By Farah G. Decano

 

“PAKURONG” is a Pangasinan word which literally means “to allow the crawling of a person, animal, or thing.”   Nowadays, the term refers to goods or money furtively given to the electorate at least hours before the voting process stars in exchange for the candidates’ names included in their ballots.

According to some undocumented sources, the pakurong allegedly has its roots in the custom of holding simple salu-salo in the aspirants’ homes on the eve of every election. Together, the contingent and his/her followers will feast on food while they wait for the sun to rise and thereafter walk to the precincts as a group to cast their ballots.  Because of the burgeoning size of the body politic, the candidates for elective positions can no longer hold overnight communal eating in their houses before the so-called D-day. Instead, they were constrained to deliver cooked food to the homes of their supporters.  Later, candidates allegedly found that the prepared dishes easily perished and thus they replaced the cooked food with canned goods, rice, and noodles.

What was initially the contenders’ show of goodwill to their known allies has evolved into something more transactional.  The delivery of food packs was aimed to court votes, which encouraged a sense of entitlement among the majority of the citizenry.  Eventually, it became the routine of voters to withhold patronage unless the goodies were delivered.

The tradition of wooing votes through packed groceries and the process by which support is withheld began to be associated with the concept of vote buying.  What was originally a manifestation of solidarity of the constituents with their chosen candidate has now mutated into a system of audacious purchase and sale of one’s integrity.   Despite the negative perception of this activity, the same persisted every election.  Now, the packed merchandise has been replaced with cash for easier distribution.  For quite a long time, five hundred pesos was the going rate.

This writer refuses to concede that the majority of the balloters have become whimsically materialistic by commodifying their right of suffrage.  The expectation and acceptance of these “bribes” may also indicate that voters have surrendered to the idea that this may be their only chance to “enjoy” the service of those who will be elected or re-elected.  By demanding or merely accepting pakurong, the voting public may also be expressing their hopelessness in their leaders.  Tutal wala namang maasahan sa mga pulitiko kaya tinatanggap na lang nila ang “pakinabang.”

Through the years, constituencies have become aware that many elective officials aspire for power and influence to promote and protect their personal and business interests. They have observed how the establishment of political dynasties are able to immortalize power and bolster accumulated wealth. The voting body is even cognizant that some of their elected officials appear obviously motivated by commissions in commencing unnecessary big-ticket projects.  Despite awareness, citizens are not able to stop undeserving and shameless politicians from becoming elected year after year.

With the stark increase of pamudmods from P500 to a drool-stimulating rate of P4,000 to P15,000 per voter, the attitude of the public, or most of them, has dramatically changed.  Gone are the days when they were chased by leaders for their votes.  Instead, they seek to be part of the so-called “list of recipients” by big fund givers.  In effect, the voting body has fallen for the organized manipulation of politicos.

Surely, there must be a way to halt the influence of money in the decision-making process and the behaviour of the electorate.  As of the moment, we only have, “kunin ang pera, iboto ang kursunada” to discourage this practice.

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