Yesterday, Wednesday, we were in downtown Davao City for some important appointments. In our previous trips, we merely went to the office along C. Bangoy St. and then proceeded to the bank located near the San Pedro-Ilustre junction. Then we were again back to our rural residence in an inland barangay in Tugbok district.
And how surprised we were yesterday when along the roads we took in our trip politicians’ campaign posters were already posted and giant billboards were installed all over. The biggest campaign material we have seen is the billboard of one Senatorial candidate in the PDP-Laban line-up. One is located right before the San Rafael Bridge going to the city proper. Another along MacArthur Highway in Matina.
Meanwhile, posters, banners, and other similarly sized campaign materials can already be seen on both sides of the roads. Most of these material are those of candidates running for local positions.
For some time, we thought the start of campaigning for local elective posts like those of City Mayor or Vice Mayor, Congressmen, and councilors was still weeks away. But how wrong we were. Campaign paraphernalia are all over, and the leaders and supporters of the candidates concerned are simply giving the Commission on Elections in the city a “run for their money.
In other words, the violations made by the leaders of the concerned candidates – and the bets themselves for tolerating the infractions of their backers – can easily be assumed to have the blessing of the candidates themselves.
How on earth then, could we expect the candidates to be serving their constituents with sincerity and utmost honesty when they unabashedly tolerate the wrong-doings of their supporters?
Indeed, there is a need for Davaoeños to shout, “God bless Davao City and its people.”
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Maybe we have been too long out of circulation starting from the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine, despite our being a member of the media who is supposedly well informed of what is happening in the community and society in general, we only learned the other day that Cherry Al-ag, wife of Vice Mayoral candidate Dr. Bernie Al-ag, is also running for councilor for the first district.
Ironically, we learned about her run for the City Council from a report published in our very own outlet, print, and online editions.
Now who says the Dutertes, the Tulfos and several other big political families in the Philippines are setting the foundations of political dynasty structures these days?
Even the Toril District’s popular Al-ags are already into it. They have Councilor Wilberto “Nonoy” Al-ag running for Congressman in the third district, then there is Dr. Bernie, his wife Cherry, and Nonoy’s daughter Momay also for councilor in District 3.
Knowing this situation among politicians’ families all over the country how then can we expect that both the Lower House and the Senate members will ever attempt to pass a bill intended to come up with an enabling legislation to put into effect the Constitutional provision banning political dynasties? What a political tragedy!
But wait, is it not possible that the framers of the 1987 Constitution where this dynasty ban is expressly provided could have intentionally created this kind of “wiggling” provision? We know that many of the framers or its scions are now in politics and are not willing to abandon their positions unless it is their close relatives who will take over.
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On another, even Davao City’s Council members are far from willing to let go of their seats to other people. Say, a grandchild whose mother-councilor has this particular surname. She has now completed her third 3-year term. She now has his grandson run for her slot. And worst, she ensured that her family name is always included in her grandson’s campaign paraphernalia.
Another Councilor who wants to perpetuate his family’s political image is the one from the third district. Now that his third term is ending he had his son run. This son was already lost when he ran during the first exit of his father after completing his first nine years.
And perhaps to instill in the minds of the third district voters that he is the son of his father, he masterfully embossed his father’s pictures in all his posters.
Indeed can we blame some people for asking what is in being a member of the City Council other than prestige that makes outgoing incumbents want to continuously hold on to it or leave from there for as long as it is their closest relatives occupying their departed position?
