Is She The One?
Will Filipinos vote for their brainy but aloof President -- or anoint a popular movie star who offers nothing less than salvation?

by Anthony Spaeth, Manila.


I finally got my voters I.D. last Tuesday. As expected, there was a glitch. My sister's I.D. wasn't available yet. Quite strange, since we all registered together. I asked when and where I will be able to get hers. They told me CHECK after the elections. That she can still vote, she just needs to bring the registration form. You think I will be foolish enough to return there after the elections with no available parking space, waiting in the heat, sweating? All that for what? A pathetic piece of paper which seems like the printer ran out of ink! I had this notion, the new voter's I.D would be like a credit card complete with picture. Boy! Was I disappointed and in for a rude shock. Talk about dampening our spirits, we were all excited to vote because the last time we exercised our right to suffrage was 1986.
Oh well as they say ... Only in the Philippines!