Pacete: Hacienda culture in Negros politics
IT IS said that if you are not from Negros you will find it difficult to understand the temperament of a Negrosanon. We have to face the fact that hacienda culture is dominant in Negros society. The “hacendados” and the “hacenderos” have always provided us a power image.
Most of the communities in Negros Occidental have evolved from the “haciendas” of the sugar barons. We have always established that the “jornaleros” have their canine devotion to the sugarcane planters who provided them their life and livelihood during the heydays of the sugar industry. We do not deny the fact that all governors of Negros Occidental are sugarcane planters. Most towns and cities have mayors who are sugarcane planters. Councilors are under the tutelage of “hacendero” mayors. Some councilors do not want to accept this and we respect them. “Hacendero-jornalero” relationship is not bad. Our ancestors in this island started with that. It made us win the Cinco de Noviembre Revolution.
Many of our sugarcane planters have considered their workers as the extended members of the family. The grandparents, parents and the children are still working in the hacienda until now. The “amo-obrero” relationship still lingers on. The sugar industry may not be in good shape now, but the sugarcane planters and the workers still cling to each other. Those who disagree with the hacienda system send their children to school and gradually find a greener pasture outside of the hacienda.
Those who persevered still cling to the vine. When there is problem, the workers do not go to the mayor but to the land owner. During election time, the land owner encourages his workers to vote the candidates of his choice. Because of their canine devotion, the tendency of the workers is to follow the encouragement. I do not want to entertain the principle of “vote or gabut.” That is too barbaric to imagine.
The Negros electorates have now reached a level of maturity that even hacienda workers could not be dictated by the planters to vote for a candidate perceived to be bad. The candidates endorsed by the land owners are expected to be good and may work positively for the sugar industry if they win. “Guns and goons” strategy is not acceptable. Our Philippine Army has assured us that there are no private armies in Negros Occidental. (That remains to be seen.)
To protect the interest of the sugar industry, the sugarcane planters through their associations have also singled out candidates who will look after the welfare of the industry. Sometimes we wonder why an elite candidate who spent most of his time in Manila wins in a local election. We hope that Mr. Elite will work for the masses after his election. Politics can always change a person.
Candidates in Negros can always spend their money for political propaganda or to sweeten the deal but that could not be the ultimate tool for winning. The Negros electorates will always consider what the candidates can do for them if elected. A good candidate does not just sell himself but he sells also the change that he will do.
Some believe that there are areas where our “friends from above” are imposing entrance fees for candidates who want to campaign. I do not say that it is their means of earning a living. Our military and police officers should do something about it through advocacy campaign, check point, or religious patrolling in the area. We do not want blood money or illegal taxation to get into the ways of politics.
To understand politics we have to know the roots of culture. Negros voters don’t just vote for candidates because they are popular or because they have money for the election campaign. Negrosanons vote for the survival of their roots.