This coming October 25 will be the Barangay elections. Of course, many people will again go to the streets and exercise their rights as independent Filipino citizens. As I heard from the radio, this election will not be automated unlike the national elections last May. Well, I think it will be more comfortable for the voters to wait even for several hours to vote since the October weather is somewhat more convenient than the humid and sticky May weather (with the phenomenal El Nino phenomenon).
Barangay is the smallest unit of government. Usually small sized, it is headed by the Barangay Captain together with his allies, the ever-loyal councilors and the tanods. So,the barangay captain “works” in cahoots with them. My question is, “Do we really need them? (aside from approving barangay clearance)”. I can never see the traces, nor hear the echoes of even a single project accomplished by this small-sized government. Nasaan na ang mga pondo na ibinibigay sa kanila ng lokal na pamahalaan? Isa pa ang mga opisyal ng sangguniang kabataan, mayroon ba silang ginagawa? Maraming mga opisyal ng barangay na may mabubuting hangarin para sa bayan. Naluklok sila na may hangaring makatulong sa mga mamamayan ng kani kanilang mga barangay na hindi naghihintay ng anumang malaking kapalit o kabayaran. Subalit sa kabilang banda, mas maraming mga opisyal ang naghihintay lamang ng pagsahod mula sa gobyerno, na ang tanging nasa isip ay magkapera at kumabig ng kumabig mula sa kaban ng bayan. Anong klaseng mga tao sila?
Do we really need too much officials in our barangays o nagsasayang lamang tayo ng pera ng taumbayan? May isang senador na nagsabi na buwagin na ang barangay government, magtalaga na lamang ang mga alkalde ng isang kinatawan para sa isang barangay upang makatipid ang mga Pilipino. I am strongly agree with his statement.
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