How much is that voter in the window....I do hope that voter's for sale.....

As promised earlier..a short post on vote buying..again, a selection of headlines to give you a rough idea of what's happening..

New vote buying schemes - in case the others were all a tad old fashioned

A thousand pesos for my vote

Phone cameras can be used for vote buying

Insurance cards not used to buy votes - just remarkably convenient timing..'The cards were given to over two million party members as “an act of prudence and gratitude” to “loyal members,” he added.

At the same time, he said the cards were distributed to party “campaigners and poll watchers who under the law are entitled to reasonable allowances or compensation…”'

Comelec reporters receive P100 cell phone cards

Is it a prize, or is it vote buying

And this is a classic headline...40% believe Arroyo will cheat

Given the violence and the vote buying, I have a few questions...

1. Can the Philippines really be classed as a democracy?

2. Is it really worth having the elections?

3. Is it really worth while being a politician of any description in this country?

4. Will there be enough politicians left alive in the country to actually have an election on the 14th May?

Answers on a postcard to.....

I was asked the other day how much it costs to buy votes in England...I answered that to the best of my knowledge at grass-roots level vote-buying doesn't really exist or at least not the form of cash/phones etc exchanging hands as it does here; however at more senior levels allegedly a peerage could change hands...