A CANDIDATE for kagawad handily won the election but with a hefty cost.
Per his estimate, he spent a total of almost 20 million pesos.
Susko, miabot man diay ko og ingon ana nga kantidad, he exclaimed.
Why are you surprised, I asked him.
Of course, I was but only because I do have now the luxury of actually doing the math, whereas, I did not have it during the campaign period. I was too busy doing my vote-counting at that time that I forgot to compute my total expense. Now that the election is over, I can now reflect on the total cost of winning that seat.
Susko, hapit na man diay moabot of 20M akong nagasto, he said.
* * *
I told him the circumstances prevailing at that time demanded that he spent both money and time to clinch the position he aspired.
He was just picked by the mayor even when he belonged to the opposite camp. In fact, he encountered a lot of opposition when the mayor revealed his plan to recruit my friend who is identified with the camp of the former mayor.
The move of the mayor was tactical in nature, he thought that he could not muster a straight victory from governor down to the kagawads if he allowed my friend to run in the opposite camp.
True enough, the mayor got his wish, a straight victory.
But my friend-kagawad had to paddle his political campaign at a double or even triple pace because he felt that he could not trust his fellow candidates in the group to carry his name in the campaign.
That explains the need to spend at a crazy rate during the campaign. He felt that he has to win at all cost, money, time and effort and more.
* * *
After getting the approximate figure that he spent for his campaign, that is, almost 20M, he was having second thoughts.
Sus, kon kadtong akong gigasto ako pa lang to gigamit sa negosyo, makapalit na man unta ko og pila ka 10-wheeler adto, labi na og surplus ra akong paliton, he exclaimed.
Of course, his businessmen-friends fully concurred. They agreed with him that that amount could have made a big push on his hauling and logistics business.
Pero ayaw na lang na og hunahunaa kay importante man nimo ang politika, bisan nahibalo ka nga dili na gyod na nimo ma-bawi pa kon basehan lang nimo ang imong sweldo. Pila ra goy sweldo og kagawad, gamay kaayo, unya ang makuha nimo pasikat lang, that was added.
The more he thought about it, the more he became sad.
The reality being – he spent so much in his campaign knowing fully well that aside from the impossibility of recouping his expenses, he would also have to spend an additional amount for his constituents.
* * *
For instance, one supporter in the barangay asked some money from him as pabaon or allowance to his son who is studying in Cebu. He wanted to refuse but could not, for obvious reasons.
Another supporter called him up and informed him that he gathered his friends to celebrate his victory, and they need money for some drinks and pulutan.
Again, he wanted to ignore it but eventually, he had to send 1,500 thru gcash.
And after getting confirmation from gcash, he said, suskong paita ning kinabuhia.
Reality bites.
* * *
I had a tete-a-tete with a friend from the local media recently.
While waiting for the big event at the stage, we compared tsismis notes. It was plenty on both sides.
He fully agreed that a local chief executive, while appearing to be in control, his more famous sub-altern actually takes full control of almost everything.
Naay panahon nga mag-meeting mi sa una, unya moingon si (kuan) nga we will do this, we will do that, his sub-altern would immediately interrupt with – ay dili na husto (kuan) kay maka-daot na, mas maayo pa nga ingon anion nato pagsulbad ang problema – the sub-altern is doing this in public, in the open, and in the presence of department heads.
Sus, pagka-bastos lagi, wa na lang god hunghungi na lang ayawat na lang pod sili maulawan si (kuan) kay daghan baya nga nag-tan-aw og naminaw sa meeting.
Luoya lagi tawhana, was the conclusion.
