‘Waldas’

By BenCyrus Ellorin .

WITH barely four months to the filing of certificates of candidacy, the mercury is rising as politicians position themselves.

In understanding electoral politics, it is a must for serious candidates to start early. The race for the best organizing strategy is on in the grassroots. As a social development worker, I have seen the best community organizers not from the non-government organizations or civil society, but from political groups.

This is actually good if the community organizing efforts are aimed at grassroots political agenda setting, not used to strengthen semi-feudal dependency among the masses.

Still the most conspicuous of political activities in the grassroots now is the wagering of money, money, money, as if everything depends on money. Two of the rumored gubernatorial bets for Mismis Oriental have their “sicarios” or frontline workers showing off their bet as the most moneyed. Bragging to have the support of mayors and barangay captains who have been gifted generously.

Meanwhile, the people are suffering from an absent provincial government.

This style is rooted in the feudal system where wealth creates power and the peasants or saops are mired in deep dependence to the landlords. The modern political system of popular vote is suppposed to have liberated the people. But no, traditional or patronage politics wants the feudal culture to flourish still, in order for the elite class to maintain rein over politics.

Traditional politicians and their money are working double time now. And when they win, they hardly work. Example of this is the lackadaisical performance of the Provincial Capitol. From the onset of his term, Gov. Bambi’s narrative of not stealing money from the coffers, supported by the fact that the Capitol funds are intact has not changed going into his ninth year. But is that really the case?

Yes, public funds should not be stolen. But failure to spend public funds for public service is the bigger sin – that is corruption, decadence, pagkadunot. A sin of biblical proportions. Remember the Parable of the Talent?

Failure to spend for the upkeep and even improvement of the public hospital system in Misamis Oriental, maintain rural roads, failure to implement Philhealth’s indigency program just because the fingerprints of former governor, now Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oca Moreno are all over these people-serving programs is a mortal sin.

This narrative of the violet camp is coupled with relentless hatchet job, actually persecution of Oca Moreno. While their lawfare or weaponization of the law to serve political ends failed, their trolling in social media has been without let up.

So bad is their trolling against Oca Moreno, that paid communications personnel of the Capitol have forgotten to use their real personas in promoting the supposed good deeds of governor. Saying this risks telling them to do the things right, and we should not be coaching the enemy, right?

But I am pointing this out because because public funds are involved here. Funds for public communications should be spent on development communication and nothing else.

This reflects the hypocrisy of the claims of their political patron that he is spending public funds the right way.

And from the looks of it, the spending of Capitol is “waldas.” Capitol spends for so-called tourism activities like that glorified barrio beauty pageant with a very huge budget. A youth leader complained – na kana nga tourism, naka create diay na og trabaho or naka attract og tourist? Bitaw no!

With the absence of basic services, where do the Capitol funds go? Surely, not to Covid 19 response. Aside from well positioned media statements, what has the Capitol really done to increase critical care capacity like isolation beds and temporary treatment for mild and moderate Covid patients?

I know a lot of people from Misamis Oriental knocking on and actually benefitting from Cagayan de Oro’s isolation units and temporary treatment and monitoring facilities. How about implementation of minimum public health standards? Except for the sheer fear of people in western towns owing to the high cases in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities, in the eastern towns and even in nearby Opol and Alubijid, it seems there is no Covid.

Even in the amusement park owned by Bambi’s anointed one for the governorship is teeming with people day-in and day-out, no minimum public health standards. They claim, it is in Bukidnon anyway.

I asked a friend from Alubijid why their local government and the Capitol are not lifting a finger on the crowding at their balsas or floating cottages? He said, “Okay ra na, sir, magtinakdanay na sila, mga taga Cagayan de Oro bitaw na sila.”

Well, that is self explanatory considering the cheering of Bambi’s trolls everytime the cases of Covid in the city spike.

But I think, the people have awakened. While Oca Moreno continues to be persecuted, and now Klarex Uy too getting heavily trolled, the political career of Bambi Emano looks nil.

While Oca is positioning for the “legacy” chapter of his political career and Klarex carving his way beautifully to lead Northern Mindanao’s premiere city, Bambi seems bewildered whether to jump into Klarex’s fire or run as congressman in the 2nd district of Misamis Oriental – his old post before the Capitol.

Meanwhile, Bambi seems comfy with his hugot lines – corny, actually.

And, by the way, what was that orgy of mature men in adult diapers made to dance in what was supposedly a culmination activity of Women’s month? And true to form, the Provincial Information Office tastelessly published it in its official Facebook account.
And to say the Capitol funds are well-spent?

In the absence of Philhealth indigency program, ill-maintained hospitals, the only justification for spending millions for pick up trucks is to serve the rural areas whose roads have not been maintained. P108 million for vehicles is just staggering. It may provide comfort to the bureaucrats and politicians on the campaign trail soon, while its impact of these expensve vehicles on the communities largely suspect.