The recently concluded barangay and SK elections was generally peaceful but was observed by many to have been marred with a lot of corruptions.
The barangay election as conceptualized and instituted under RA7160 known as the Local Government Code of 1991 was supposed to be non-partisan now became involved in partisanship. Majority of the local barangay officials are directly or indirectly representatives of politicians; they are either related by affinity or consanguinity to certain moneyed-politicians who aims to perpetuate their political influence and enjoy the power and authority that they have been holding for quite a period of time.
Barangay officials who are supposed to be non-partisan are now protegees of bigtime politicians or former henchmen employed and paid under government funds allocated by those who are in power.
Another observation was that the cost of vote for each individual sympathetic to certain barangay official has a range from twenty to fifty pesos for poor candidates who aspire position in the barangay; but these amount even increased from one hundred pesos up to three hundred pesos for barangay councilman position. The bitter part is that barangay captain candidates can buy votes from five hundred pesos up to a maximum of two thousand pesos.
Of course, local COMELEC officials have no knowledge about these schemes of candidates because some of them also were involve in some kind of corrupt practices. Reports in TV or radio broadcasts expose these people collecting ten thousand to fifty thousand pesos for a position in the barangay. One a candidate paid the amount as demanded, there is great possibility that those who paid the right price will win elections.
Local COMELEC officials would always deny such report because they also knew very well that in certain halls of COMELEC offices, bribes has been collected by some unscrupulous election officers, who, by all ways and means, are already paid by political stalwarts who controls their work appointment. Those election officers who played clean and safe would certainly not last long in their coveted positions because there are a lot of unqualified or qualified people who are most willing to accept such appointment when they are needed.
In this election day, October 25, I should say is the worst of all the barangay elections conducted. Why? It's because the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK for short) elections was also conducted.
As these SK youth have registered with COMELEC for them to be able to vote, certain barangay officials (of course, moneyed barangay officials) gathered them all together and either provided vehicle so that they can visit the COMELEC office or certain amount of fare is given. They are now listed among those potential voters of their beat for the SK Council in the barangay.
The bad thing that happened was that SK voters were gathered or collected by parents of certain SK chairman candidates and provided with money from one hundred to five hundred pesos, free board and lodging, foods and a lot of amenities as if these SK voters are the most important persons for three days before the election day.
Moneyed parents of SK chairman candidates would gamble certain amount of money for their child win the elections even if they know that what they do was wrong or even illegal. I should say that about 90% of SK chairmen win because of this kind of scheme.
This is the most painful reality that I have witnessed already for quite sometime. The youth at their early stage of engaging into politics have already learned the bad ways of politics. And parents themselves are the ones corrupted or being corrupted by those moneyed individuals. I should like to say that I could not blame these parents of these poor youths because they really need money to sustain a few days of good food and comfort that they were not able to experience since birth. This is the only time that they would enjoy those things that rich people usually experience. They felt that they are the king by their own right, thus, they are entitled to such excellent accomodation and comfort.
I really pity the future generations on politics. At this point in time, the seed of corruptions has already been implanted within their midst and it can never be redeemed unless those people who are entrusted to defend the constitutions, uphold its ideals and purpose, as well as those enforcers who love societal order, will enforce the very purpose of the law. But, if not, then it would certainly be the beginning of a long days of slavery for money.
My vote?... No, I won't vie for any political position, neither I would have to cast my vote because somebody paid money to vote them. Because during the time that I casted my first vote, I believe what my teacher said that my vote is sacred and valuable in the sight of God and country.
I will always cherish that day, because I believe it would never come again, even today.
