Why few OFW’s voted

While everybody else is talking about dynasties and how our country can free itself from their clutches, one family in Valenzuela flaunted its grip on some of the highest positions there by an advertisement in a leading Manila daily that three of its members have been elected into office. The ad also carried the widely grinning photos of Rex Gatchalian, mayor, Wes Gathalian, Alay Buhay partylist representative, and Sherwin Gatchalian, congressman.

***

Meanwhile, let others say what they want about Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brilliantes, but I say we should thank the old man for the changes he had introduced and the rules he imposed that have made the past election season less complicated and more orderly. Even the posting of candidates’ promo materials were regulated, although I was wondering why the local Comelec was not very strict about their rules on nailing of posters on electric posts and trees. A candidate for city councilor who made it surely had gained a lot of votes when he plastered his posters with his face on electric posts from Bacolod to Sum-ag with impunity. Guess who? Many of those posters are still there.

***

Are you surprised that voting from overseas Filipinos had been reported to be very low? It seems as if those expats no longer care about their home country or for whoever will be the officials who will lead it in the next six years. That is because they can only vote for national candidates. Or perhaps they still believe that the polls will still be characterized with cheating, so, anyway their votes will not matter. They must also know how much vote-buying still dominated the voting.

***

Very soon they will hear from their relatives here how the agents of moneyed candidates knocked at dawn on the doors of people in distant barangays to give cash to family members of voting age. Or how the money had been enclosed in sandwich wrappers. Or even in “puto”, underneath the banana leaf layer. Such ingenuity! Or they also heard about the shameless insertions of other candidates in a supposedly party line-up to confuse voters. Or how the Church through some priests, had been enticed by bets pretending to work with them. A businessman told us one from Hua Ming had directed him to get a sample ballot they were backing! Has this ever happened before in our city and province?

***

Well these are vagaries of politics, and they will get worse before they get better. In fact, we are seeing some very unusual cracks in family relationships because of politics now. In Camarines Sur, for instance, a family has been positioning for the various offices and the latest is the contest between a man and his grandson! What must the supposedly grand old man of the clan feel when he was beaten at the polls by his 24-year-old grandson? That happened to the Villafuerte clan, one of the most prominent in the province, maybe even in the region.

***

And very soon we may also be seeing a fight for the top post in the Senate between someone whom we may consider also an elder there, and a relatively by newcomer, one who has shown how cunning and ingenuous he can be, as Senator Loren Legarda must have found out. And while the two – Senator Frank Drilon and Senator Allan Peter Cayetano – make their maneuvers, they may end up with incumbent Juan Ponce Enrile retaining the post. After all, he is more senior, and more experienced than both of them. And never mind what Senator Miriam Santiago is predicting, by the way, isn’t she herself interested in the office? What happened to the International Court business?

***

On the lighter side – we went to The District, the newest project of Ayala, located in Talisay but accessible to Bacolod, for the first time Sunday night. The place is impressive, but isn’t it closer to Bacolod than Talisay proper? I also noted that the most visible eateries are Bob’s,Yellow Cab, Felicia’s, L’Sea, that can also be found in Bacolod, if their food is what attracts customers. A different one is Terrasse, the bistro managed by Cristine de Asis with her son Miko Millanes as Chef.

***

Indeed, Terrasse has a different ambience and cuisine, as many of which we tried on that first visit proved. The menu and presentations remind you of European restos but they still retain a Filipino flair. I was able to wangle out of Cristine that Niko had studied at Enderun College and trained under the well-known Alain Ducasse of the Plaza Athene in Paris. Niko might blush to see this, but it is now no longer a wonder Terrasse food is like this. Good luck, Christine and Niko!*

back to top