MORE NEWS, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE

Barangay bets hold tribal rite to bury animosities
TADIAN, Mountain Province -- If candidates in most areas in the country try to kill each other just to gain control of their areas of jurisdiction, the scenario in this mountain resort town speaks well of the true Filipino value of close ties instrumental in maintaining a peaceful community.

While most political rivals in the country could not see each other eye to eye, winning and losing candidates in the Oct. 29 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections renewed their bonding to work for the welfare of the community they ought to serve.

The true sportsmanship displayed by the candidates who held a tribal rite and feasted together in celebrating a peaceful and orderly elections in Barangay Kayan East here should serve as a lasting example for politicians, especially the sore losers, to emulate to prevent the occurrence of violent elections that lead to loss of lives and damage to properties.

Santos Pocsoen, a 37-year old college undergraduate who tried his luck for the post of punong barangay in Kayan East, joined the celebration of winning candidates and took center stage when he publicly rallied his supporters to forget the results of the elections and instead help the winning candidates pursue their goals and aspirations for the barangay.

Pocsoen lost to Camilo Bragado by only 12 votes in the barangay which had a total voting population of 600 with a 70 percent turnout during the barangay polls.

Residents hailed the display of true sportsmanship by the losing candidate, saying such attitude should be a worthy behavior that must be possessed by all candidates aspiring for various elected positions in the government to put an end to petty bickering considered to be major hindrances to development.

Ironically, Pocsoen’s statesman-like behavior is not present in almost all candidates in the municipal and provincial levels here as losing candidates and their supporters try to discredit people in power to suit their vested interests.

In previous elections, Mountain province was considered one area in the country with generally peaceful and orderly elections except for isolated fraud in a few remote communities are controlled by influential individuals.

Political analysts here revealed that Pocsoen’s defiance of pride and personal interest should serve as a wake up call to other politicians in the province who refuse to accept their obvious defeat to shape up and be worthy citizens by engaging in a critical collaboration with incumbent leaders so that the province could move to attain development. -- By Dexter A. See