With 27 people dead and another 40 wounded in election-related violence between January 10 and May 10, election day, the first automated election in the Philippines is considered the "most peaceful" so far.
Although 67 casualties are still a high number, they seem to dwarf in comparison to the 310 casualties during the 2004 election. It's all a matter of perspective. In my perspective, the 57 people killed in Maguindanao last November 2009 should be included in the casualty count for the 2010 election. The clearly election-related massacre is not included because the election period started January 10, 2010 only.
75% of the 50 million eligible voters went to cast their votes. While the pre-election casualties dropped this year, vote buying was common as ever. According to newspaper articles, votes allegedly sold from 50 to 100 Pesos in Cebu and up to 1,000 Pesos in Leyte. What a business an election is!
Business and politics without corruption is what President-elect, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, promised as well as local jobs to offset the immense brain-drain the country is experiencing. 10% of the population is working abroad as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Their remittance account for 10.8% of the Philippine's gross domestic product. This is quite a number to produce locally, with an unemployment rate of around 7%.
Now that the election is won it is time to deliver.
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