WE are certain that by the time anyone comes across this column today on-line everything is over in the election of local government elective officials but the formal proclamation of the winners.
The sad realization is that in every election there are always winners and losers. The former enjoy the taste of victory while the latter grieve in silence. Some who could not easily accept defeat will be making a lot of noise, though.
Again, by this time a new mayor of Davao City is already in celebratory mood. There is no question about the new vice mayor. He seemed destined for the position by a stroke of feat. But of course no Davaoeno can question his qualifications.
Yes, lawyer Jay Melchor Quitain is more than deserving for his new position in the city. He has it in the blood that runs in his veins.
As to the winning councilors in the three districts of the city, some of the candidates may be already in a well-ensconced position. Unfortunately for others they may still be in a precarious situation. And their shaky placements will remain until the winners are formally declared by the Commission on Elections.
For those who will not make it our commiseration. Better luck next time. Or, maybe you need to learn some lessons in having gotten yourselves involved in the messy game of politics.
At this juncture we extend to the prospective winners our big congratulatory message.
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The elections in Davao City can be considered as generally peaceful. What with no untoward incidents happening except for confusions of some voters and the uncooperative weather condition in the whole of the city and perhaps in the entire island of Mindanao while the voting was in progress.
Yesterday we went to our assigned precinct 30 minutes after this was opened. As we have expected the number of people wanting to exercise their right to vote was still sparse. The rains that started early in the evening before had somehow dampened the voters’ enthusiasm. Nevertheless, in our estimation the number was increasing as the rains slowly subsided. What could have barred some voters especially in the rural areas was the lack of transportation to and from the polling precincts. There were less motorbikes who braved the rains and mud especially in the remotest of villages in the rural areas.
In fact in the school where our precinct is located, we have to confront with some portions of the ground that were flooded or muddied by the continuous overnight downpour. So we have to use the crisscrossed concreted pathways which delayed us in getting into our designated polling room some four buildings away from the school gate.
In the school compound we met old friends who either have chosen candidates who we too preferred. Or, some of them were already having choices totally diametrical to ours. But one good thing though is that we found that we still have respect for each other’s choices for both national and local candidates.
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We have read in several posts in various social media platforms that vote buying and selling were prevalent in certain cities, and towns. And it allegedly came in various forms. In Davao City certain Partylist groups were able to utilize the supposed project based funds from the government’s TUPAD Program. Some “lucky ones” were pre-listed shortly before election day and were made to appear to have rendered work under the TUPAD Program. An lo, they received a whooping P3,000 as their “earned wages.”
Then we learned about another Partylist group gifting certain barangay captains a “Lakbay Aral” tour in Boracay with an all-expenses paid travel. The condition? The barangay captain beneficiaries were made to commit that the said Partylist must be pushed by them in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Added to such mana is a promise for the barangays getting one brand new vehicle for a multi-purpose use.
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This one is interesting in the contest for the Sangguniang Panlungsod in the third district of Davao City.
One council aspirant is doing his best to come out on the top of the winning candidates. The reason is obvious. It is not only for prestige but the opportunity to get appointed to the vice mayor position of the city should an opportunity occur.
But somehow, historically in the last post EDSA local elections one candidate had always come out ahead of the pack. Maybe the council bet is hoping that the time may have already come for him when the last ballot is counted in this election for council seat in the said district.
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