Campaign, Come Pain

What’s that noise? What’s all that blaring down the streets? Is it fiesta? Is it some noise barrage? Oh, the local campaign has started.

What’s the difference? It’s just a “technical” start. They started all the way back since the last barangay elections. There were giveaway 5 kilo packs of rice which voters could claim of the then aspiring candidate’s friend’s house with a coupon. There were free concerts with musical acts from Manila. There were medical missions here and there. Wait. Maybe, it started way back further. During the pandemic, some incumbent government officials would hop barangays with their staff who are government employees, to distribute goods and packs in covered courts as if they were just ravaged by some typhoon. The problem was people should not be gathering in physical meeting that time. Because lest we forget, there was this thing called social distance that we were observing so that we wouldn’t get sick, and the virus wouldn’t spread further. One of the staff who went with these pre-campaign sorties told me that despite warnings, social distance was not observed anymore, It was your regular relief goods distribution, unmindful of the virus that may spread through the air.

Typhoon Kristine (still remember that?) gave candidates the golden opportunity to campaign before the campaign. We really needed those food packs and other necessities. But, of course, we would clean up, recover and move on with life as it was before. But despite that, relief goods distribution continued from time to time. That makes me wonder. Where do they get all that rice? Well, these guys are rich. They may have their own rice fields which had force fields that protected them from flash floods. Of course, my neighbors would not refuse freebies especially if they come in big boxes. Some of them apparently did not have the time or manpower to purchase and pack products. They just distributed 500 peso bills. Of course again, my neighbors would gradually or instantly be drawn to personalities who give them free rice, noodle packs and canned goods from time to time. They would be grateful for free medical check-up, even if the same services are similarly accessible in the barangay, municipal and city health centers. I’m not sure if the free concerts have some effect. But, I’m sure it helped in some name recall.

This is so heartbreaking. The amount or quality of freebies the candidates give away to voters are not qualifications for the office they are petitioning the citizens to elect them to. They should be gauged by their knowledge, competence and potential on administration or legislation. Am I being too idealistic? The winning candidates would implement and issue laws, or draft laws of municipalities, cities or provinces. Some winning candidates would draft laws for the whole nation. Maybe, generosity on relief goods is somehow related to those general functions, but not directly or relevantly. On the other hand, who knows? Maybe, candidates who distribute food packs every week would turn out to be good administrators or legislators. We never know. Life can be full of surprises. But, should we toss our coin on possibilities with insufficient basis?

But, what could we do? If that’s how more than 50% of the electorate decides to go, that’s the way we go. It is their freedom and right after all. Should we restrain them from exercising their freedom and right to choose the candidates who gives them the most number of freebies? After all, we are in a democracy. The power is in the people. Gratefully or gloomily, it is us, the people who are empowered to place leaders in position. If most of our neighbors decide to vote for generous candidates who turn out to be unqualified, then, that’s the leadership we will get.

A few days ago, I found myself riding a pedicab home beside a neighbor who went on a tirade about concerns in the community. She told me and the pedicab driver about issues about garbage disposal and picking up pedicab passengers between two adjacent barangays. She told us about residents who would not segregate garbage. According to her, some of the unsegregated trash would be thrown on vacant lots. She told us about misunderstanding among barangay officials and pedicabbies on regulations on picking up passengers. She told us that there were no actual prohibitions on picking up passengers. I and the driver had to helplessly endure her rambling for around ten minutes. She concluded that it’s on the people why the community has problems. Maybe, she’s right.

1 Corinthians 11:30 : “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”