard the word "Party List" from him. He said that he is partnering w/his daughter who works for an NGO to set up a party-list. He is going around the country to send out flyers and to help create this group. He said that this Party List will take care of "street children" abandoned by their parents, who are hungry, unwanted and not studying. Most roam the streets and they are all over the country and are unaccounted for. I joined their conversation and told him that what they will doing is good. Well, good to me until he said that, you know when we vote, it's easy to account for the teachers because they are listed, but these children, who make up more than the teachers are all unaccounted for, they are not listed, they will make a huge voting percentage because they are in hundred thousands. Another day in my life that made me think, before I speak and give another compliment. I wonder what their real purpose would be for creating this party list. It sounded noble at 1st, until I heard voting. I asked myself: Is it really to take care of these unaccounted street children? To make them productive and contributing citizens of this country? And to help them create an identity for themselves, so, they can also study to improve their situation? Or the party list has to be created, approved and listed in order for the people behind it to have a power group when election comes? and to have a ready and compliant followers come elections? Or is it both? I guess I will not know about it, until I get a chance to see and talk to him again. Does unaccounted mean they do not have birth certificates? Or they become unaccounted because they are not voting yet? ? ?