Who is running for whom?
By Rolo B. Cena
Pulp Bits

The Barangay (Village) and SK (Youth) Elections are said to be non-partisan. But something extra-ordinary is happening right after the Comelec issued the memorandum order on the campaign period.

In Bacolod for instance, it was reported that P20.00-bill is running out of circulation. The shortage and the demand of this denomination are associated with the rumor that the same shall be distributed to the constituents in exchange for the vote.

This reminds me of the Thursday early morning breakfast meeting somewhere in the Imperial Manila where volumes of bills were doled out in form of largesse.

In short, this is vote buying – similar to the partisan electoral practices that happened in May 2007 and in the previous Mays for several years now.

In one of the towns here in NegOr, I was told that out of the 23 Barangays, only one is for the opposition; and this Barangay is the place where intellects dwell – those who can oppose in logical reasoning against the elected men of the Hall. The rest are for the incumbent.

This Barangay is known for people who oppose bad deeds, corrupt practices; it is the place where most of the intellectuals dwell, a place where non-partisan roundtable discussions bear good results.

Just a short note for you: out of the nine municipal councilors, only two – new comers at that – came from the opposition.

It has been noted that all barangay captains are under the control of the incumbent mayor, and consequently, by the SP.

In the 29th of October, the poll body would be electing leaders for the different Barangays and SK locals. And believe it or not, the same setup is underway: the same party – the party of the incumbent, protects 22 Barangays and SK line-ups.

Question: who is running for whom?

Except for one for Barangay and one for SK, all the king’s men are running for him, of course. This is his peculiar way of controlling the municipality. This has been happening for three terms where he was the mayor; it happened for one term when he was the second to lead; and this is going to happen for another decade, looking at it in the long run.

Now, who says this is non-partisan?

This is only virtual – I mean, this is a principle only happening in the papers, not in practice. While the law considered barangay and SK elections to be non-partisan, on the contrary, the “law of the incumbents” is making this otherwise.

In the same way as the “gifts” in the palace were denied, the same principle applies. Non-partisan is never true; it will never happen.

Barangays and SK’s are the two most effective machineries in controlling the populace, thus, controlling these two areas is the top priority of the incumbent executives.

Take note, the old local leaders in the form of “cabesa del barrio” governed Philippines effectively and efficiently. All “cabesas” were influential; they controlled, they commanded.

This has substance; this is true.

After all, we considered Rizal’s Noli Mi Tangere as true account of Filipino lives.

Published, Dumaguete Sunstar, 20 October 2007