Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Seares: Vote-getting health cards By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
POLITICIANS must win voters support by filling people’s basic needs during their entire stay in office.
Not many though can do it. Most politicos don’t have diligence or energy. They cram for the polls the way they prepped for exams back in college: Woo late.
A voter asked a town mayor for a coffin to bury his wife. The mayor, used to saying no but not wishing to sound mean, said with little thought, “Next time na, when it happens again.”
Another town mayor, who sells insurance on the side, did a study on local deaths and ordered coffins based on the finding. In a house visit, he expressed surprise that a family where at least two deaths were expected during his term didn’t need any coffin yet.
Embarrassed yet unfazed, he told the family head, “Praise heavens, my health program is doing better in your house than my death benefit plan.”
Arsenal
I won’t be amazed if that mayor’s campaign arsenal includes health cards, this season’s rage.
Not a new idea. Rep. Raul del Mar started health cards ages ago, unlike Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Rep. Tony Cuenco who’re cramming.
Now, House bet Atan Guardo has his own version. Good and bad. Good: Atan, not the taxpayers, is paying. Bad (for Atan): How many arthritic voters are there in Cebu City south?
Whatever, if it’s done only when politicians want to get into voters’ pants, it’s a bribe, no less ignoble than buying votes in cash.
