Monday, May 10

The election was being held today.  The good news is that we get a
holiday from work, the bad news is I am a little concerned about what to expect. I learned that once people vote, instead of getting a lovely "I voted" sticker, ink is placed on their right index finger.  One of the social workers here was asking how much people are paid in the States to work at the polls, and she was shocked to find out it's mostly volunteers and senior citizens, as here working at the polls can be very dangerous.  People that are armed are known to come and take boxes of ballots and replace them with favorably filled out boxes of ballots. Vote-buying is a tactic used by some politicians, as well.  In order to receive votes they pass out money to voters on their way to the polls.  One of my coworkers was telling me how she was offered the chance to do some freelance work to help with the election, Some areas in the province were offering her 100,000 pesos a day ($2817)...and a bullet proof vest.  I know I'm safe where I live, but I think is concern about what may happen outside of Manila.

We heard on the radio this morning that they are banning liquor sales for the next few days, except to foreigners, which made me feel a little better about what people might do.  While I was at TGI Friday's exercising my ability to drink a mango margarita on election day, the waiter stated that this has been the bloodiest election so far.  It felt weird to know how quiet our area has been throughout the day and how much fun we were having, while people were dying down in Mindanoa and we were watching it on TV.  But these kind of feelings are becoming more normal to me.  I don't know if that is a good thing.

If you are willing to pray for peace, protection from forms of
violence that may occur, and that the Philippines would elect leaders
who are free from corruption, that would be wonderful.  Thanks so
much!