Jessie and Jun, true residents of Babag and Tejero

I had two surprising callers last Monday. They were Jessie Billones and Jun Cabarrubias. They said they were challenged and inspired by what I wrote in this column last Sunday. They claimed they tried contacting me the moment they found my name on the phone book, soon after they read my article, but my family and I went to church early that morning, had lunch somewhere and came home late Sunday evening.

Both are running for barangay chairman (popularly known as barangay captain) this May 14 election. Billones is a candidate at Barangay Babag (Cebu City south district); Cabarrubias hopes to become the barangay chairman of Tejero (north district).

I have known Billones for many years now. I call him Jessie. Every time I consult Dr. Jurgen Lim of the Velez Hospital for some physical aberrations, he always leaves me at the hands of Jessie, the manager of the hospital's rehabilitation center. Iknow Jessie got elected number 1 barangay kagawad of Babag in 2013. In both contexts that Jessie heads an important service department, and at the same time in public service, I say he is a highly educated professional offering his life to the public in general, like those I wrote about in my Sunday column.

On the other hand, Cabarrubias is a new acquaintance. In our conversation, I initially discern his unusual understanding of history and government dynamics. It did not surprise me to find out that he served as an understudy of Paul Aquino, a political wizard in a critical office in Malacañang. Choosing not to dwell on failures of the present Tejero leadership, Cabarrubias, a lumad of Tejero, outlined what could be done to improve his village. I cannot write about his government program here without being misunderstood as campaigning for him.

Billones and Cabarrubias each took a careful and calculated approach in talking to me. Their professional pedigree showed. They did not call to inform me that they have good college education to guide them in public office. Their barangays have a common problem, each without knowing the commonality of their situation.

They informed me that their political adversaries own mansions constructed in other parts of the city far away and different from their respective barangays. Each showed me the pictures of these expensive looking houses. Being in possession of those photographs indicated they were professionally thorough. Cabarrubias even said he had the tax declaration of his political opponent's house. Jessie and Jun are certain that their opponents are not residents in the barangays where they are candidates.

I took time to explain the nuances of the case on residence, involving Imelda Romualdez-Marcos. The non-resident aspirants for barangay chairman of Babag and Tejero could legally justify their candidacies. But Jessie and Jun insist that there is deception done by their political foes on the residents of their barangays. Besides, being barangay chairman is a round the clock 24/7 job. In that case, how can a non-resident captain be asked to do some public service in an unholy hour if he resides far from the barangay?

Billones and Cabarrubias were convincing. If they can reach out to the voters of their respective barangays, they may have a good chance of correcting this political anomaly of running for office in areas candidates are not really residents of.