Seven Guiding Convictions This National Election

MY 7 GUIDING CONVICTIONS THIS 2016 NATIONAL ELECTION 

Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr. 

April 25, 2016

1. I seek the Lord’s wisdom in choosing the best one for the presidential post.
Seeking wisdom from God is needed; only God knows the future and only He can guide us to make the best choice that honors Him.

2. I am and will be a good citizen no matter who is the president.

I don't wait for strong with an iron fist president before I will become a good citizen. Genuine change begins in me. Before there can be a change in the country, there has to be change within. Why don't we start disposing our trash properly? 

3. I don’t believe everything the media is feeding me. 
The media is not neutral and they don't observe the principle of impartiality. Not only that, people are creating black propaganda to malign and damage other candidates. 

4. I will not bash and slander other presidential candidates; I campaign for my bet. 

We don't have to destroy others to lift up the candidates we support. Bashing people who have different opinion from you is not a good example, Rather than destroying other aspirants, why don't you just focus campaigning for your bet? Thinking you can convince those who are already convinced others to join you is pointless. Destroying their bet makes you their enemies. I advice people to focus on campaigning for their candidates. The problem is, may of of my friends FB wall contains post on the candidates they are against with.  

I have not really campaign for anybody.  The video I uploaded few days ago concerning the Candidacy of Mayor Duterte is not for campaign perse. I found the movie funny and I am sure my friends would enjoy it so I shortened the movie and uploaded on Facebook. I didn't expect, it would become viral. Although, the movie's content is really to campaign for Duterte, the reason I uploaded was not to campaign but to share what the Igorot friends made. If you scroll down on my wall, there are no other post I've made introducing or campaigning for anybody. I admit I have my own preference, but I have not publicly endorse nor campaign for my bet because I know how divisive politics is. We don't have to agree who among the presidential candidates is the best for our country, but we don't have to become enemies. 

5. I will support and vote, not who I think is the best for me, but I will vote for the one I believe is the best for my country.

Some people are voting for a certain candidate for the benefit they can get before or after election. Some sell their vote. They are simply voting for what they can get now or later. I will vote for the future. I believe the person I am voting for is the best candidates to fix the rotten system of the Philippine government. 

6. I will vote based on my conviction not on popular opinion.

I am not voting based on the majority of opinion but based on my conviction. It is easy just to jump into bandwagon without a personal stand and conviction. Don't vote for someone just because everyone else is, but vote for the one you believe who can make a difference.

7. I will respect and support the result of the may 9 election.

I will respect and support whoever is honestly elected and voted by the majority of the Filipino people, with the hope that no cheating on the election is carried out.

Politicians Cheating on Election Versus Students Cheating on Exams

Students cheating on exam shared by Cambodian Facebook users

Cambodian politicians cheating on the national election versus Cambodian students cheating at the National High School examination are worth exploring for some comparison and contrast. Is it wrong to cheat during election while cheating at work, cheating on spouse and partner is right? Is it justifiable to cheat on exam but not on election? Is it justifiable to pay for higher grade, certificate and degree but not on voters' vote?  Why is cheating on spouse justifiable but cheating on the government fund is wrong? No one said either one is right or wrong for what justifiable cause exists for cheating?  As noted below, the students attitude about cheating in the classroom seems to imply that such is acceptable therefore it's justifiable. Cheating practices are wrong regardless of how one defines and justifies.

Villagers in Kampong Cham gathered in front of a commune leader's house to receive pay-out from CPP

Cheating is rampant and expected as over 100 thousand high school students take the national exam this week in Cambodia's capital. Cheat sheets are being sold for $5 per subject according to The Phnom Penh Post reports. The sad part  is that teachers are alleged of selling exam or cheat sheets to students. Teachers openly selling answers to students during exams  are unbelievable. Read the reports Prayers, Cheat Sheets Readied. 

How is this different labeling the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) being a corrupt political party if teachers who are not in politics do the same within their sphere of influence? The CPP being alleged to election fraud and irregularities during the national election has drawn insurmountable criticism on the web and social networks. The question nobody asks is if students cheat openly what is the guarantee that they will not cheat when they become government officials someday? When they are in power and authority, what guarantee there is that Cambodia will be corruption free? 

'A CALL FOR CHANGE'

During the election campaign, thousands of youth and students from the opposition party are shouting "Change" as they march on the street. They are calling for change in the government. Young Cambodian Facebook users are boldly criticizing the government for rampant corruption practices. 

Is the call for change genuine or a facade that hides a deep envious attitude toward what the people in power possess? Is the call for change from the youth real or simply an expression of disappointment towards those in authority? The call for change has to be selfless for the sake of the nation and its citizen.

Lots of people were shocked to find out a video of a pay-out  done by the ruling party after the election in one of the villages in Kampong Cham, province of Cambodia.  The video has become viral on Facebook and people are calling for investigation. There is nothing shocking about this; it happens widely in different forms. Students pay for a better grade. Others pay for a degree. People pay for promotion. In fact, just today, The Cambodia Daily reported that many students were able to cheat by bribing exams supervisors to take exams sheets into the classroom. Why is vote-buying different then? Why is cheating in the election different from cheating in exam? Of course it's different in its gravity, level, and effect, but cheating someone, cheating at school, cheating for promotion is still cheating.

Here is another question no one dare to ask: How will students and young generations call for change in the government if they themselves cheat on their exam, grade and degree? How can the citizen accuse the government for corruption practices when they do the same even if theirs is a smaller and limited degree? It's a human nature for us to see the fault in others but blind to our own blunders.

A call for change in the government must be from a changed individual/group or it's groundless. The foundation for change has to start in someone's character not from a reaction of others fault alone. Changing the government leaders does not solve corruption unless the change starts within the people. Youth calling for change to a corrupt government is shallow and meaningless without its basic foundation—character and integrity.

In Christianity, genuine transformation and change happen when one encounters Jesus Christ and experience the saving power of  the Savior.