lection day has finally arrived. And unlike the United States, election day in the Philippines is usually a public holiday. So far all seems peaceful in the Greater Manila area. This election however, has already been marred by a spate of political killings that dishearten Filipinos at home and abroad.

This phenomenon seems to be intertwined with another very Filipino phenomenon which is "political dynasties." These are families that believe they are entitled to rule over others simply because they have a particular last name. Generations in power have left these families arrogant and unyielding. Thus, these dynasties create private armies in order to cling to power and intimidate potential rivals. Within an political family, it becomes a game of musical chairs as to who takes the seats of power in their bailiwicks.

Cory Aquino gave the country a constitution that paid lip-service to abolishing political dynasties but included no "enabling law" to actually do something about it. That section of the constitution has therefore been as toothless as the Aquino presidency itself was inept.

Thus, Filipinos end up with this spectacle every three years where, politicians promise their constituents a better life if they get elected, but nothing ever really changes: the rich and powerful will always get away with murder, while the common Pinoy gets pushed around by a bureaucracy controlled by privileged, oftentimes never even realizing that he is being taken advantage of.

It will take a lot of time, effort and the willpower of many to change the present course of events. It may not even happen in our lifetime, but it must happen, if the Philippines is ever to progress out of its political "Dark Ages."