While the filing of Certificates of Candidacy for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections started August 28, most of the candidates waited for Friday and Saturday to go to Robinsons Place to file their candidacies for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
In Dumaguete City, all 30 barangay captains have reportedly filed their certificates of candidacy for reelection.
We’ve heard it said time and again that barangay elections are apolitical. Well, whoever said that was not telling the truth. Barangay elections are actually where politicians test their machinery resulting in a shadow fight among the bigger politicians.
We’ve seen some candidates for barangay captain, for example, who are identified with Cong. Chiquiting, such as Daro barangay captain Jovencio Tan, whose opponent is Mayor Ipe’s brother Jupert.
Now, Cong. Chiquiting is trying to pull together a coalition between the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Nacionalista Party, that is becoming the super majority party in Negros Oriental. He needs everyone under his umbrella as all politicians in Negros Oriental promised when they met with House Speaker Martin Romualdez in Manila last month.
But the barangay elections are something else. “Everyone just wants to run,” Cong Chiquiting said, adding that whoever will win in this election will then be asked to support Ipe’s son Dio, who is running for Dumaguete City Mayor.
So there will be awkward moments in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections where people will really think there are cracks in the efforts aimed at forging unity among the politicians.
The real test of unity will come after this election. Will the coalition hold?
Abangan!
