Elections are over. Though most of the apparent victors are obvious, I would still like to suspend my complacence and hold back my sigh of relief until all the votes have been counted. The past two days saw the sudden slow-down in the electronic transmittal of votes from various precincts. I hope nothing mysterious happens in the five or so millions votes still to be counted. I find it really suspect that while thirty million votes were able to be transmitted to various election counts in less than twenty-four hours, the last millions are taking days to be counted. There are also a handful of irregularities that make me doubt the credibility of the electronic results. It was found that certain precincts, most of them in far-flung barrios of Mindanao recorded 100% voters turnouts. A handful of precincts in Rizal province recorded complete 100% sweep votes for certain candidates favored by a religious voting bloc. An election counting machine in Manila also recorded votes cast in rapid succession the midnight right after polls closed.

These few millions up to the few thousands still to be counted are very crucial in determining the fate of the vice-presidential race, for example, where Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay is neck and neck with Senator Manuel Roxas II. These are also important in determining which party-lists will gain seats in Congress come July, where a few thousands can spell the difference between a seat or two in the House of Representatives.

Notwithstanding the handful of doubts, one thing is for certain. Kabataan, of which I have been actively campaigning for the past three months as part of its national campaign committee, is poised to regain its seat in Congress as the sole party-list representative of the Filipino youth! With 90% of the votes counted unofficially, Kabataan is poised to garner double the number of votes it received three years ago in the 2007 national elections. The latest partial and unofficial count shows that we already have almost 400,000 votes. This, despite the black propaganda campaign launched against Kabataan and the rest of the candidates of the Makabayan coalition by the military and several anti and pseudo-left factions. This, despite the deliberate saturation of the party-list elections with dozens of Arroyo-sponsored formations and non-marginalized groups. This, despite the grave lack of funds (we had to survive on donations, shelling out personal finances, and hitching on the campaigns of local and national political allies). Considering all these, it is indeed a feat for a network of passionate youth and student leaders to mount a successful bid for Congress to genuinely represent the Filipino youth. Isang pagpupugay sa lahat ng kasapian at mga tagasuporta ng Kabataan Partylist! Ipagpatuloy ang magandang simula!