With the runaway prices of everything, those who voted for the President have to endure their folly. At least, they might have gotten some happiness seeing the President watching the F1 night race in Singapore. He was also there in last year’s edition of the race. The ticket for the race was worth about half a million pesos. How about his security or other members of his entourage? Easily they would have splurged several millions of pesos. But this time around, the president had a ready alibi. He was invited to watch the race by the head of state of Singapore. His wife also immediately came to his defense. That F1 is a popular sport worldwide.
It was not so far from the defense of the First Lady of her having sponsored a fashion show at Malacanang.
But that is missing the point. The point is, how can they splurge big amounts when the whole country is reeling from runaway inflation?
The President can rest assured though the Filipino voters will still vote for him if an election were held today, even next election. That is how stupid our voters are, and how short their memory is.
The problem is, a segment of the voters are different. This is composed of the educated ones. These people can convince others through the mass media and the social media. Their efforts can result in a critical mass necessary to get the ball rolling— to become an uncontrollable storm of sweaty humanity.
So don’t take comfort in the stupidity of the masses for they are the ones who will compose a mob that can march again to your residence, the way they did in 1986. Your disregarding their sufferings is a good start.
The only way to avoid that is to come up with smart policies of governance. Here are some of the few moronic things you did recently. The cap on rice prices you imposed recently instead of solving the real causes of high rice process. Another is the much-ballyhooed fuel subsidy being given to operators of cabs, jeepneys and other mass transport vehicles. This just go to operators and not distributed to their drivers who are suffering every day because of high fuel prices which appear to be uncontrolled and will keep on going. Then there is the non-appointment of an agriculture secretary. The farmers and other agricultural stake holders badly need a full-time competent secretary to work on their problems. Not one who is being awaited due to political considerations.
It is easy to brush these aside. But, to repeat, over time, these– along with so many others– can result in a frenzied mob.**