Ulan-ulan

THE 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) came and went, and here’s the lucky resident of Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro grateful for the P6,000 he allegedly received from two candidates: P5,000 from the barangay-captain hopeful, and P1,000 from the barangay-kagawad hopeful, whose hopes eventually became a reality.

Had they lost, that would have proven that money is not everything.

The voter was able to pay some loans and buy rice, with much thanks to the P6,000 which probably came from the top of the hierarchy and not merely from the local level. But who’s asking where the moolah came from? Not me, said the lucky voter. Not me, said the candidates’ supporters. Not me, said the candidates’ inner circle that didn’t need any convincing on whom to vote for but probably received more money, anyway.

The money provided temporary relief to those fortunate enough to be included in the precious list. Operative word: temporary.

After the BSKE, while waiting for the 2025 elections, it’s back to the usual: kayod pa more. And the winning candidates are also in kayod mode as they recoup their investment.

It was an investment for the winners, but an expense, even a waste of money, for the losers. They could have bought a Porsche already with that amount. Or at least a Hermes Birkin. And there’s no way now to recoup their financial loss because, hmmm, they lost. Unless they’ll be appointed to a lofty position by the winner, who happens to be his political rival, who has the potential to win against him in 2025.

But we’re talking about the barangay here. Not the city. Not the district. Not the province. The barangay. Does it have other lofty positions aside from that of the captain?

Again, it’s the barangay. So, why would its candidates invest that much money in their campaign? Was it that difficult to convince their neighbors to vote for them? Unless they have transferred to another barangay but have chosen to retain their old Comelec-registered residential address for sentimental reasons: that’s where they grew up, they played patintero on its streets and hide-and-seek behind its trees.

The many wonderful memories do make some people stick to their decades-long Comelec-registered address even if they now live in another barangay, city, or province. That’s why the Pinoy travels to his hometown before Election Day, hoping to receive some ulan-ulan. And wasn’t it funny that here in CDO, it did rain in the afternoon of October 30?

Don’t be surprised if one of these days, while you’re in dire need of the barangay captain’s wisdom, only to learn from the barangay’s admin staff that he’s still on his way from home to the barangay hall. Two hours later, you’re still there, waiting for him. And that’s definitely possible if your barangay has upper and lower versions such as Lower Balulang and Upper Balulang.

But if your barangay is right there within the city proper in the downtown area, it’s necessary to ask where he actually lives now. And how he can empathize with his barangay’s concerns if he lives somewhere else where there’s a regularly scheduled garbage collection, where there’s peace and quiet, and the main gate guards don’t allow entry to any of his visitors without his approval.