BARANGAY CLEARANCE. A reader went to a barangay hall to ask for a barangay clearance. When the reader gave her driver’s license as requirement, the secretary said he wants the voter’s ID and said he won’t issue a barangay clearance if the reader will not present a voter’s ID. The reader said, “ I checked, requirements for barangay clearance is a valid ID. Isn’t the driver’s license a valid ID?”
COERCION. The same reader complained that what this barangay hall secretary did was coercion, and said, “Isn’t it coercion that they would force us to register with Comelec in exchange for the said clearance? Isn’t this a democratic country? The issue here is not on whether we should register at the Comelec or not but we should remember that as free citizens of this country, we should not be coerced.” The reader added, “We should not choose who we must serve. Don’t be a leech in the society, sucking the people’s taxes and not giving what is due to them.”