BAGUIO CITY– Even as far as the ruling Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino- Laban (PDP-Laban) party is concerned, the forthcoming barangay elections is a contentious issue.
A number of PDP-Laban members are backing the position of President Duterte to scrap it, while others want to hold the electoral exercise as scheduled on October of this year. Thus, the debate is expected to further heat up in the coming weeks.
Baguio City Councilor Faustino Olowan appeared unconvinced of the arguments advanced by those who want to postpone the elections of barangay council officials. He is also against the idea of appointing officials of the barangay government.
“If you do something like that, then that’s unconstitutional,” Councilor Olowan said.
“The law is very clear and so it’s better to let the people choose and elect their officials in the grassroots level,” he added.
Olowan, a lawyer, joined recently the PDP-Laban along with Vice Mayor Edison Bilog and two other councilors.
News reports have pointed out the apprehension of the Chief Executive on the possible influence of drug syndicates on candidates in the barangay polls.
President Duterte also disclosed that a significant percentage of barangay officials are involved one way or the other in illegal drugs operations.
“I’m certainly supportive of President Duterte’s campaign against prohibited drugs, however, deciding on the faith of barangay officials by appointment is entirely another matter,” Olowan said.
The linkage of drug abuse to barangay officials, Olowan said, is “a swift accusation” and is “quite unfair” to all those who are working in earnest to improve the plight of the “common tao.”
By merely appointing the village chieftains (Punong Barangays) and councilmen (Kagawads), Olowan said residents in the country’s over 42,000 barangays would be deprived of their right to determine their officials as mandated by law.
Olowan vowed to help educate Baguio City residents on vital issues related to the barangay polls.
“This early, there is a need to study and discuss issues on the drug problem, employment, peace and order, health, education and poverty among other concerns that would help the people assess who they would vote for,” he stressed.
The barangay is the basic unit of government in the Philippines. Aspirants for the punong barangay and kagawad are supposed to be apolitical or non-partisan. However, over the years, the bitter truth has emerged. Candidates are supported by moneyed-politicians. During local and national elections, barangay council officials are openly endorsing and campaigning for incumbent and upcoming officials.
Comes now President Duterte and his allies in the PDP-Laban who are waging a vigorous, all-out and at most bloody anti-drug campaign.
Asked who shall ultimately be the arbiter of the said issue, Olowan replied: “Congress, to approve or reject the proposal to postpone the barangay elections.”
He added: “I’m praying that it doesn’t end to mob-rule, because many would not accept the non-adherence to the rule of law tenet.”
The planned mode of appointing officials in the barangay level sans the exercise the right of suffrage of the people had the trappings, or appearances of a democracy. But in actual practice, it isn’t. It was more of a political selection than anything else.
Seeing that the action of Congress on the barangay polls issue will be made at the end of the day to benefit the people, well-meaning public servants like Councilor Olowan and all others should be heard and recognized. Coincidentally, Atty. Olowan served as Punong Barangay in Lucnab for one term.
Olowan also expressed optimism about the passing into law of other concerns of the Filipino people, most especially the poor.
With courage, perseverance and wisdom, Mr. Olowan has endeavored at the Baguio City Council to speed up the pace of economic development in the nation’s summer capital.
“Together with our barangay officials, let us continue sowing the seeds of unity and cooperation that we enjoy now and strive harder to ensure a better future for present and incoming generations,” the PDP-Laban stalwart motioned.
In a related development, several youth, women, elderly and urban poor organizations commended Councilor Olowan for sponsoring ten ordinances at the Baguio City Council since he took office in 2016. All of these ordinances were approved.
Leaders of these non-government organizations (NGOs) described these Olowan-authored ordinances as “landmark” measures.
Lower Quirino Hill Punong Barangay Van Dicang, an advocate for youth empowerment, told the Zigzag Weekly the legislated initiatives of Councilor Olowan on zoning, trade and commerce as well as sports development were “first, and good, step to a kind of governance that has proven to be effective, efficient and responsive.”**By Anthony A. Araos
