The electoral dust is settling in the hot summer sun. The midterm election was generally more peaceful than 2004 gauging from the number of incidents. On Tuesday we reported back to work with a sense of a new beginning—our lives were suspended on posters in the recent past.Changes are happening. For one, this year, we started using “midterm” to describe the national elections in between the presidential ones, a good imitation from the United States. It is like a referendum on the administration—if we like how things are going, we vote for its candidates. Otherwise, we go opposition.

Either way we still have to make the right choices or at least be informed on what makes the candidate. Our 85 percent voters’ turnout rate must be the envy of any democracy in the world. In other countries, their leaders are voted into office sometimes by less than majority of the popular vote. Most everybody we know voted.

Those who didn’t seemed apologetic for not doing their civic duty. I say, the indelible ink on the right index finger is the new badge for a Pinoy. Have it, flaunt it, stand proud; don’t have it, shrivel away.

Kind of reminds you of the carbon cross on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday. Have it, hold your head up high and be holy; don’t have it, you are condemned for all eternity. The dirty finger is the latest fashion—don’t wash it away like the henna tattoo on your butt.

Anecdotal surveys show no massive vote-buying at least in the National Capital Region. Hotspots will be around as long as there are hot heads. It might take some time to knock them dead, figuratively speaking, with the message that violence begets violence and that killing is not the surest way to win in the polls.

You simply get killed yourself. On this note, the lawyers made a killing themselves on Election Day. Any two-bit notary can be a triggerman for an aspiring candidate and roam the precincts brandishing their big ID tags for P15,000 a day.

If you opt for a hotspot, the allowance can go as high as P30,000 a day that can stretch to several days. The price for the huge paycheck is that you might never get to use it. Paralegals get anywhere between P1,500 to P3,000. So, hurry up guys and pass the bar.

When the winners are proclaimed, let’s all buckle down to work. Senators and congressmen, please pass good laws. Start with the Government Classification and Compensation Act of 2006 to rationalize our bureaucracy and update our ancient compensation system which punishes the dedicated and rewards the lazy.

If government does not do anything else except reform itself, then we will all be the better for it. It was Plato who said, “The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.” And pay these days is a major determinant for good guys to consider a government job.

Aren’t you glad that the actors are not in sight of the magic 12? In previous years, that would have been inconceivable. The Filipino vote is awakening and it is an intelligent one. Oldies are out and new blood is in. Tired and tiring trapos no longer command the votes.

President GMA has called for unity. Please guys, no more impeachments and coup attempts. What do we get out of them except tarnished images that translate to bad economics? We only have three years to go to make good before we are judged again.

Let us not suspend life until 2010. We can start our lives again today. The midterm election is a way forward.