TWO urban poor leaders whom community organizations endorsed as candidates for Cebu City north district councilors yesterday said they are answerable to the people and not to any political party.

Luz Barangay Captain Nida Cabrera and Alvin Dizon issued the statement in response to allegations they will just become “robots” if adopted by administration party Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

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At least 107 community and people’s organizations presented them over 10,000 signatures yesterday, gathered as a statement of support for their candidacy.

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Representatives of the groups, mostly homeowners’ associations, also signed a covenant, which mentioned the need for security of tenure and livelihood. Most of their homes are on lands already owned either by private landowners or by the government.

The BOPK is considering Cabrera and Dizon in its short list for possible candidates for the north district in the May 2010 elections. Three of its incumbent councilors are on their third consecutive terms and barred from seeking reelection.

Tinago Barangay Councilor Joel Garganera, opposition candidate for councilor, earlier said he hopes the new BOPK candidates will continue to uphold the ideals they are known for, if they are elected into office.

“Because they might be full of ideals now but when they get to the council, they would become robots and a rubber stamp just like the others,” he said.

Cabrera assured yesterday that will not happen because she has always fought for the urban poor above else, even when she was still an organizer until she joined the Luz barangay council.

Cabrera does not hail from Luz, but she has since worked for the welfare of the urban poor there and established herself in the barangay because of her advocacy.

“We respect the opinion of Joel Garganera. But I stand on my record of urban poor advocacy, which has been my advocacy for the last 17 years,” Dizon said.

“Ang nakalahi gud namong duha ni Cap Nida, wala man man mi nirepresentar nga managan. Gusto man ni sa urban poor nga naay tinud-anay morepresentar nila. Mas ganahan ko sa NGO (I prefer non-government organization) work. But I think it’s also time that the NGO community already engage in politics, a new brand of politics,” he added.

Vidal Auxilio, Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors (Forge) project coordinator, said that while it takes the whole city council to adopt measures for the urban poor, they hope Cabrera and Dizon will be there as their voice.

He lamented that politicians visit the community organizations during elections, promising help, only to forget about the pledge when they get elected.

He said that once Cabrera and Dizon are in office, the urban poor will be watching and reminding them of their duties.

“Naay checking. We will ask them to deliver a state of the urban poor address,” Auxilio said.

Dizon used to work with Forge and is founding director of the Center for Participatory Governance, an NGO.