By Mortz C. Ortigoza
A first class town mayor
spent six million pesos to well wishers and solicitors who go to his house
last Yuletide season.
“I did
not hide from my constituents who want some Christmas’ dole outs. I stayed in
my house thus I spent six million pesos last December alone,” the
successful contractor and mayor, who asked for anonymity, in central Pangasinan
told this writer in Tagalog.
He said his vice mayor who
is running for the May 13, 2019 election has been absconding his constituents
who seek financial aid even before and after the Christmas season.
“Ano lang
naman ang pera niya hindi stable iyong pagiging contractor niya sa ibang tao,” the
seasoned politician cited.
The mayor said that his post
is a thankless job because he spent hundred of millions of pesos for his
personal saving to help the town’s folks since he joined politics two decades
ago.
“When I was a vice mayor I even built dikes and roads in some barangays
for free. I did those jobs because I don't want to be ridiculed by critics that I
was a do- nothing vice mayor,” he cited in the vernacular.
When he challenged the then incumbent mayor in the late 1990s, the latter did not seek his reelection because he was afraid to spend to a futile contest his personal savings.
When he challenged the then incumbent mayor in the late 1990s, the latter did not seek his reelection because he was afraid to spend to a futile contest his personal savings.
“Maliit lang ang suweldo namin noon. Ang mayor P15,000 a month ako sa vice mayor P13,000. Ang konsehal P8,000”.
He said a mayor nowadays received more than a
hundred thousand pesos a month while a vice mayor got almost ninety thousand while
a councilor received from the government almost eighty thousand pesos a month.
“But they
are a pittance. When my opponent beat me
in his first try for the mayoralty I saw to it he could not beat me in our
rematch in the following mayoral poll. He even got the support of the 3,000
voters of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in my town. Because of it I frantically
spent P21 million for P500 for each of the voters three days before the casting
of votes,” he told the writer in Tagalog.
He won that election roughly with 1,200 votes in a town with more or less 40, 000 registered voters.
He said a politician nowadays who wants to win need a lot of wherewithal to effectively maintain the loyalty of his leaders, supporters, and the voters.
He said a politician nowadays who wants to win need a lot of wherewithal to effectively maintain the loyalty of his leaders, supporters, and the voters.
“Most voters
now vote for money they don’t think about the accomplishment and qualification
of the candidate,” he cited.
He said his thriving business as major factor in
winning every election races in his town.
READ MY OTHER BLOG:
Dan Keener: When I lived in mindanao vote buying was so open I thought it was legal,,,stay home and get paid for your vote, they will come to you, it makes democracy a hypocrisy, and it is the Filipino way.
ReplyDeleteVirgil Sarmiento Maganes: If this is true Mortz, corruption will not be solved in this country. Is this how power-play works in politics? Then why they will enter politics after all spending a lot of moolahs? We are going to the dogs.
MORTZ Ortigoza: Virgil Sarmiento Maganes it's either prestige, power, or S.O.P to govt projects.
Virgil Sarmiento Maganes: Mortz Ortigoza no wonder.....hahaha...
DAN KEENER: interestingly mark, we did an experiment in san juan gingoog 2008 I think it was., a friend of mine, a good barangay capt was running for reelection, he was good, honest, worked hard for his barangay. he asked if id support him, I said sure but, no vote buying. he agreed, and he lost, his opponent, the former barangay capt who everyone knew was corrupt, paid 300p per vote,, and the barangay went down the drain, lights didnt work, water system failed,, and then the people complained... I just never got the mindset, makes zero sense.
ReplyDeleteMortz Ortigoza: Perceptive observation Dan. I will be posting your observation at the comment section of my blog. For the meantime, my other blog could be an interest to you where I analyzed how government officials purloin the coffer. "How Mayor, Guv, Solon Steal to Fund Their Election"