CONGRATULATIONS candidates! When you filed your certificate of candidacy, deep down in your heart, you got that passion to serve your town, city, and province... your beloved Negros Occidental, The Land of Sweet Surprises. Don’t just be surprised!
In coffee shops, we always hear from political anatomy experts that, “Those who have money, enough money to spend will win in 2019 election.”
Money could be one big factor for candidates to win but he should know how to spend it... where to spend it, with whom, and when to spend it. We do not technically say that he is buying votes. That could go down to his generosity account.
If you are an incumbent official, your voters will always ask, “What have you done in the last three or six years?” For the executives, their performances will be gauged on infrastructure services... (good roads, bridges, buildings)... health services (especially free medicine and frequent medical missions)... peace and order (war on drugs of Pres. Digong)... education (scholarship, free school supplies)... employment (casual workers, jobs’ fair results)... and others.
If you are a comebacker (coming back after nine years), people will ask, “You got nine years there, have you forgotten something?” Or, voters will say, “We need you back, you can restore what has been damaged.” If your performance was lousy, your people may opt for the incumbent executive.
For the aspirants, your hill could be steep if you will collide with the two giants. You have to prove that the councilors running under you are very qualified. Tell your voters who will be your consultants and who are the respectable citizen of your town or city who are endorsing you.
Show your giant opponents that you are best in fiscal management, governance and you are astute in politics.
Candidates running for councilors are sometimes guilty of over speeding.
Their platforms are not for legislative agenda. Many of them propose for project and program implementation. Implementation belongs to the mayors.
Ordinances and resolutions are your concerns. Councilors do not go beyond what is expected of you. Do not bark at the wrong tree or look for the sun when you are facing the moon at night.
Good (at least) councilors are expected to speak and write in correct English (at least with a background in argumentation and debate), and should have skills in reading... noting details, getting the meaning of words through context clue, making inferences, getting the main idea, making a generalization, and making a conclusion.
If you were a councilor, you should not become Mr. Four Ps... pungko, pamati, pamahaw, pauli. Your constituents elected you not to become a member of the Committee on Silence. Now ask yourself, “Am I going to win?” Good luck!