Letter

Disclaimer: I write this letter with all the love I have for the world: none.

Dear hypothetical present ocongressman of our ill-defined district,

I thank you for being the congressman of our district. I congratulate you for the positive results of your efforts in gaining (and maintaining) the congressional seat. I just want to say that I saw and was overwhelmed by the sheer passion and dedication in your political campaign and in your performance in Congress. It was an honor for this citizen to see exactly how you managed to become and continue to be the representative of our humble district.

Now, I only have one simple question for you:

Why even bother?

I am not questioning your motives, dear representative. Goodness knows what kinds of interesting things were needed to be done for you to get elected. The question still stands, though: Why even bother with our district? What do you even plan to do with our district? Are your plans for this district beneficial to mere citizens like us, or to some nebulous authority that your are either indebted with, are related to, worship to, or (worst of all) are married to?

Let us start this heart-to-heart talk (for some value of “heart”) with a few more questions about your (potential or otherwise) term as the representative of a poorly-defined district in Bulacan, from certain people whom I may or may not name (depending, of course, if they want to be involved in the” fallout” of my grand “mission”):

As a congressman, what do you think is your primary job?

What is the one thing you dislike about your district?

Who do you consult when you need to make legislative decisions?

What is the purpose of hanging banners with your names on them?

Is it frustrating to have to resort to building infrastructure or giving free things just to win or get re-elected?

Are you always present to attend and contribute to sessions in congress?

Why did you want to be an congressman in the first place?

How would being a representative benefit you?

What law, decrees, and other legal whatnot are still in the backburner?

If  you believe that some of the decrees that are still stuck in legislative limbo should be fastracked, which laws are they, and why?

Are you willing to continue the legislative endeavors of your predecessor (or his/her associtates)?

Who do you believe deserves to have the highest seat of power in the Republic?

What is the point in putting your (and/or your contemporaries’) names in streamers, boards, and any other surface that can be used to show how awesome you (and your works are)? ["Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!", indeed...]

What projects have you funded using the money from your pork barrel?

If some of those projects were in fact financed (or to be financed) by “donations,” what happened the public money that is allocated to those projects in the first place?

Have you proposed bills that will address the concerns of the people in our district?

What are the bills/laws that you have authored (or will author)  or co-authored?

How often do/will you attend the sessions in congress?

What are your views on transparency in government? Will you act on them?

How often do you conduct public forums or have you had open discussions with the people from your district (if at all)? How do you act on the concerns aired on said forums? Are consultations done in case a new project comes along?

What are your views on the political dynasties in the particular district? What do you plan to do about these political dynasties? (If you are part of a dynasty, what do you plan to do about it?)

How do you plan to utilize the funds that are allocated to this district? What is your stand in regards to the giving of allocations in the first place?

What do you believe are the long-running problems or points of improvement in this district? What is your plan of action, then?

What is your stand on the social issues in our district?

What is your personal evaluation of your performance in Congress? What is your personal evaluation of the performance of the current administration?

Finally, do you believe that you are deserving of your position as representative of our district, based on your qualifications? Do you even have to be a politician to serve the nation? If yes, why? If no, why bother?

Note that your answers to all of  these questions are retroactively binding, in the sense that these letter is an impicit contract between you and this district. This contract will be enforced through any legal means (including spoon-based protests/revolutions, if needed.)

Frankly, I do not see the point of writing to you, dear congressman, since it is assumed that this letter will first be brought to your subordinates, who will then read this letter, and dump it to the paper shredder, recycle bin, or their equivalents. However, I still make the point of making this letter, since I believe that the chance of having even a quantum of communication with your representative is a chance that should not be thrown away.

But know this: the moment that you openly and blatantly commit acts are that make a mockery of either the Philippine Constitution, United Nations statutes, common decency as defined by the majority of marginally sane sentients, or any equivalent codes of conduct (written or unwritten), by glory, everyone in our district shall be made aware of whatever tomfoolery you have committed. After that, heaven knows what might happen. Maybe a public letter. Maybe protests. Maybe legal proceedings. Maybe nothing.

But no one is sure what might happen. You might get a reprieve from a community that has been made apathetic in part by your predecessors. You may, in fact, win the legal proceedings (whether by hook or crook), giving a sense of legality (if not legitimacy) to your past (and possibly future) iniquities. You may even be praised by your peers for having a level of chutzpah that rivals that of a self-made orphan who asks the court to have mercy on him because he is an orphan.

Nonetheless, I still respect your ability to become and maintain being a congressman. I just wish that you would give me, and the electorate at large, a reason to actually appreciate the fact that you are our representative.

Yours truly,

Someone who lives in that ill-defined district.

P.S. Have a nice day, and I hope that you sleep nicely tonight...

Word count: 1096

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