Rivalry takes back seat

Rivalry takes back seat | Daily Tribune

The balloting yesterday signified a vote for the future for many who nurture hope for the Philippines to achieve its aspiration as an industrialized nation. It was considered a proxy vote of the incumbent and previous leaders who have become rival political forces.

The midterm elections were a crucible for the nation’s ambitions and a battleground for rival political titans. Registered voters, totalling 68.4 million although many would not vote, picked their senators, local officials and partylist representatives.

The results will reveal the electorate’s preference and guide the country’s growth trajectory amid a fractured political landscape. Industrialization remains a lofty goal, but achieving it requires hurdling evolving global risks, regional instability and domestic political frictions.

For many Filipinos, the ballot was a symbolic bet on a future where the country transcends its agrarian and service-based economy to join the ranks of industrialized nations. The outsourcing industry, a key economic driver, underscores the nation’s potential and dependence on external markets.

Yet, the path to industrialization demands robust infrastructure, coherent fiscal

policies and political stability which are goals complicated by the global trade war and domestic policy uncertainties highlighted in recent analyses.

The electorate’s hope for economic transformation is evident, but it is tempered by structural realities: Tax policy ambiguities, bureaucratic inefficiencies and a reliance on remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Voter turnout, particularly among the 19.35 percent of young voters aged 18 to 25, signals a demographic eager for change.

Their picks would reflect a desire for leaders who could deliver on promises of jobs creation, technological advancement and sustainable development.

Most campaign rhetoric, however, missed the point since they leaned heavily on dynastic name recognition and populist theatrics.

The majority of the national and local candidates sidestepped critical environmental issues like climate disasters and plastic pollution, which are integral to sustainable industrialization.

The disconnect between Filipinos’ aspirations and the candidates’ platforms raises questions about whether the elected officials will prioritize transformative policies or perpetuate the status quo.

Another critical component of the political exercise is supporting the economy’s transition from being agrarian and service-based to joining the ranks of industrialized nations.

The outsourcing industry, a key economic driver, underscores the nation’s potential and dependence on external markets, yet it remains the economy’s main driver.

Industrialization demands robust infrastructure, coherent fiscal policies and political stability, which are goals complicated by the global trade war and domestic policy uncertainties.

The electorate’s hope for economic transformation is challenged by structural realities like ambiguous tax policies, an inefficient bureaucracy and a reliance on remittances from OFWs.

With 12 seats contested, the Senate is a linchpin for passing legislation essential to industrialization.

The election results will determine if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. secured a Senate majority that would support his legislative thrust.

The high voter turnout signals a mandate for economic progress. If pro-industrialization candidates, such as those endorsed by business groups and reform advocates, dominate the Senate, the legislative push for industrialization could gain momentum.

Yet, the 88 percent of candidates who ignored environmental issues during the campaign raise concerns about sustainable industrial policies.

Local election results for governors, mayors and councilors will shape the execution of national industrial policies at the grassroots level. Industrialization requires vibrant economic hubs beyond Metro Manila, such as Cebu, Davao and Clark, which depend on competent local leadership.

Beyond the so-called rivalry between political clans, the poll results will reflect the desire of the majority of the voters, who are the youth, for an economy that would sustain a promising future.