TODAY is Valentine’s Day. We wish everyone – friends, readers or not – a Happy Valentine’s Day celebration with your loved ones. May you have all of them with you today and those who are not around physically be with you in thoughts and in your heart.
We would also wish that candidates, from the President down, as well as their avid supporters, will take a day’s break in manifesting their biases against each other by not spewing hate words or lies that pertain to efforts in destroying the dignity of their political enemies.
But of course, we have to admit that this wish is far-fetched to be granted. In Philippine politics, enmity is the name of the game.
But Happy Valentine’s Day anyway!
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By the last week of March, the official campaign period for candidates running for local positions will start. The expectation of many is that the campaign for local elective posts is more intense especially so in the forthcoming polls because it is jibed with the election of the President and the Vice President.
It is also anticipated to be more vibrant and even heated up because of the desire of each candidate to win the seat they are aspiring for. However, it is not anymore the case in Davao City. Since the assumption of the Dutertes in the helm of the city government, the election for mayor and the vice mayor became boring in a sense and wanting in excitement. Even the campaign of candidates for council seats has started to lose its grandeur. This is all largely because those running for councilors are trying to the best of their ability to claim identification with the ruling administration in the city – the Duterte-organized Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod and the Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
The last time that we could remember of the local election in Davao City to have some kind of political party rivalry was when the late House Speaker Prospero “Boy” Nograles dared to challenge the dominance of the then Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte as well as that of the former mayor Benjamin de Guzman who ran for reelection and was up against the come-backing Duterte patriarch who just completed his single term in Congress.
After those elections council aspirants instead have to first compete on getting the endorsement of the Dutertes for inclusion in the local administration party official line-up. If they are unlucky to be excluded they just have to keep their claim of having the blessing of the party and still keep carrying its name when campaigning in their lonesome.
Prior to the Duterte era in Davao City, we had the opportunity to witness Mayoralty and Vice Mayoralty candidates with their complete line-up barnstorming even in the hinterlands to seek voter support.
By going around in full force, people in the city then were afforded the opportunity to personally hear the candidates’ party platform of government. The voters are also given the chance to confront the candidates as to how their platforms are carried out.
With the city’s present leadership situation, the platforms of government have morphed into an individualized commitment of each candidate. Thus, it is not surprising anymore that each aspirant has his/her own programs and projects distinct from each other and oftentimes appear to be undoable because their realization requires collective approval and support of the administration in place.
For the forthcoming May 9 election, we are hoping that the electorate will be able to see the platform of governance of the opposition ahead of the administration candidate. This way the citizen of Davao City will be able to evaluate its “doability” considering the certainty of having an adversarial Council.
Of course, the administration man cannot do away with suspicion that he’ll just adopt what will be spoon-fed of him by his benefactors.
For comments/reactions on any issues/views presented here, we can be reached through the email address: victorino.sumalinog@yahoo.com, Mobile No. 09392980435, and landline 2372169.
