Getting on with the election

THE Commission on Elections is ready. The police force is ready. Even the overworked teachers are ready. And the voters, they surely are ready.

So what’s with the “urgent” stamp engraved by Malacañang on the bill seeking the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled on October 29?

Obviously, the central administrative government headed by the President is taking the side of the local government officials, who, unabashedly, have earlier admitted that they support the postponement for reasons that intricately ties politics to monetary loot.

It’s not really about the government not having enough funding to hold the election, which, by the way, is clearly stipulated in the Philippine Constitution.

Just reeling from the May mid-term election, finances are tight for the local execs, and they say they cannot really afford to dispense money at this point for the campaign of the barangay wannabes who supported them in their respective victories.

Now that should prove to be a good thing. Without – or with limited amounts of – money being thrown around, the barangay and SK candidates will be hard-pressed to ground their campaign on a real development platform. They, who are supposed to be the community’s   frontline   to public services, will probably begin seriously thinking about the significance of the position they are seeking.

Without moolah to buy votes, perhaps we can finally see an election about issues, plans, and true leadership capabilities.

Postponing this election means a major tinkering of the law. And that is all too dangerous.

Postpone this election and next thing we know the 2010 presidential elections is being moved to who knows when.

Now that is something this whole country certainly cannot afford with someone at the helm of Malacañang who has hardly proven her sincerity and honesty on, among other things, election-related matters.