2007年VOA标准英语-Filipinos to Elect New Congress, Local and Regi

By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
13 May 2007

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Filipino woman carries ballot boxes as they prepare election paraphernalia at a distribution center in suburban Manila, 13 May 2007

Tens of millions of Filipinos go to the polls Monday to elect the entire House of Representatives, half of the Senate, and thousands of local and regional representatives. Powerful families, money and violence have made the election campaign a typically colorful affair. But opinion polls and statements from political organizers indicate that no major power shift is expected in Congress. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.

 

Ramon Casiple, of Manila's Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms, says there are many terms that can be used to describe Philippine elections.

 

"Filipino elections are like a fiesta. You have all the celebrations, the money the food, it is free all around. The second term you may use is that it is the national sport. And the third term you can use is that it is all about power," said Casiple.  "It is a winner-take-all type of contest. That is why Philippine elections are so intense. You can go all the way to cheating, or even killing⁴."

 

In this race, a boxer⁵, priests, and a jailed former military officer have joined established political figures as candidates in the free-for-all that is Philippine politics.

Money is flowing. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has offered more than $200, a large sum for most people, to any district official in his province who delivers victory for all of the Arroyo⁶ administration's Senate candidates.

 

There has been serious violence, with more than 100 people killed in election-related incidents. Violence is nothing new in the Philippines, but there has been a new twist this time: in the past, election victims have tended to be political workers; this time, more than half of those killed were candidates or their relatives.

In Cebu province, mayoral candidate Rogelio Illustrisimo senior was gunned down in front of the local elections commission office. In the Abra region of Luzon, six relatives of congressional candidate Cecille Luna were shot to death in their vehicle.

Troops are backing up police in especially violent districts in an attempt to keep order.

Analyst⁷ Casiple says the Philippines is a fragile democracy run by political and economic elites⁸. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the daughter of a former president. Many Senate and House candidates are from prominent political families. Because of the strong rivalry⁹ among them, combined with disrespect for the law and massive poverty, passions tend to boil over around election time.

The opposition¹⁰ accuses Mrs. Arroyo of corruption¹¹ and cheating in the 2004 elections, and it attempted, unsuccessfully, to impeach¹² her last year.

This is the nation that threw out dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 in a popular uprising, and ousted¹³ President Joseph Estrada in a similar movement in 2001. Experts say that spirit is still alive, but that voters have become cynical¹⁴, because the recent leaders they have put in power have failed to carry out promised economic and social reforms.

Analysts¹⁵ say the opposition is not likely to win enough new seats to impeach Mrs. Arroyo when the new Congress convenes¹⁶.

 

In smaller cities and municipalities, winners will be proclaimed within days, but it is expected to take about a week for the results of the House races to be announced, and two weeks for the Senate. If there are protests by losing candidates, the results could be delayed for a month or more.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 paraphernalia   

n.装备；随身用品

参考例句：

• Can you move all your paraphernalia out of the way?你可以把所有的随身物品移开吗？
• All my fishing paraphernalia is in the car.我的鱼具都在汽车里。

3 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

6 arroyo   

n.干涸的河床，小河

参考例句：

• She continued along the path until she came to the arroyo.她沿着小路一直走到小河边。
• They had a picnic by the arroyo.他们在干枯的河床边野餐过。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

9 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

13 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

14 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

16 convenes   

召开( convene的第三人称单数 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The Premier convenes and presides over the executive meetings and plenary meetings of the State Council. 总理召集和主持国务院常务会议和国务院全体会议。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法
• Chinese woman tenth the National People Congress convenes grandly today in Beijing. 中国妇女第十次全国代表大会今天在北京隆重召开。