Samar voters: ‘Votes can be bought here’

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines – Some voters in Samar admitted they have gotten used to receiving money in exchange for their votes during election season.

They noted that residents heading to their respective hometowns already expect money from candidates.

“Karamihan dito nadadala sa pera. Sa bahay nga nakakatanggap kami kasi hinahatid pa. Matagal na ‘yan, dati pa. Kapag eleksyon naghihintay na lang talaga. Wala kaming choice. Nagbibigay sila ng pera,” said Clarissa Taclez, a resident of Paranas, Samar.

(Most of the people here are swayed by money. We even receive the money at home because they deliver it. This has been a longtime practice. We have no choice. They really give us money.)

 

55-year-old Mila Opinion said that even if they know vote buying is illegal, it is already part of the typical election scenario.

“Oo, bawal pero nasanay na kami diyan. Kada eleksyon naman may namimigay dito. Hinihintay na lang namin,” she said.

 

(Yes, it’s illegal but we’ve gotten used to it. They give us money every election. We just wait for it.)

 

‘Boils down to money’

28-year-old Edgar Ife, who hails from Catbalogan City, pointed out that the more money candidates give, the higher the likelihood that he or she would win.

“‘Yung labanan kasi dito, pera-pera. Kung magkano binigay sa kabila, siyempre tataasan ng kalaban,” he added.  

(The electoral contests here all boil down to money. Candidates make sure to outdo their rivals in terms of the amount of money given.)

“Minsan P100, minsan P50. Mas mabuti pa nga kasi kahit papano nakakadagdag sa panggastos,” Neneng Torez, 32 years old, said while walking around the city with her children.

(Sometimes P100, sometimes P50. The money is actually a good thing since it’s additional funds for expenses.)

But while voters admitted that they receive money, it was not easy for them to reveal specifically where this money came from.

Poverty

Poverty is the main reason why voters accept money from candidates.

“Siyempre, alam nilang mahirap lang kami, marami kaming pangangailangan kaya tatanggapin namin ‘yung pera nila. Porke mahirap ganun na kasi ang tingin nila sa amin,” said Concordia Lagpo, 67.

(They know we’re poor, we have a lot of needs so we will accept their money. Just because we’re poor, that’s how they see us.)

26-year-old Leah Abwin, a registered voter of Gandara, Samar, echoed Lagpo’s sentiments.

“Dala ng kahirapan, tatanggap ka na lang. Marami din kaming pangangailangan. Binibigay naman, so tatanggapin na rin,” she added.

(We’re just accepting the candidates’ money because of poverty. We also have many needs. We just accept the money because they’re offering it anyway.)

Mark Mejica, a 24-year-old voter from Jiabong, Samar, believes that vote buying is one of the reasons why the province remains poor until now.

“Sa tingin ko isa rin ‘to sa mga dahilan bakit mahirap pa rin ang Samar. Isa kami sa pinakamahirap na probinsya sa Pilipinas eh. Wala namang pagbabago. Kaya dapat ngayong eleksyon, matuto tayong pumili ng tamang lider,” Mejica said, as he prepared his bags to board the bus heading to his hometown.

(I also see this as one of the reasons why Samar is still poor. We’re one of the poorest regions in the Philippines. There’s been no change. That’s why this election, we should know how to choose the right leader.) – Rappler.com