I love hearing about events like Rock Ed Radio’s Keep Your Promises series of concerts. What is it? Let me lift directly from Rock Ed Philippines:

A series of gigs entitled KEEP YOUR PROMISES will be launched on Saturday May 19. These are small gatherings of young voters (disenfranchised voters included) to have their voices heard. That we demand the fulfillment of promises made by candidates during the elections.

Now that we’ve done our part and voted our preferred candidates into office, it’s time for the step up and deliver on their campaign promises.

I love the whole idea and the idealism behind the event. You see, it’s too easy to lose hope in this country, but seeing people care enough to organize events like this gives me hope. Reading what other bloggers have to say gives me hope. Knowing how you care about this country gives me hope.

The thing is, like I mentioned before, I’m still a cynic. Yes, I kept blogging about the elections, but I always felt like it was too little. Yes, blogging gave me a reach beyond my immediate circle of friends, but it still wasn’t enough.

The problem, I think, is that we still can’t reach far enough or wide enough. We reach other bloggers. We reach the attendees of the concerts. We reach the people who have the luxury of attending such events or visiting our sites.

We don’t reach the people who really don’t know any better - and sadly, they outnumber us. Yes, reaching out through radio broadens our reach a little more, but even there, our voices are drowned out by several other stations and several other programs.

We might reach the candidates. Then again, we might not. Besides, I don’t know how we can make sure they keep their campaign promises.

On that note, did they even make any promises? The way I see it, many didn’t really make any promises - they simply did everything possible to make us remember their names. Without any promises attached to their names, what are they accountable for?

Call me a cynic and a pessimist - but I’m not sure what difference these events make. I’m not sure if we can really make the newly-elected officials fulfill their promises.

On the other hand, if events like this can get more people to care and if events like this can push more people into action, I’m all for them. We might not be able to effect change - at least not immediately noticeable change - but we can slowly gain enough momentum to really change this country.

I’m weird like that. I don’t quite see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I keep moving forward hoping I’ll see it eventually.

I may not see exactly how this series of concerts will improve the state of our nation, but if that’s what they hope to achieve, I’m standing with them.

Join us.

Tags: Philippine Elections 2007, The Blog and Soul Movement, Rock Ed Radio, Rock Ed Philippines, Keep Your Promises