Winners and Losers

It pained my heart to know that my brother failed on his first bid to take a seat in the barangay council. We did everything. I sponsored the printing of election materials. He did the rounds in the neighborhood. But we did not give out money. My brother only has his integrity and willingness to serve as an offering. But he failed for a very slim margin of 9 votes.

I told him not to feel frustrated though and continue serving his sitio as their leader (yes, he’s been the leader of his sitio in a small barangay in Bohol). I said if he wants to run again in the next barangay election, he should work harder and show his neighbors that he is worthy to serve in the barangay.

My brother is just one of the hundreds of thousands of candidates who failed in their bid to get elected in the more than 41,000 barangay positions nationwide. There were nearly a million aspirants for the 41,000++ seats. Whoa, everybody sure wants to dip their hand into the dirty pool of politics.

Ten of my media friends in Cebu got elected while a dozen others failed. But, heck, that’s life. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win. If it’s not your time, try again the next time. Most first timers lose, unless you are with the big bosses.

My brother’s voice was down and slow when he called me up last night to inform me he failed to make it in the top 7. I told him he should consider it an experience and make some adjustments if he will try again next time.

I know how it feels to fail in an election. During high school, I won as year representative for three years straight at the Supreme Student Government. When I run as vice-president in my senior year, I failed. But naaah it didn’t change who I am.

To all the winners, please veer away from the traditional politics of corruption. Serve the public without asking for returns. Make this country prosper for the future of your children and grand children (naaks).

TO all the lossers, try again next time. Who knows!