BEHIND THE SCENES

Barangay elections, government revamps
Alfred P. Dizon

I have a good guess this favorite barangay captain of mine who assumed a higher office in Baguio would not be reelected should barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections push through on October.

You see, this character has earned a rather unsavory reputation as the top gambling king in the city where jueteng kubradors comb daily every nook and cranny scrounging for bets.

This early, according to our bubwit, his constituents are not happy with the way he is handling affairs of their barangay as he spends much time counting money or pitchas in casinos. The other barangay captains are not talking, our bubwit said, but come October, they would show their displeasure.
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There are a lot of characters nationwide like my favorite in Baguio. I saw an episode on ANC wherein an investigative news team documented how a barangay captain was renting out public facilities in a Manila barangay. The rent of course went straight to his pockets. The answer he gave to authorities was like something out of a telenovela script – “I am helping the people.”

How often have we heard of abusive barangay officials who misused their office for vested interests. It is a shame why there are only a few who are jailed, fined or fired for their misdeeds.

Maybe, if we have a justice system like Saudi Arabia where one could lose one’s head for a crime even if it was self defense, there would be fewer corrupt officials. But then again, anything could be bought in this country like decisions in a court case, so this is not advisable. So let’s leave this system to the Arabs.
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Come October, barangay constituents would select their new set of officials. The deserving ones are supposed to stay while the inept and misfits should go. However, one couldn’t discount the fact that money always plays a huge factor in winning.

People in some areas I visited in the Ilocos said P1 million is a small amount to spend during such elections if one is eyeing a post as kapitan. Sorry for those who want real change, but in this Banana Republic, in most cases, one has to have the three Gs to win – guns, goons and gold. It is a vicious cycle – the misfits and the corrupt who have the money always win, unless voters would become more patriotic (Ah! Is there still such word?) and vote for the good eggs.
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But even if elections are always tainted with fraud in this country, the proposal of the House of Representatives to defer this year’s scheduled election of barangay and SK officials to next year maybe off the mark.

Now some opposition senators like Aquilino Pimentel are complaining. The deferment of barangay and SK elections was earlier raised in the Lower House by Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas who filed it as House Bill 6166.

Gullas earlier said the government could ill-afford to spend some P2.8 to P3.8 billion funds for another election less than six months after the conduct of the May elections since only P2 billion had been earmarked under the 2007 national budget.

Now Pimentel is saying it is a bad argument to postpone an election by raising the issue of funding. The senator said people should not be deprived of their right to pass judgment on barangay and SK officials and their right to elect their replacements for the good of the community.
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He said there is money for the polls since the administration keeps on saying the inflow of government funds has substantially improved. The Commission on Elections should also make do with the P2-billion funding for the barangay and SK polls and adapt measures to minimize cost of political exercise. Local government units may also be requested to help defray cost of elections out of their internal revenue allotments.

Pimentel has a point since incumbent barangay and SK officials have overstayed in their posts, as their three-year term of office was extended by two years when the election for these officials was postponed from Oct. 3, 2005 to Oct. 29, 2007 by virtue of a law passed by Congress.
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Aside from this, the postponement has brought about an awkward and anomalous situation since the incumbent youth council officials are now way above the 15-17 years age bracket for youth. Besides, any deferment of the elections and consequent extension of term could be seen as a reward for barangay and SK officials for favors they might have done for the administration particularly in the recently held elections.

Indeed, barangay and SK elections should be held as scheduled this October. The good officials need not fear the outcome if they are vigilant enough in guarding their votes and if their constituents are not swayed by bribe money. It is the bad eggs who should be worrying as their misdeeds would be judged come election day.
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The wide-ranging revamp of the government bureaucracy is under way as part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s aim to revitalize her reform program during the last three years of her term.

As part of this revamp, the President has ordered the chairmen, chief executives, presidents and board members of government-owned or controlled corporations to submit their courtesy resignations.

Earlier, the President hinted a major Cabinet shakeup was in the works in the face of calls from various quarters for changes in her official family in the light of the administration’s poor showing in the senatorial elections.

Close associates quoted Ms Arroyo as saying she was through paying back political debts, the next three years were hers, and that she could do as she pleased. The statement suggested she would no longer put up with protégés of political allies who have turned out to be “liabilities” to her administration.
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The new order calling for courtesy resignations is now affecting hundreds of appointees. Usually, the chairmen and members of the board of government corporations have a term of three years, but since last year, the President has issued only temporary appointments. There are about 90 government-owned or controlled corporations, according to a Malacanang e-mail dispatch. The list grows longer with the addition of wholly owned subsidiaries and sequestered companies.

According to the mail, the President’s newest order also covered government appointees in sequestered private companies. A Malacañang panel would review the performance of the appointees and decide if their resignation would be accepted.

According to the grapevine, former Press Secretary and later peace talks negotiator Silvestre “Yongyong” Afable tendered his resignation. I guess, Yongyong who wrote the editorials of the Baguio Midland Courier when I was with the paper in the early 90s had grown tired of the snake pit that is Malacanang. I guess Yongyong is contemplating a quiet, peaceful life in the city of pines away from the madness and stress dealing with the powers-that-be. Welcome back Yongyong.