In an earlier column we wrote about the loss of Barangay Captain Ursi Ungab of Calinan. The other day we were told that the margin in favor of the winner was a cool over three thousand votes.
Ursi, being the brother of the third district’s congressman possibly never expected that he would suffer such a rebuke from the people of that fast developing community. Such difference is mind-boggling.
But it was only after our conversation with a number of Calinan folks like market vendors and tricycle drivers that we realized Ungab’s strengths were also his weaknesses. With all the good things he had introduced in Calinan, like fixing the chaotic traffic condition thereat, putting order in the Calinan market, among others, were apparently not appreciated.
The Calinan people who we were able to talk to, told us that Ungab actually saw it coming. They said there were incidents that Ursi, using his program of putting order of things, ran roughshod with his constituents – mostly with the ordinary man on the streets. The setting up of terminals for tricycles while allowing only those owned by Calinan residents to ply around the poblacion area made him many “enemies.”
Improving the condition of the market is also another ideal program that Ungab introduced but ended up as one of his “waterloos.” They claimed to us that the newly defeated barangay captain found his programs as the vehicles for his personal objectives – whatever these are.
Of course we did not take it in the proverbial “hook, line and sinker” manner; more so with the outgoing chairman’s revered family in Calinan. But with such a huge majority by his opponent, the ground for speculation became much wider to explore, any which way the people of Calinan find justification to Ursi’s loss.
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Gov. Edwin Jubahib of Davao del Norte is virtually demanding that the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (NORDECO) stop its business of retailing power to the province and called on Davao Light to take over the distribution in NORDECO’s franchise area. The governor is just manifesting that he is one with Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez. Jr. in helping the people of the province get the service that they deserved. Their reason for being vocal in their demand for a change of power distributor, is the poor service of the power cooperative and the high cost they are charging the consumers.
The governor’s call for the virtual “surrender” of NORDECO’s franchise is already one sign of exasperation. But for NORDECO to accede to the governor’s demand is easier said than done. The power cooperative has a fixed franchise term that could only be either renewed or given to other entities. And apparently, NORDECO is holding to such grant by the law to continue distributing electricity in that Northern Davao Province.
While in theory the governor’s and the congressman’s voices are supposedly the voice of their constituents demanding for the surrender of NORDECO’s franchise to operate is one call from the wild. The two top officials of the province are literally asking NORDECO to violate the law granting its franchise to distribute electricity in the area.
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It is nice to hear that there was not a single report of violent incident during the last Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in the Davao Region. It only showed the level of maturity the voters in this part of Mindanao has attained.
Imagine if even just a single election-related violent incident happened in the region. It would only mean we are regressing from the norm that the region has set since the comeback of the democratic process.
We could only congratulate our voters and men and women helping in the conduct of the peaceful elections. Again we owe it to their maturity in choosing the people they want to carry the responsibility of leading the smallest unit of governance.
