WHAT MAY BE ON YOUR MIND AS YOU VOTE TODAY.
1 VOTE BUYING is tougher to lick and more rampant than ever as government sends mixed signals. “OK ang cash pangplete,” says the President.
While the order to the police “from high-up” is supposedly to stop vote buying and intercept cash-carriers, President Duterte told a rally audience in Davao City the Comelec ban on cash-giving is “unrealistic,” to ignore the election body and accept cash “for fare.” And many candidates are reportedly giving more than fare money and even when there’s no rally to go home from. Former senator Heherson Alvarez quit the race for congressman in Isabela, saying he can’t continue taking part in a “sham” due to massive vote buying. In Cebu, photos on the internet show P50-to-P100 bills stapled with the name and number of the candidate.
2 THE Cebu City mayor’s complaints about “harassment and terrorism” against his supporters, with published images of police in hoods or wearing masks, have raised some fear.
How much of it is propaganda and how much is real will be found at the election day. A multi-agency task force may negate any attempt of a sector of the police or any other armed group to scare and harm partisan supporters.
3 IT happened before and can happen again: “hybrid” tandem in the top two seats and between executive and legislative departments in a number of local governments.
Electing a mayor and a vice mayor, or a governor and vice governor, belonging to rival camps or who are bitter political enemies may be good for checks and balances. But often, as past experiences instructed, it results in continual squabble and gridlock. Garcia-Davide, Magpale-Salimbangon? Or Osmeña-Rama, Labella-de los Santos?
4 BIG-TICKET projects that depend on who will win as governor: the P1.3 billion, 20-story building at Cebu Capitol, the P18-billion Kawit Island development project of Cebu City.
While the deals are already signed with private contracting parties, they are also litigated. Progress and flow of work will depend largely on who will win as governor and mayor.
Same thing in other LGUs
where some contracts are being assailed e.g. the lots’ sale and lease and joint venture over city governmentowned land in Mandaue City, which were made election issues by the mayor or his challenger.
5 SOME races are more interesting than others, such as -
Where the incumbent has stayed in office for multiple terms, such as in Cebu City where Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s long reign was interrupted only by one defeat or in Lapu-Lapu City where the Radazas have ruled for more than two decades.
Where the candidate is a returnee, a prominent and controversial personality that is Rep. Gwen Garcia, with the contest made more riveting because another woman is competing for the seat, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.
Where age is made a principal issue, such as in Cebu’s third district where Toledo City Mayor Sonny Osmeña faces much younger and two-termer Pablo John Garcia. Where surrogates “stand in” for the real party-in-interest, such as in the fourth district where Rep. Benhur Salimbangon’s wife is the name on the ballot.