AS we get closer to the President’s State of the Nation Address, one particular thing is getting much clearer. The push to postpone the 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections is getting stronger. On Wednesday the chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms was reported to have expressed confidence that the postponement measure would be passed next week. His confidence appears to be well-founded, as the Speaker of the House himself recently declared that the President would be asked to certify the postponement bill as urgent. When that happens, the legislative mill goes into overdrive, and things happen much faster. The Speaker likewise indicated that, in the absence of elections, incumbent barangay officials would be replaced by appointed officers in charge.
Oh, I see.
With the certainty of postponement growing by the minute, it’s no surprise that the barangays are all in a tizzy, with those in office drawing up lists of “to be anointed”, hoping perhaps to position themselves as power-brokers to whom the new dispensation would owe some sort of debt of gratitude; and those out of office right now are busy reminding everyone of the benefits of being “friendly” to them, when their turn comes—“as it surely will”—they presumably hasten to add. In the meantime, those without power, more so those without any expectation of ever getting influence in their communities, are scrambling for cover. And it’s not difficult to understand why.
The avowed motivations behind the move to postpone the elections have been repeatedly articulated: get rid of barangay officials involved in illegal drugs; frustrate the attempts of drug lords to buy their way into barangay politics; save money; and, besides, it’s all politics anyway.
These reasons, taken on principle, are all laudable. But as even the moon has a dark side, it would be unwise to pretend that postponing the elections will only bring good results. It makes sense, therefore, to hope that sufficient safeguards are put in place by the government to ensure that things don’t go irredeemably sideways.
Speaking of appointments—but of a different sort—remember Ramil Comendador?
He’s recently been appointed to the position of Election Officer IV, after hurdling a competitive selection process, which saw him besting six other applicants for the post. Comendador literally rose through the ranks of the Commission on Election, starting as a utility worker in a Commissioner’s office. From there, he became an election assistant, while slogging his way through law school. When he passed the Bar earlier this year, he met the qualification requirements for election officer and, now, that’s exactly what he is.
It’s an inspiring story made even more uplifting by the fact that Comendador is about as authentically humble as a person can get. In an age where rampant egotism and self-promotion has often been touted as the only route to success, Comendador is irrefutable proof to the contrary. Even better, when faced with an opportunity to cash in, Comendador instead chose to dedicate his life to public service. May his tribe increase.
Now, if only all those other appointees-to-be were cut from the same cloth, then maybe— just maybe —things will turn out alright.