Saturday, March 10, 2007 Editorials: Politicking during calamities
YOU know that politicking has become destructive when even calamities are being used to prop up a campaign.
In the fire that hit Barangays Mantuyong and Guizo in Mandaue City last March 7, for example, the continuing propaganda war between the camp of Mayor Thadeo Ouano and his political rivals surfaced even when firemen were still battling the blaze.
Radio coverage were spiced up by text messages, presumably coming from the political opposition, insinuating that the Ouano camp must have something to do with the fire because people in the area are supporters of Jonas Cortes, an aspirant for mayor.
The Ouano camp, meanwhile, floated the story that because a meeting called by the opposition was not well-attended, somebody blurted, “maypa sunogon ning lugara.”
In the exchange, what got lost was the more important consideration that should have transcended the eagerness of politicians to win in the May 14 polls: the welfare of the residents who lost their homes and belongings to the conflagration.
Amusing actuation
Of course, the exchange between the Ouano camp and his political rivals while the Mantuyong and Guizo fires raged was but the more brazen use by politicians of people’s miseries to advance selfish ends.
Not-so-visible, though no less objectionable, is the attempt to mix politics with the effort to provide aid and comfort to victims of calamities.
Compare the actuation of government officials and those aspiring for elective posts during the recent fires in Mandaue, Cebu City and elsewhere with their actuation in other conflagrations that happened in non-election years and the difference is amusing.
Short memories
This actuation is actually similar to the tendency of government officials to hold back the implementation of projects in non-election years and then pour them immediately before or during the campaign period in election years.
This is in keeping with the belief of politicians that voters’ memories are short and that what is remembered when they enter the voting precincts are only the good deeds of candidates in the past few months.
This then is the more unfortunate: voters failing to discern honest intention from publicity stunt, genuine service from fleeting acts of generosity.
