FIRST, it was full of fun, the limelight, and all that. Especially during the oath-taking then followed by the inaugural session where they were provided with the so-called inaugural speeches blah, blah, blah.
Everything was simply amazing. When they go to their respective offices, and everybody’s always ready with the warm greetings or even the kaway-kaway lang vibes, yes, everything seems magical.
Especially because the barongs, the slacks, the shoes and even the clutch bags are still new.
The smiles are always plastered on their faces.
But once they start entertaining calls or texts, or when they start receiving guests in their offices, then things change.
Reality sets in.
* * *
It’s not all glitz and glamor, the real tasks begin.
First the texts and the calls.
One text asks if receiving a call is possible, this came from a supporter in the barangay.
The kagawad right away called the texter and got the first big surprise of the day.
Kons, pastilan mauwaw unta ko manawag nimo pero wa na gyod koy laing kapangayoan og tabang. Molarga sa Manila ako anak kay mag-intern didto, mangayo unta ko og pang-allowance niya didto Kons, good for 3 months kay luoy ako anak wa gyod koy mapadala niya intawon. And added swiftly, padad-an ka nako og gcash nako Kons, without waiting for the reply.
The kagawad was transported right away to the point of no return – either he gives in or if he doesn’t, then he loses a supporter in the barangay.
Hearing this, the smile instantly vanished from his face and wrinkles right away formed on his forehead.
Asa man tawon ko og ihatag, plus, pila man sad ako ihatag niya if naa na, were the questions in his mind.
* * *
Wa pa gani siya makakita og solusyon, another caller jolted him.
Kons, dia mi ron nagtapok sa mga loyalists nimo diri sa among bay, nagkasabot mi nga mag-celebrate sa imong kadaogan kay wa man mi kaapil sa imong victory party. Mamarayeg unta mi og para inom ug pulutan Kons pero mas mas maayo unta og iapil na lang pod among paniudto, napu mi ka buok Kons. Padad-an ka nakog gcash nako Kons ha, and ended the call.
The kagawad was already sweating, the usual curse, the expletives were kept under control because there were guests inside the office.
He started telling his guests that those calls were problematic because they were all asking for money.
And one guest cut him off.
Mao pod bitaw na among tuyo nimo Kons, mohangyo unta mi og tabang nimo kay padung na pista sa amo unya duna mi bayronon sa among kapunungan. Di mi makabahin sa grupo kon di mi kahatag sa among tampo.
Mao pod na akong tuyo nimo Kons, mohangyo pod ko og tabang nimo ako na lang ang wa kahatag sa akong tampo, the other guest interjected.
Susmariosep, pusot-pusot man ning mga hangyo ninyo oi, makuratan man lang ta, were the only diplomatic words that the kagawad could muster.
* * *
Of course, he could not complain.
During the campaign, he was too easy with his monetary doleouts. Plus he gave the impression that he was “sayon duolon” and “andam mo-serbisyo sa kanunay.”
So the guests were just convinced that he was true to his words and simply went to him because he promised them plenty.
Kon mao ni klase sa serbisyo ang ilang gusto, mapugos gyod ang kagawad sa paghatag.
* * *
And when the guests left his office, he right away “escaped” from the office and went somewhere “safe.”
Paita ning kinabuhia, wa pa gani manginit atong sampot, pusot-pusot na man dayon ang pangolekta, he told his friends.
Nganong mo-reklamo man ka, labon hayahay imong kinabuhi, mi sud gyod ka anang politika nga galabad-labad lang na, dako pag gasto unya di pa gyod ma-bawi imong gasto, agwanta Do, was the reply of one of his friends.
* * *
This is now the brutal reality facing some serious kagawad.
The constituents from all the barangays are making the kagawads the problem-solver to all their problems.
Tanang problema adto ihan-ok sa mga kagawad. Obligadong dama, matod pa, when the constituents are asking for help, di pwede og balibaran.
The other kagawads who are not serious do not consider this a big problem.
How they do it?
They don’t reply to text messages, they don’t receive calls and they seldom go to the office. Only their staff are there but the kagawad is conspicuously absent.
During sessions, they go direct to the session hall, not to their offices, and leave right away after the session, avoiding altogether the chance of meeting anybody.
When asked why they are doing this, the answer is simple – di sila angay mag-expect og serbisyo gikan nako kay gipalit bitaw nako ilang boto.
Hmnmmmmm, sounds familiar?
