Philippine Asian News Today Vol 19 No 19

ASIA PACIFIC 18 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY October 1 - 15, 2017 Dr. Regina Siongco, Inc. General Dentistry ͸Ͳ͵ǦͶͻͺͲǡǡͷͶ͹ሺ͸ͲͶሻͶ͵ͶǦ͵Ͳͳ͵Ȉ ሺ͸ͲͶሻͶ͵ͶǦ͵Ͳ͹͹ Clinic Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: 8AM to 5PM ǣͳͲ͹Ȉ ǣͻ͸ Dr. Regina Siongco A Good Habit This week, a minor political event will occur. The City of Vancouver’s By-election will be held this Saturday, Oct 14. To be contested is a single seat in the City Council and 9 School Board Trustees positions. I wonder if our Filipino Canadian “Kababayans” living in The City of Vancouver are aware of this, or if aware, are giving this great importance. I do hope that our eligible “Kababayans” will all come out in full force and exercise their voting privilege. Elections are events that Filipinos in the homeland look forward to. The proof is that the voting rate is always more than 80%. In Canada, Filipino minorities tend to vote at much lesser percentages than other minorities, except for the Chinese. However, unlike the Chinese who were able to build a far more extensive social support for themselves and have economically fended for themselves better, we have so much work to do in both those areas. While the Philippines is for several years, been the top source country for immigrants, the immigration history of Filipinos is relatively recent. Thus, the economic stability, prosperity, survival skills, support systems and political influence that other ethnic minorities already have, we do not have. Sadly, we probably suffer more from the high rents, since we came too late to buy our own properties when they were very affordable. We are more likely than the rest of the population to have a university degree and yet we suffer from not having our University credits recognized. Despite our higher than national average employment participation, we suffer from lower incomes than average. These problems we can solve with our “sipag” and “tiyaga” as one political slogan said. However, I believe that we need more assistance by way of political recognition of our problems and some help from the political leadership. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE A HABIT OF VOTING! It is important that as early as 18 years old, our “kababayans” get into this habit. It is important that regardless of income and educational attainment, we muster ourselves to vote. We must also exercise our privilege to vote immediately upon becoming a citizen. It will be a key advantage to us to do so, because everybody else tends to vote when they become older, richer, more educated and when they have already spent many years as a citizen. LET’S GET BACK TO OUR HABIT OF BEING INTERESTED IN ELECTIONS. However, it will be different here than in the Philippines. There, we get interested because we feel the personal patronage of the politicians. ...“Nakikilala ako ni Mayor” …Or “Dumalo siya sa aming fiesta” … Or “Nag sponsor By Arnedo ‘Dodie’ Lucas siya ng aming team”, etc. There is always a personal one-on- one connection that we like to experience which motivates us to vote. Over here, because, we feel that the candidates are more remote, the drive to vote is less; and that is a big mistake. In fact, voting here is, in truth, much more satisfying. Back in the Philippines, Candidates are usually financially well supported, have the “machinery” and all sort of access to material assets, plus extraordinary influence and power. We, as voters, are really important only for formalizing their grip on power. That is why, after elections, the electorate tends to be treated indifferently. Here, the candidates, are mostly, just like you and me. They really count on the electorate’s support for manpower, word of mouth endorsements and financial assistance. In other words, they really are after a “constituency”, a group that they can expect support from and whom they could trust and return the vote by listening to their grievances and help solve them. Social and personal relationship to the candidates are less important than the candidate’s ability to put WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM forward a resolution to an issue. So, we may not get that personal pat in the back, which is a good thing, but really it would be preferable that the attention be given to an issue that is line with our “kababayan’s” needs. TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES. See who among them will deliver best on your legitimate needs, taking into consideration the Filipino Canadians priorities. Finally, it is only when the Filipino Canadians are seen collectively, to be a reliable, responsible, intelligent, relevant and trusted political voice could we see the system changing in our favor. A wise political historian said, “If you try to change the system by yourself, the evils of the system would do you in. If you change the system with others, the system itself would change.” If you live in the City of Vanc

Philippine Asian News Today Vol 19 No 19 | Page 18