The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) was postponed twice from its original schedule in May 2020. It will finally push through at the end of the month, October 30. Filipino voters will decide if they will elect new leaders or extend the terms of incumbent officials who are now serving their posts for five years.
Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) show that voters will decide a total of 672,432 seats. There are 828,644 candidates for the village elections and 585,843 candidates for the youth elections.
The barangay is the Philippines’ smallest political unit. Why do the elections matter? PCIJ multimedia reporter Cherry Salazar sat down with governance expert Antonio La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government.
“The concept of the barangay aligns with the concept of subsidiarity. In governance, the concept of subsidiarity means everything should be decided and delivered at the lowest level of governance possible, where they are capable. Importante ‘yung where they are capable,” La Viña said.
“As a principal unit of government, the barangay is also the principal unit of democracy. That’s why there is a council, assembly, pulong. These different structures are all intended for people to participate in decision-making. The barangay also handles quasi-judicial matters like conflicts between residents. Meetings must be open to the public so they can participate. They give aid (ayuda); they provide health and food services. The barangay is consulted by the national government in terms of services needed. These are the duties and responsibilities of the barangay,” La Viña said.
What did we lose because we postponed the BSK elections twice?
In democracy, renewal (of leadership and mandate) is important. Uncertainty creates problems. It creates bad governance if you are uncertain of your term. When you don’t know what comes next — you’re scared that the mayor would replace you anytime — you cannot plan programs effectively. So, the uncertainty of the term of office is not a good thing.
Still, some people do not get involved in barangay affairs. Some deliberately miss the elections or do not even know their barangay officials.
That’s mostly the middle and upper middle class. But those in the lower economic strata are very involved (in the barangay) because that’s where they get all sorts of documents, like for 4Ps (conditional cash transfer), to be able to act. That’s what I realized early on. We criticize the barangay, the leaders, and even the adjudication systems of the barangay because they come to our attention only when there’s a problem. When there’s no problem, no one complains.
If aid distribution is continuous, if 4Ps distribution is efficient, especially if the barangay office is well-managed, there will be no complaints. That people don’t get involved in the barangay is a middle-class premise because they don’t really need the services of the barangay. But for the people who need the services of the barangay, they know how important it is.
Why should we care about the barangay elections?
That it will matter for their day-to-day life, and they have good officials at the barangay level. The barangay, depending on where it is, has a lot of money, can have a lot of money, either because of its own share in taxes or because of how the national government or the city or municipal government will transfer money. That’s how it transfers money, it goes to the barangay. So, it matters that the barangay official has integrity, has vision, knows how to spend the money properly, and knows how to deliver services.
The barangay delivers basic services. If you look at the Local Government Code, every single basic service is the responsibility of the barangay.
Why should the middle class still care about the elections?
There are going to be instances when it would matter to them. It might not matter every day. But there will be a time when they need a certification or an ID, and there will be many other instances where they will have to rely on the barangay.
While it’s correct that barangay services are not something important to them in the day-to-day, but that’s the same argument some people will have even for other elections. “It doesn’t affect me, so why should I care?” But that’s a wrong attitude because what happens in the barangay affects people the most.
Does this mean Filipinos’ perception of the barangay mirrors the we view the national government?
Mas mahalaga pa nga. The real face of government in the Philippines is the city and municipal mayor and the barangay captain. Not the president. Always has been. Only in Manila, among the press, and where we are situated are we looking at the president, but that’s not true on the ground. Never has been true on the ground. That’s why local elections should generate more interest than national elections.
Political families also rule barangays. How big a concern is this?
It’s the reality. I can’t say whether that’s a good or bad thing because that’s reality. If it’s reality, yes, I guess, we’ll have to address it. Everything about political dynasties should concern us. Even at the barangay level, there are political dynasties. Political dynasties affect governance because you don’t get the best people, you get favoritism to your family. Regardless of the level (of government), it’s the same.
In local governments — city, municipal, or provincial — the barangays are just instruments for them to consolidate power. It’s like marriage because the ties are tight. But that’s always the most uncertain because barangay loyalties can shift easily… It is political but it’s supposed to be non-partisan.
But that’s what’s strange in the Philippines. At the level of governance, everyone follows sort of best practices.
Is there any barangay official who comes to mind in terms of best practices?
There are many but I can’t name them off the bat…. They had vision and hundreds of millions in barangay money. So, they plan, and they have good development plans. They’re very democratic. That’s the ideal barangay captain: grounded. They make sure that the barangay is almost sovereign, almost to a degree where they don’t have to rely on the municipal, city, or provincial government, and have some level of independence. Many barangays are able to do that because of the resources available to them.
What about other barangays who do not have the same resources?
They, of course, are more challenged, but they have to be creative there.
What should voters look for in their barangay officials?
The same thing I require for everyone: vision, integrity, management style, good democratic instincts. The barangay is a basic unit of governance. That means, you involve everyone. That means, you deliver the services. That means, you should not be corrupt or lazy. It’s also a training ground for future city, municipal, provincial, and even national governance. END