P2-M to Buy a Post that Gives P25-K Monthly

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

While munching my cheeseburger and sipping my brewed coffee at McDonald’s located near our house, I was watching the motorcade in the national highway in the third day of the village election campaign of the candidates.

I could only smile on the acrimony, pomp, pageantry and gimmickry of candidates for the barangay and sanggunian kabataan (SK or youth) officialdom as they maximize their ubiquity to get the attention of the hoi polloi.

Each of the candidates of one of the five village chief (we called it “Kapitan”) bets in my barangay hired a garung (an open sidecar (used for ferrying garbage, construction materials or hog to the slaughterhouse) powered by a motorcycle) where they each occupied and followed by a countless number of honking motorized tricycles the top bet paid P200 for each for the drivers in that more or less one - hour convoy that snaked the streets and highway around our village. The candidates’ vehicles were shrouded with tarps with their name, slogan (like “kumukulimlim pa lang ang langit may ayuda na kaagad kayo sa akin”) and their bold face painted there.

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One of the candidates for the council told me on conditioned of anonymity that the mayor gave each of them (wannabe lawmakers) P5,000 for campaign fund up to the October 30 election.

“Pero ang kandidato namin para Kapitan binigyan kami ng P25,000 pangkampanya,” he said.

When I opened my Facebook I saw the other party have dinner with the political leader in the village of the Mayor. When I met some of them I asked a bet for the council how much the chief executive gave each of them:

“P10,000,” he said.

“Ah so you’re the favorite of the mayor and not the other party,” I quipped.

 The advantage however of the other group is their candidate – a successful businessman – who prepared for several years for this electoral shindig thus he gave money for each of his bets – from the regular council member to the ex oficio’s SK.

“Grabe iyang si Kap namin, kada meeting sa mga sikat na hotel bukod sa pagkain binibigyan niya kami ng tig isan libo. Tatlong buwan iyan bago mag eleksiyon,” a trike driver crowed.

The same candidate for the past years have been giving gratis to the barangay residents lived chickens and trays of eggs from his huge poultry houses in various parts of the province.

 

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Running for a Kap post doesn’t need one is a genius or educated. Running for that office needs one is generous – like a Texan fast gunslinger, susmariosep! -  who could immediately shell out money or goods to his barangay mates who are needy - even years before the barangay election ensues.

A 4,500 registered voters in a village entails a candidate for the top post to prepare a staggering P2 million (for 4,000 because the 500 could not vote) to buy the vote at P500 of each of the electorates for an office that gives a monthly honorarium of P25, 000 only from the national government. In his two years’ term (Yes Virginia, the Supreme Court reduced the three years’ term to two for this year’s election before it returns to the old term in October 2025 poll) the Kap or Chairman could only chalk-up P650, 000 that includes the two 13^th month pays.

 He will still be short of P1, 350,000 of his investment for victory. Besides, his P650, 000 could no longer go back to his pocket but instead goes to the indigents that go to his office and residence every day and night.

“Abunado pa kami,” the usual retort of an elective official when I posed that his salary is miniscule to what the pesky the great unwashed solicit.

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When I brought my eldest son Jigger to a miting de avance of the gubernatorial candidate in the May 2022 election in Bayambang, Pangasinan, he was wide eyed about the big gas guzzling pricey vehicles of politicians running for the mayorship and the councillorship.

“Pa, their kids are clad in fashionable branded clothing,” he quipped to me.

I told him it is expected to see politicians and even the sons and daughters of those village chiefs sporting costly garments because before they become public servants they are already moneyed through their businesses and other venture.

The ignorant poor masa as voters would ignore an intelligent bet because he is poor, I explained. They would gravitate to those bets – even how idiotic they are – as long as they can give money to wet the masa’s beak.

“That’s the bitter reality of the Philippines election,” I lamented to him.