Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Ledesma: A crazy idea over a crazy law By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
THERE are laws that can be effectively enforced and there are those which, for some kind of ingrained tradition, are extremely difficult to compel the public to obey. Take the case of the election laws on propaganda which prohibit candidates to have their campaign posters exhibited not just anywhere except only in designated places.
In Davao City for example, only Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara and House Majority Floor Leader Boy Nograles may not be disqualified from running in this elections all because virtually they have no opponents to speak of and therefore you don't see their posters hung just anywhere where these are conspicuous.
As for the rest of the candidates, from congressmen, city councilors, partylists to senators, all of them have grossly defied the Comelec edict on campaign propaganda posters.
If we were to disqualify them for this violation, there will be no one left in the Senate and in the House of Representatives which, by the way, is actually good for the country. Just imagine the billions of pesos in savings.
The same is true with our city council. Good if the faces of the candidates are as captivating as Mabel S. Acosta's, but I don't see any cause why some faces have to be displayed in areas where there are no rodents to be driven away.
But even with Mabel's face that can earn thousands of votes, these posters can still be traffic hazards for, as my publisher confesses, it can cause traffic accidents if the driver stares at those posters longer that he can step on the brakes.
I often wonder why laws have to be passed when these are unenforceable. Elections are fiestas to Pinoys. It is just unfortunate that they increased the amount of pork barrel and some candidates make election their main industry that not a few politicians would resort to exterminate the enemy just so he or she will be left alone standing.
Frankly I am not personally averse to see all sorts of propaganda posters festooned anywhere except on government and private buildings. We can make election season one whole month of grand tourism event. I believe in Pinoys creativity so that instead of seeing those bland election posters, we might have a collage of beautifully designed posters that are pleasant to the eye. We should not limit the size too. Each to his own affordability. This way, money can circulate.
Election as a tourist attraction? Why not? Since we allocate our shorelines to squatters instead of developing these so the squatters can have veritable and decent source of livelihood, then we might just as well look for an alternative that can draw tourists to our city and satellite provinces. This way we do not insult ourselves with having passed a law or laws that cannot be enforced. Instead, we can have a unique spectacle, a kaleidoscopic display of Pinoy's artistry which I'm certain cannot be duplicated anywhere in the world because we delight in election as if it is fiesta.
But there are laws which are really dependent on local leaders to enforce. Davao City first came up with the anti-smoking law. Skeptics are saying that this ordinance can never be enforced citing among others that tourists will skip Davao City because of the ban. City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte however was bent on making the law work. Some political bigwigs and hotel establishments tried the will and the guts of the mayor and sure enough they were not spared.
Other laws are enforceable too. Take the case of anti-smoke belching which is supposed to be strictly implemented by the Land Transportation Office. Despite the adequate enforcement tools guidelines to make the law effective, we still have hundreds of vehicles plying the streets that are virtual carbon monoxide flogging machines. LTO sees them under their noses but they appear to be hopeless and helpless in carrying out the law. With the number of traffic law enforcers in the city we wonder why the ban on smoke belching vehicles cannot be enforced. Mayor Duterte has his hands full, he does not have enough time and resources to do the job for the LTO.
But what of election propaganda bills, billboards and posters? It's an edict that was passed which, with all certainty, will be surely broken. Why? Because our national mania for fiesta atmosphere. A tradition of sort which makes even the communists among us celebrate not only by pasting posters on the wall, hanging them on twigs of trees and if this will not work nailing them on the trunks.
By the way, another member of the Apo View Coffeemates passed away. Jess Zozobrado, a brilliant lawyer and an active member of Davao City Sanggunian, quietly but quickly went into that good night. A brave and resolute lawyer who could have been another good timber for national politics, he too confronted death and faced it without whimper. At the rate we Coffeemates are going, I hope Jess will appeal our case in the higher court to make our stay on earth a little bit longer than the term the good Lord imposed on us. Goodbye my friend.
