By Mortz C. Ortigoza
Now that the Sangguniang
Kabataan (Youth) Election is included in the May 14 Barangay Sangguniang
Kabataan Election (BSKE), does it mean that the poll should be insulated from
the maneuvering of the moneyed politicians and the parents of these candidates
who compete for the presidency and membership in the Pederasyon ng
Sangguniang Kabataan or Council.
For the uninitiated, a
winning SK President can become an ex-officio councilor of a town or a
non-component city and becomes an ex-officio Board Member of the province.
The position as lawmaker
commands the same respect, emoluments, and pork barrel distribution from the
power- that- be in the province.
The parents and
politicians zealously bankroll and see their bets win so they can either becomes
a councilor or a board member and “flaunt” the “Honorable” title appended before
their names.
***
Here’s how monies played
a role for the victory of these bets:
Candidate X, 16, was a
relative of a successful businessman and politician. After winning the burgeoning
town’s SK poll overall federation presidency, the politician wants the kin to
become an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board).
“I and my family gave P50,000 to the mayor, P50,000
to the SK town president,” he told me
their strategy to buy the loyalty and vote of the town ex-officio councilor.
“Why gave P50,000 to
the mayor, it’s a waste of monies. The
SK will vote for the provincial SK Federation President,” I posed
perplexed.
The seasoned politico
explained that even they bought the loyalty of the ex-officio councilor; the
mayor can still influence him to vote for the other candidate.
“Ang mayors ang
nagbibigay ng projects sa each of the councilors. Puwede silang ma deprieved
pag sinuway nila si mayor,” he insinuated about the S.O.P or cut from the
contracts given to a loyal and submissive solon that runs to hundreds if not
millions of pesos just like what members of Congress get from the pork barrel
given by Malacanang.
Among the eight
congressional district’s province, his kin lost to four of the districts to the
son of a mayor.
“Why?”
He answered that the
congressmen, the governor, two billionaire businessmen interfere to influence
the voters to vote for the mayor’s son.
But unlike the village
chief in a city who sued his fellow kapitans who took his P50,000 bribe but
instead vote for the candidate of a mayor for the League of the Barangays presidency or an equivalent
of a councilor in the City Council, the businessman-politico told the mayor and
the parents that they have to retain the monies he gave.
“It’s yours. Our family maintains the principle that
what we gave we don’t take it back”.
He said a day before the
election they have “kidnapped” (a bastardized word for “billeted) at their rest
house the towns and cities’ SK
Presidents where they dined and wined them until the D-Day at the polling
stations.
“One of our unforgettable experiences in that race
was a candidate who was asked by his shrewd father to go in another province so
he can bid the highest price from me and the mayor (whose son ran for the post)”.
I asked him why he was
too focused on the enterprising father.
“The match was neck-and- neck. The opponent’s family
got four districts while we got four, too, we don’t have to lower our guards”.
He said the opponent’s
father offered P100, 000 to the father but he would not acquiesce.
“I told the father my last offer was P200,000 that
he immediately took it”.
As a result of the
intelligent maneuvering, his kin narrowly won the election for the ex-officio
post in the SP with a lead of three votes.
A very expensive election
where his family spent roughly P5 million to a position that gave only a salary
of P70,000 monthly.
The politico credited the
power of monies in winning the tight race.
“Without it, we lost the election!”
***
I could not, son of gun,
agree more. It only takes a lots of monies and the bribes to vulnerable
Filipinos to make election in this country not only exciting for the moneyed bets
but for the effin’ voters.
To those parents who egg
their children to become a councilor or a BM through the SK poll, remember:
It’s not for the fainthearted. SK Polls, just like the presidency of the League
of Barangays, Councilors League, and the regular elections for the council,
mayorship, governorship, congressional, senatorial, and presidential need the
power of wherewithal.
“Ano ang wherewithal, sir?” my errand boy Galman Torres, who was
unlettered, posed.
“Ah, wherewithal, paano ba e explain iyan sa iyo.
Ah, gamot iyan! Nabibili sa drug store”.
READ: THREE - CORNERED FIGHT FOR KAP RACE IN THIS HUGE BRGY
READ: THREE - CORNERED FIGHT FOR KAP RACE IN THIS HUGE BRGY
(You can read my selected columns at mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and
articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at
totomortz@yahoo.com)
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