Day of reckoning

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

By this time today, most or all of the results of local elections will already be known, thanks to the new method of voting and counting that our government has adopted.

Perhaps the results of the national polls will take a little longer, but so far, from the early reports on the counting, the predicted winners, or the ones who had been leading in the surveys, will also probably the ones who will be proclaimed. There may be surprises, as the count as of late last night had shown, where the predicted topnotchers were overtaken by newcomers, but then, not all the results from far-flung areas had been in then.

At this point, we citizens of the Republic of the Philippines who experienced for the second time the advantages and benefits of the new system of voting, should show our appreciation for those people in the Commission on Election who, against so many odds and doomsayers, stood their ground and pursued the adoption of this method of electing our officials.

For one, we realize that in this way, we get to know the results faster, and did away with the suspenseful weeks of waiting during which tempers often flared and violent incidents erupted among the partisans of the contending parties.

For another, we can see that the chances for cheating or monkeying with the election results, acts that had deprived us so many times in the past of anointing the real choices of the people have been greatly eliminated.

There are still hours to go before the actual, real and final results are confirmed and the winners proclaimed. Some may be disappointed and dismayed by the thought that some people, noted for unsavory dealings and proclivities may have edged their way into some important offices.

That possibility is distressing, but we, as concerned citizens, who refuse to tolerate such behavior in our officials, should never hesitate to expose them and have the courage to see to it that they get their just desserts.

As for the ones who may have declared winners today, let us pray that the Lord will guide them and also inspire us to watch them, and vow never to tolerate wrongdoings that will deprive us of benefits we deserve.*