IF we are guided by our Christian faith, we know that our life here on earth is not our definitive life. We are meant to pursue our ultimate definitive life with God in heaven. Thus, our life here on earth can only be marked by the indispensable virtue of hope which is first of all a gift from God.

We are reminded of this truth of our faith in the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans. “We groan within ourselves, anticipating our adoption as the sons of God, and the redemption of our body,” he said. “For we have been saved by hope. But a hope which is seen is not hope. For when a man sees something, why would he hope? But since we hope for what we do not see, we wait with patience.” (8,23-25)

To be sure, this waiting with patience that hope involves is never a matter of doing nothing. It’s an active waiting filled with desires and deeds to do a lot of good. In other words, to fill our waiting, our patience, with love. Hope is nourished by love.

This love that nourishes our hope for heaven need not involve big, extraordinary challenges and trials. It can first of all involve the usual ordinary little things that we get involved in everyday. It’s precisely in taking care of the little things that can truly show how our love is genuine, and how our hope is nourished by it.

Yes, we can have a foretaste of heaven, our true definitive home, through the little things of each day. Impossible? Think again. It’s Christ who says it in so many words. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…The Kingdom of heaven is like a yeast…” (Lk 13,18-21)

We need to reconcile ourselves with this happy truth of our faith that we do not have to wait for extraordinary circumstances for us to reach heaven and even to have a taste of it even while still here on earth. With the little, ordinary things in our life, we have all the means and chances to have heaven within our reach.

The secret again is to do everything, no matter how little or insignificant it is in human terms, with love. That is, with the love of God, reflecting and channeling God’s abiding love for us in everything that we do, which usually are small and ordinary things in our day.

Sanctity, our ticket to heaven, certainly requires heroism, even to the point of martyrdom. But we can be sure that by being consistently loving in doing the little things of life, especially when they are hidden and unappreciated humanly, we would already be very heroic indeed.

The Book of Sirach says: “He who despises small things will fail little by little.” (19,1) We have to be most careful because the neglect of little things can easily lull us to complacency, or to think that nothing is wrong and that everything is just fine.

We obviously have to contend with many obstacles along the way. We can tend to be narrow-minded and short-sighted, full of improper biases and attachments. We easily make rash judgments and are often at the mercy of our emotions and passions, putting our reason and faith to sleep.

What we have to do is to learn to find Christ in the little things which comprise most of our day, if not of our whole life. Another way of saying it is to learn to refer everything to Christ, no matter how little or insignificant it is.
This is how we nourish our hope!

Vote buying in elections is a persistent and pervasive issue that has an impact on the level of democracy and governance in the nation. Vote buying, in the opinion of some academics, dates back to the colonial era, when the American and Spanish monarchies utilized coercion and patronage to win the support of the populace’s elites and masses.

However, after democracy was restored in 1986 and political parties and candidates began to compete for votes in a widely dispersed and individualized electoral system, vote buying increased in frequency and became more organized.

Some of the historical factors that have contributed to the persistence of vote buying in the Philippines are:

• Poverty and inequality: Many Filipino voters are poor and vulnerable to economic inducements, especially during times of crisis or hardship. Vote buying provides them with a short-term relief or benefit, while also reinforcing their dependence on political patrons.

• Patronage politics: Philippine politics is dominated by local clans, dynasties, and machines that rely on clientelist networks and personal loyalties to mobilize support. Vote buying is one of the ways that these political actors maintain their power and influence, by rewarding their followers and enticing new ones.

• Weak enforcement of laws: The legal framework against vote buying is inadequate and ineffective, as it is often ignored or circumvented by both the perpetrators and the enforcers. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) lacks the resources and capacity to monitor and prosecute vote buying cases, while the courts are slow and lenient in delivering justice.

• Lack of voter education: Many Filipino voters are not well-informed or aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens, or of the consequences of vote buying for their welfare and development. They also lack access to alternative sources of information or platforms for participation, which would enable them to make informed and independent choices.

These factors have created a culture of vote buying that is deeply entrenched and difficult to eradicate. However, there have been some efforts and initiatives to combat vote buying in the Philippines, such as:

• Anti-vote buying campaign: The Comelec has launched a Committee on Kontra Bigay, an inter-agency task force that aims to prevent and reduce vote buying incidents through information dissemination, complaint handling, investigation, and prosecution.

• Civil society advocacy: Various civil society organizations have been active in promoting voter education, empowerment, and vigilance, as well as monitoring and reporting vote buying activities. Some examples are Namfrel, PPCRV, Lente, Kontra Daya, and Bantay Balota.

• Social media mobilization: Social media platforms have been used by some citizens and groups to expose and denounce vote buying schemes, as well as to encourage others to reject or resist them. Some examples are #NoToVoteBuying, #IwasanAngBotohan, and #NotForSale.

These efforts have shown some positive results in raising awareness and reducing tolerance for vote buying in the Philippines. However, they also face some challenges and limitations, such as:

• Lack of coordination and cooperation: The different actors involved in combating vote buying have different agendas, strategies, and capacities, which may lead to duplication, inconsistency, or conflict. There is a need for more collaboration and integration among them to achieve greater impact.

• Resistance and backlash: The political actors who benefit from vote buying have various means to counter or undermine the anti-vote buying campaign, such as intimidation, harassment, bribery, or manipulation. They also have a strong hold on their supporters and communities, which makes it hard to change their behavior or attitude.

• Sustainability and scalability: The anti-vote buying campaign requires a lot of resources, commitment, and participation from various stakeholders, which may not be available or sustained over time. It also needs to reach a critical mass of voters who are willing and able to reject vote buying, which may not be feasible or realistic given the social and political context.

In conclusion, vote buying in Philippine elections is a complex and persistent problem that has historical roots and contemporary manifestations. It poses a serious threat to the integrity and quality of democracy and governance in the country. However, there are also some efforts and initiatives that aim to prevent or reduce vote buying through various means. These efforts need to be supported and strengthened by all concerned parties, especially the voters themselves. Only then can the Philippines achieve a truly free and fair electoral system that reflects the genuine will of the people.

So have we perfected the art of vote buying in the Philippines? The answer is yes!