it's barely a month–if i'm not mistaken–before the elections take place for local and senatorial seats.  while all the brouhaha and noise of the campaign trail resumes after the holy week, and survey results left and right come about, i'm guessing there is still a bloc of the voting population who are still undecided as to who to vote.  as for me, well, i do have a draftlist of candidates who will get my vote.  it's not yet complete, but between now and election day, it'll help me study closely who to fill in on those blanks.  what i do have for sure, are the prominent people (i don't call them candidates because, well, i don't see them as such) who absolutely won't be getting my vote.  and i do hope to spread the word in some small way through this entry for those out there who are thinking of writing the following names on their ballots not to do so.  don't worry, i'll explain why.  so please, do not vote for the following people who are mad in thinking that they can do something good in the philippine senate:

1.  richard gomez and cesar montano – these are a few examples of celebrity status gone to their heads.  only in the philippines do celebrities have ambitions of being in public office.  i mean, honestly, are these two even qualified–and by god i do mean qualified–to make and enact laws based on what they know?  just because they're "popular," they think that they can get away with a win?  for goodness sakes, please, let's not make a joke out of our senate institution by electing these two.  let them do good where they're good at, and that's acting.  actually,  that's already saying too much.

2.  alan peter cayetano – all he's doing is lambast first gentleman mike arroyo and his alleged ill-gotten wealth and swiss bank accounts.  i am by no means an avid fan of the first gentleman, but this senate-hopeful doesn't have a solid platform to run on.  what, when he gets elected, he'll take his allegations to the first gentlemen to the next level?  address issues, not just lobby charges, idiot.

3.  prospero pichay – this guy had a good thing going when the campaign period started.  but what made me change my mind about finally not voting for him is his campaign posters sprawled all over the place, especially along the route i use going to and from work.  doesn't that constitute grounds for disqualification, his posters not on comelec-designated common poster areas?  i mean, i know some other candidates have posters outside of those areas, but not like the numbers this guy has.  plus, i came to realize that his initial slogan, translated to:  "my dream is to make your dreams come true," is plain, outright stupid.  sir, i have a dream of having my own condo unit and my own souped-up mazda6.  can you give that to me when you get elected?  i don't think so!  plus there is news that he allegedly campaigned during the holy week, which is a no-no.  that just adds icing to the cake.

4.  gringo honasan and antonio trillanes – a good example of guys undergoing identity crisis.  the only reason that they're running is that when they win, all the charges against them will surely be dropped.  just because gringo was out of the senate doesn't mean he can do what he wants and cause unrest among the military and then run back to the senate when he can't stand the heat again?  this guy is outta whack.  and just because trillanes rose to infamy through the oakwood mutiny doesn't mean he'll get a sympathy vote for his views.

5.  tessie aquino-oreta – she may have switched sides, but her tv ad wherein she answered–in tears, or was is acting?–the question as to why she did the "dancing queen" routine during the impeachment trial, made me absolutely sick.  i almost kicked the living shit out of my tv when i first saw that ad.  you don't have to overact, just answer the question, plain and simple.  some people may fall for her act, but not everyone buys her story.

6.  loren legarda – it's sad, at the same time a pity, that she was left off my list.  i was actually thinking twice about voting her, but seeing her actions after she lost the vice-presidential race, plus the fact that she jumped ship after being a staunch advocate of the administration before the national elections took place back in 2004 and sided with the opposition, sealed the deal.  for me, she lost her credibility, one that she painstakingly built back when she was a journalist, and to see her cry over spilled milk lowered my respect for her.  she may be leading in the surveys, but she won't definitely get my vote.

7.  john osmeña – he's (or is it she?) using his family's legacy in government service in his bid to be brought back to the senate, which i think is a mistake.  well, mistake on his part.  his relatives have done very significant and important things in government service.  what has he done?  what he's doing is ruining his family's name, so he better just stand aside and let the real men and women do the work.

8.  aquilino "koko" pimintel iii – there's already a parent-offspring tandem in the senate, let's not have another one, shall we?

9.  sonia roco – i know and understand that she has good intentions and all, but she's nowhere near the stature as her late husband has in terms of accomplishments, plus the fact that she never held any public office before, so what makes me think she's qualified for being a senator of the land?  it's a pity she was dragged into the dirty world of politics when her late husband has done so much preserving their name from intrigue and political misrepresentation.

so far, these are the names that are sure not to end up on my ballot.  there is also a list of candidates in my watchlist, meaning those i'm not sure of voting, but may go either way once election day nears.  as usual, comments are welcome.  i'll let my picks be known a couple of days before the elections.  until then, i urge everyone to look at each candidate and see what he or she can really bring to the table in terms of the country's progress, and not continue the mudslinging once they get there.  it's time we learned our lesson.  it's a cliché, but i do hope we all vote wisely.