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The search for who is a hero should be asked by voters the moment they would choose their next leaders. We should look for those candidates who have the traits and characteristics of a hero

Who is a hero? Is he one who has given a poor boy a slice of his bread? Is he one who has extended assistance to the needy without the expectation of receiving something in return? Is he one who has given someone his means to fish? Is he one who has helped us in the preparation of a project? Is he one who has helped build a church on condition of anonymity? Is he one who has helped an industrious but poor kid in his studies? Is he one who has provided free medicines to the sick without fanfare? Is he one who is highly respected in the community? Is he one who has excelled in all of his academic undertakings? Is he one who has comforted a person who is in emotional distress?

Is he one who comes to help of an orphaned child? Is he one who has molded his children into good Christians? Is he one who has conducted himself as a good and responsible citizen? Is he one who has imparted to his students not just the subject description but the lessons of life as well? Is he one who gets inside into a burning building because there are persons trapped inside? Is it the basketball star who has made the winning shot at the sound of the buzzer? One’s description of a hero will not end there, as clearly one’s definition of a hero may vary. As the Oxford Dictionary simply puts it, a hero is a man who is admired for his brave or noble deeds.

The search of a hero is very important in this hard and trying times. Our country is currently in a deep crisis. What happened to Maguindanao is a big eye opener to the government that Mindanao should not be neglected. For quiet a long time now, there are areas in Mindanao that seem not to have the word peace and order in their vocabulary. The killings of more than 57 people in Maguindanao should not go tolerated by our government, otherwise political killings would escalate beyond control. The fate of the innocent women, journalists, lawyers, supporters who were killed should not be forgotten and go unresolved. Our country maybe branded in the international scene as killing fields of journalist and candidates if the government would not resolve the massacre in Maguindanao.

Media really has a great role to play in the expose of the truth and their rights of the press should always be respected. Unless the media would continue with their noble mission, justice and peace may go elusive to find. The forthcoming election is already less than six months away, in two days time, the electorates would already know who are running.

The search for who is a hero should be asked by voters the moment they would choose their next leaders. We should look for those candidates who have the traits and characteristics of a hero. Our leaders should be those kind and class of people who are selfless, who would think of the general welfare of others over and above their interests. To us electorates, now is the start of the time for deciphering the genuine concerns of the candidates.