By Monday on the thirtieth of the month, electorates would again be trooping to polling places for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections (BSKE) to vote for their chosen candidates vying for their respective barangay and SK positions all over the country. As of this writing, candidates are actively campaigning, maximizing the days the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had allotted for wooing voters.
The Comelec seemed to be strict in these elections particularly on election spending and the modes of campaigning. The problem however is the fact that candidates seem to ignore the poll body’s plea of limiting campaign expenses. Even the common and popular tarpaulin posters now have their 2x3 feet sizes as determined by the Comelec.
As per the commission, it is prohibited to hand out food and drinks during a campaign sortie or meeting. Also banned as the usual giveaways like tshirts, ballers, hats or caps, umbrellas, fans, ballpens, candies and others as long as they are “items of value”. Further banned for candidates is the distribution of cash or in-kind assistance through the government’s dole-out assistance programs. Of course, vote-buying is always a no-no.
Despite the rules and guidelines concerning campaigning for the BSKE polls, a number of candidates do not mind the restrictions and limitations. Campaigning has “leveled-up” and made lavish.
There are a lot of candidates who now have their “showboats” complete with loud speakers playing campaign jingles all day long, not minding the noise they generate even during siesta hours. The jingles are those that attract the public’s attention and can make one to dance though because of their lyrics creatively made to attune to the candidates’ good sides.
Speaking of campaign jingles, the one that went viral in the previous barangay election will not be used anymore by the candidate from Nueva Ecija. The Voltes 5-tuned “Pepe Mo, Pepe Ko” jingle has caught the attention of the Comelec due to its “suggestive or double meaning” lyrics. Its owner has written to the local poll body that he will not use it anymore.
At this period of the campaign, there are candidates for both the barangay and SK elections who still conduct public caucuses and meetings, wooing voters up to the last minute of the campaign. Although barangays are the smallest political units in the country, doing some campaign activities these days is very lavish and expensive.
The country has 42,001 barangays and each will elect one punong barangay and seven members of the barangay council. Imagine the great number of the candidates who are spending so much money to endure the rigors of the campaign period with the hope of winning elective positions in barangay governments in the country. The price of victory is just too costly.
Elections are always popular democratic exercises. They are great equalizers for both the rich and the poor. It is likewise an opportune time to choose the people whom we want to rule us. Time and again, we have to remember that we should vote wisely.
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