When the smoke settles down

WITH THE casting and counting of votes over and done with, we now welcome our new—and reelected—sets of barangay officials.

Though allegations of vote-buying and voter terrorizing campaigns have surfaced during the short campaign period for the barangay elections, the October 28 polls turned out relatively calm and peaceful. It is, however, sad to note that even the most basic of political units in this country is no longer immune from tactics used in local and national elections. It does not help that most of the candidates for the barangay elections have been backed by politicians of all stripes and colors as this only pushed erstwhile simple folks to go the way of the very serious politicians.

One thing that remained constant during the length of filing of COCs and campaign was the simple fact that the battle for 2016 began with the barangay elections. And whether or not the newly elected barangay officials would work for the good of their neighbors and villages in general or pay back their political debts to their benefactors remains to be seen.

The only thing certain now—so it seems—is that it would be a very interesting 2016.

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