The metaphors and vote of the poor (1)

The inscrutable poor masses out there have been publicized, lionized, satirized, analyzed and wooed to death. Election time has a way of smoking them out of the woodwork, the cracks and crevices where they dwell, as if candidates realize they exist for the first time. Suddenly the poor are on everyone’s mind and lips, suddenly they rule, they poll.

Do the poor produce a ``dumb masa’’ vote? What do the poor think of elections? How do they make their choices? How much influence do the media exert on them? What to them are the traits of a true leader?
The poor are smarter than you think.

The Ateneo University’s Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC) released a few days ago its findings on how the poor view elections and choose their candidates. What, how exactly do they think?

``The Vote of the Poor: The Values and Pragmatics of Elections’’ was the result of a research using focused group discussions (FGD) as a tool to get to the raw sentiments and perceptions of the subjects. Unlike surveys that use statistical methods, the FGD type elicits qualitative responses and scrutinizes the meaning and quality of these responses. In clinical psychology we call it the phenomenological way.

The FGDs were held in Metro Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Zamboanga, Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Davao del Sur. Six groups were all-male and five were all-female (aged 30 and above).Another five groups were composed of mostly young males and females under 30 years old.

IPC did a qualitative analyses of the statements that came from the FGDs but I’m sure readers would like to know what exactly were said. Nothing beats a good quote.

When groups were asked to supply metaphors about leaders, the responses suggested guidance, stability, service and perspective. A sampling:

Dalan na dapat matanos na lakawan kan pamilya. Ilaw na nagbibigay ng liwanag. Kapitan sa barko, madala sa mga tawo sa ilang destinasyon. Ama na gumagabay sa anak. Ama na dapat mamuno at aktibo sa lahat ng gawain. Magulang na nagtuturo ng mabuti. Sasakyan na kayang lusutan ang lubak. Leon na hari ng kagubatan.

Education is regarded as important but also with considerable distrust because the highly educated have been the most corrupt. The poor would rather vote for the one with the traits of a good leader, especially the one with vision, innate intelligence and a heart for the poor.

Some responses: Kapag mayroon kang tinapos igagalang ka ng tao. College graduate para alam ang batas. Uneducated leaders tend to get influenced by advisers who know more about governance. Kinahanglang aron dili matunto kung unsay dautan, dili matudluan, naay prinsipyo. May mga taong may pinggaralan pero hindi marunong magisip. Educational qualification is not that important, what is important is that he/she is intelligent. Mas maayo pa ang waay grado sa taas ug grado kay dili kabalo mangurakot.

Attributes of good leaders: Makadiyos/may takot sa Diyos, matulungin, matapat, responsable, matalino, masipag, tumutupad sa pangako, maprinsipyo, mapagkatiwalaan.

Bad leaders: Kurakot, sinungaling, sakim, iresponsable, makasarili, abusado, mabisyo, tamad.(May I butt in? Sana tamad mangurakot!)

Educational achievement, IPC found out, does not appear among the most-valued qualities. The rural-urban distinction provided a point of differentitation. Makadiyos (close to God), for instance, hardly matters among the rural poor participants. It is a trait mentioned by the urban poor participants, by both youth and non-youth groups. Matalino (intelligent) does not emerge as a valued trait among urban poor participants, but it is the most frequently mentioned trait among the rural poor.

Views on the elections: Panagpabanglo ken panangpadakes. Pera at bigas na binibigay ng mga kandidato. Masisira na naman and relasyon ng mga tao. Halimbawa, magkaaway ang magkapatid. Maraming nabubuhay na patay (flying voters). Ilegal na transaksyon. Magpapabango. Sinasamantala ang panahon, naglalabas ng mga pondo para sa mga projects. Takutan. Dayaan na naman.

Elections are widely viewed as a wooing game, a show, a gamble which involves risks, deception and trickery. Metaphors: Parang laro na may nananalo at natatalo. Pareha ug sugal adunay makadaug, aduna usay mapilde. Isang magulo at maruming laro. Katulad ng baraha, may patay at buhay. Isang chess game na malalaman lang kung sino ang panalo sa huling tira. Isang karera ng kabayo na may siguradong mananalo. Parang ligawan na may sinasagot at naba-basted. Sarong bulaklak na namumukadkad, kadakol bubuyog na nag-aalimbubyong.

Tulad ng isang basura na dapat linisin. Isang Orocan na plastic. Tulad ng radyo na maingay. A wedding with so much food and money. A beauty contest with candy showers. Isang fashion show na ang mga pulitiko ay nagpapaganda ng anyo. Paguwapuhan, pasiklaban. Pareha ng sinulog daghan kaayo ang mga tawo nga mudugok.

According to IPC, the poor approach elections with ambivalence. Still, they regard it as a legitimate means to effect change. Thus they say:

May kasabihan na ang hindi bumoto, walang karapatang magreklamo. Most will vote even if the people running for office do not merit (the people’s) approval. Dito nakasalalay and kinabukasan ng mga mamamayan. Para mapaunlaad ang bayan. Tsansa upang matanggal ang tiwaling lider. Para mailuklok ang mabuting kandidato. Para makakuha ng pera. Para manalo ang kandidato ko. Para kung sakaling naluklok siya at may problema ako, matutulungan niya ako. Because a voter’s affidavit allows one to go abroad. There are two kinds of voters, ang uto-uto at ang nagpapauto.

More next time.