Most expensive election

By Eva C. Visperas

The campaign for the 2007 elections has been the most expensive so far, according to Pangasinan politicians.

This, as the candidates who declined to be identified, said voters have become more demanding and vote buying became the name of the game.

“I never thought I would spend this much,” said a vice mayoralty candidate who has held several positions from past elections.

He said he prepared P5 million for the elections as he is already banking on his services rendered to the people but at the rate vote buying  is going, he said he has spent P12 million already.

He said he is dismayed at the kind of system now prevailing during elections.

“If this shall continue, then there is no use anymore of performance because all we have to do is to save so we can have something come election time to buy votes,” he added.

One mayoralty bet in the Pangasinan third district said he wanted to bulldoze the road he cemented using his own heavy equipment and resources in one barangay after voters in that area still asked money from him in exchange for their votes.

He said he is disgusted because he cemented the said road without any government funds, yet the people do not remember his sacrifices.

Another re-electionist mayor in the second district swore he would not resort anymore to vote buying as he had “miraculously” given new facelift in his town. Parks, amphitheater, town hall, police station, roads, bridges, education needs, among others were among his pride in his first three years in service.

While he admits that he spent several millions of pesos during his past mayoralty fight as he had a filthy rich rival, he said he thought his accomplishments would be enough to make him win another term.

“But people remain the same. It’s still money that matters it seems,” he said.

He added that gone are the days when voters were contented with caps, t- shirts, or umbrellas as giveaways.

“They ask now for more, from grocery items to money, even for repair of their dilapidated houses,” he added.

FROM BAGOONG TO TABO

Voters in different towns are pampered with different items this elections to win their votes.

One voter said she received a wall clock and a P100 bill plus a kilo of rice.

A neophyte voter said a tabo (dipper), basin and pail were delivered right at their home.

A passenger jeepney driver said a bottle of bagoong (fermented fish), patis (fish sauce) and a can of sardines were also among his gifts from a candidate for councilor in their town.

A laundrywoman said she received a plastic pitcher with three small drinking glasses.

Another candidate for councilor said he gives away bocayo (coconut candy).

OPEN BUYING

Before the onset of the campaign period, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz gave this advice to his flock: Walang hihingi, walang tatanggap (Don’t ask, don’t accept).

During Masses in Catholic Churches, there is a special prayer said for the coming elections.

But this call seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

A 65-year old retired teacher said in previous years, vote buying was done discreetly in the middle of the night. But today, even in broad daylight, coordinators of some candidates have their voters’ list and give away cash from a minimum of P300 per voter and go house-to-house to deliver the amount.

Also, she noted that in the past, those who resorted to vote buying chose houses away from the prying eyes of the public and did their operations clandestinely.

But now, she added, she sees people queuing even at places located along the national highways where candidates’ houses are located and where vote buying is done.

“I thought there was an accident because of traffic jam. I was surprised when I found out that people flocked to a candidate’s house that caused slow flow of vehicles along the road,” she added.

If this system continues, a top official in the province said elections will become more and more expensive and time will come the poor people will be totally deprived to be elected.

He said people accuse officials of being corrupt. “But who is teaching us to be one?,” he asked.

He said in their long years in politics, it’s only now that they really have to spend much, buy goods and give them to people because they ask for these.

To those who asked and received, don’t expect a graft and corruption-free administration from your new set of elected officials. That’s foolish.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/business-log/)

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