From the partial result of the 2010 Elections in the Philippines, Benigno Simeon Aquino III is leading.

Expect a lot of yellows on his proclamation day.

Expect his four sisters standing behind him on that day. (Please give Ms. Ballsy more camera exposure; she looks good onscreen. Maybe even better in person.)

Expect a lot of showbiz-related interviews on Kris Aquino. Wait, is she going to leave the country once Noy is proclaimed? I remember that she vowed to leave the country and live anywhere there is TFC once Noy wins. Can she afford to leave James Yap behind? Is James willing to sacrifice his basketball career for Kris?

Shalani Soledad is leading on the Sangguniang Panglunsod race on the 2nd district of Valenzuela. Is Kris willing to share the spotlight with Shalani?

It’s lonely to be living alone in Malacañang without a pretty lady by your side, President Noy. Is tying the knot with Shalani part of your 6-year plan? (Nikki Prieto-Teodoro would make a lovely first lady,too. Too bad, Gibo didn’t make it!)

Is President Noy willing to stop whatever issues his family have with the Marcoses? Who will throw the first stone this time?

What could be President Noy’s stand on the issues faced by the Arroyo administration? What would be his priority projects to improve the economy of the Philippines. GMA left a huge task for the next president. It won’t be an easy job, President Noy!

Yesterday was my first time to vote as a member of INC. It was a major adjustment on my part because it was my first time to vote with a sample ballot—that sample ballot contained the list of candidates that our church decided to endorse.

During the past elections, it was my father who decides who to endorse. We had some disagreements in the past with regard to his choice of candidates and we, as his children, felt compelled to accept his choices. My father did not mention any candidate of his choice a day before the election but he borrowed my sample ballot and did not make any harsh comments on it.

It was the first automated election in Philippine history. I was there at the precint at 6:20 AM. The teachers were somewhat tensed, some members of the media were checking every details. The clustered precints resulted to a long queue of voters. I was lucky because I was early; I finished early.

I saw familiar faces at the precint. They recognized me, too and teased me that I gained weight. I saw the old library where I used to make my assignments. I saw the school grounds where we held our Girl Scout-related activities. I saw the big old trees where we used to play. I saw the major changes in my school.

Mesmerized as I was walking through the school grounds, I remembered what I went home for: the election. I was hoping that I would not see those familiar faces—faces that correlate with POLITICS. I may be of zero political value to some but of big political value to those who view INC endorsement as a sure ball way to win the election.

Nakatanggap ako ng text message mula sa isang kababayan.

“Malaki daw bigayan ngayon, boboto ka ba?”

Boboto daw ba ako? Malaki daw ang bigayan?

Teka, kelan ba ako nakatikim ng malaking lagay? Sa murang edad na 18 noon, 300 pesos lang ang natanggap ko mula sa lider ng isang kandidato. Tuwang-tuwa pa ako noon. Malaking bagay ang 300 pesos sa isang estudyanteng pakainin ng magulang.

Ilan pa kayang gaya ko noon ang nalagyan at sinulat ang pangalan ng kandidatong “naglagay” sa kanya. Sa mura kong edad, namulat ako sa isang lipunan na marumi. A, pwede naman palang bilhin ang pagkatao ko sa halagang 300 piso. Noon yon! Bata pa ako noon. Lahat naman tayo’y natututo sa mga pagkakamali.

Boboto ba ako ngayon dahil malaki ang lagay ng kandidato? A, mahal mamuhunan ang kandidato ngayon. Wala marahil tiwala sa sariling kakayahan. Wala marahil garantya na gusto rin sya ng mga kababayan. Papaano kung sabihin ko sa kanila na “bakit kailangan pa ng lagay eh kayo talaga ang nasa isip ko?” Bibigyan kaya ako ng pabuya dahil sa tuwa nila?

Ano ba meron sa pulitika para bumili ng boto? At paano naman nila babawiin ang ipinuhunang pamimili ng boto? Mahiwaga. Kailangan nila ng paliwanag.