MONEY is the most powerful election campaign collateral more than tarpaulins and banners.
After spending so much for banners, flyers, posters, and media ads, at the end of the day what rules in the elections is vote-buying.
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“It is the reality. Majority of the voters are the poor masses and they believe no matter how honest or corrupt the winning candidates are, they don’t care about the poor. In fact, politicos want the poor to remain poor so they could manipulate them during elections,” according to a contractor.
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“That is correct. After they win and
have settled in their powerful swivel chairs in government, it is difficult to
ask favors from them, so the citizenry might as well take advantage of them
during the election period,” a businessman said.
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“Name a candidate for mayor or councilor who did not buy votes. Can you? My staff said they received money from all mayoralty candidates in their towns,” a storeowner butted in.
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“An endorsement from somebody powerful or influential is not enough. A candidate must have a well-oiled political machinery. Take the case of Tatay Digong’s former Cabinet secretary Jun Evasco. He ran for governor of Bohol but lost,” a Cebuano engineer shared.
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Can thus be said, according to the storeowner, that voters go for “Mister Money.” Vote-buying is part of Philippine elections; no national leader can stop this, certainly not the Commission on Elections.
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This column greets Joeboy Agriam, Ben Yapjoco, Mary Ann Pastrana, Brenda Tenk, Arman Agdon, Tibong Jardeleza, Tim Ticar, Ed Estandarte, Toto Cua Locsin, Rizza Otayde, Dondon Luz, Manu Gidwani, Nelson Polido, Natalie Lim, Rolando Dabao, and Christina Roquero./PN
