My social media feed has turned into a local politics bout. Photos of friends or their friends are swarming in an attempt to campaign for them. I was shocked at the number of people who are aspiring to become a barangay official; most of them are my friends. I guess it will be like this in the next few days until election day. I was even startled one day while having breakfast. A pick-up vehicle was passing by our house blaring a jingle bearing the tagline, "Serbisyong sigurado (sure service). It got me thinking, on top of service, what else does the barangay offer to the people?
We have to first understand what the barangay is and what it does. According to the Department of Interior and Local Government, it is the smallest unit in local governance similar to villages back in the day. Consequently, leaders can also be called village chiefs. They make sure that policies and laws from higher government bodies are implemented within this village. They also issue clearances for individuals, establishments, and those who wish to build or erect structures within their area.
It is very coveted because it is a symbol of power, a cut above the rest. They drop you with multiple plans and promises. However, we must not only listen to these. We must also search for those who abide by the guidelines set by the Commission on Elections. These include the allocated budget for spending per voter, the size of campaign materials and air time on local media outlets. If your chosen candidate can adhere to this, then that person is worthy of a position. It means that he or she can be trusted with no strings attached.
There is also the issue of vote buying. Even the Comelec is wary on how to trace this as online transfer through mobile wallets is already very possible. We must keep in mind that those who have pure intentions know that they do not need to buy votes. The trust and confidence that they will get from the people are supposedly enough for them, even if this has become a sick form of culture. Some sociologists would say that this has become a Filipino custom and tradition, one that is difficult to let go of.
One influential Cebuano said that it is already hopeless to live in Cebu. It seems that politics has taken over the welfare of its people. For me, there is still an ounce of hope but only if we make the right choice. The elections next Monday would spell that new hope. However, we must choose leaders who know how to defend their village. They should not be persuaded by the local chief executive. They should stand by their principles and beliefs because they know what is best for their people. The next few days of more jingles, dances, and discussions should be bearable enough for us to make the right choices.