{"id":1563,"date":"2018-05-12T08:33:25","date_gmt":"2018-05-12T16:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marcoscarpio.com\/wordpress\/?p=1563"},"modified":"2025-10-23T03:44:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T11:44:31","slug":"as-dirty-as-a-charcoaled-rug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marcoscarpio.com\/wordpress\/2018\/05\/12\/as-dirty-as-a-charcoaled-rug\/","title":{"rendered":"As Dirty As A Charcoaled Rug"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Everyone in the compound seemed awakened by the loud voice from the entrance. Even a nocturnal guy like me, who spends the wee hours of the morning watching tacky movies like Bruno and Borat, was moved out of bed by a man’s jovial yet familiar voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was not mistaken.\u00a0 It was ‘Kuyang Rey<\/strong>” (elder brother Rey), the buddy of my father-in-law, whose loquacious nature had made the people in the “barangay” <\/em><\/strong>think that he was good for nothing except for gossiping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, what he was saying was confusing, but everything became clear when I heard the whole conversation between him and two of my uncles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe already have a ‘poso‘<\/em><\/strong> (manual water pump), and it was courtesy of ‘Kumpareng Andong’ <\/strong>(“kumpare” is loosely translated as “peer”).”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Also, just to inform you, since my ‘kumpare<\/strong>‘ is running for the seat of barangay captain<\/em>, everything that we request from him will be granted.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Mind you, people, this is our opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Once called\u00a0 ‘barrio’<\/strong>, a barangay<\/strong> is the smallest administrative unit<\/u> in the Philippines, headed by a ‘kapitan<\/strong>‘ (captain or chairman) and several ‘kagawads<\/strong>‘ (assistants).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

All this news elicited excitement from the faces of my aunts and uncles. Some of them inquired if the candidate would be willing to donate a truckload of gravel and sand, hollow blocks, or even an entire roof for the house!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One even asked if, on the day before the election, Andong<\/strong> would seal his victory by giving every voter of Barangay Burgos<\/strong> five hundred pesos (about US$10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amidst the bewilderment, my cousin boasted that the other candidate could provide what this aspiring ‘barangay captain<\/strong>‘ could give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Manong Tolome’ <\/strong>(the elder Tolome) <\/strong>can double what you\u2019ve been receiving from your Andong<\/strong>,<\/em>\u201d Untoy <\/strong>(my cousin’s nickname) said with pride and a look that seemed to challenge Kuyang Rey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard that Manong Tolome<\/strong> shouldered the electric bill of the Tolentinos<\/strong>, provided all the bottles of beer during the birthday of Sidro<\/strong>, and this is the real kicker–he\u2019s been giving a thousand pesos (US$20) to every single voter of Purok 2<\/strong> (district #2) in our barangay.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement caused quite a stir as well as excitement among my relatives. As for me, I was half happy to hear that Kuyang Rey\u2019s<\/strong> family does not have to go to the neighbor to fetch pails of water to flush out their shit since they already have their ‘poso<\/strong>‘.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it was a big deal for them, I was sadder than happy.  Ah, I almost forgot that barangay elections would again take place in a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Campaign materials for the Barangay and SK elections along Roces Avenue in Quezon City on May 10, 2018. Photo by Maria Tan\/Rappler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pomp and all too sudden generosity we only witnessed from the mayoral and congressional wannabes had already seeped into the barangay<\/em> level.  It is just amazing, fucking amazing to witness how some kagawad<\/em> <\/strong>and barangay chairman<\/strong> <\/em>candidates could provide a poso<\/i> or visit a birthday celebrant’s party and shower them with a variety of gifts.  They attend the funeral rites of a friend of a friend, meet and greet the elders, have pictures of them taken carrying a child or kissing a filthy old man, and whatever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They visit you, shake your hands, and beg for your vote. Together with their so-called supporters<\/em>, they roam the streets riding an ‘owner jeepney‘<\/em><\/strong> equipped with loudspeakers playing a song by Inigo Pascual with modified lyrics to promote their advocacies\u2014same old stupid scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are their advocacies? It varies from very personal to general, but regardless of their advocacies, what they would do remains blurry and puzzling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And let us not forget the one-liners of these \u201cprominent\u201d candidates. Their print ads read \u201cMaaasahan mo<\/strong>\u201d (Someone you can lean on), \u201cIpaglalaban ka<\/strong>\u201d (I would fight for you), \u201cAng Tatay ng Barangay<\/strong>\u201d (The patriarch of the barangay), \u201cKay Dodong, Panalo Tayo<\/strong>\u201d (With Dodong, we are the winners), \u201cUna Ka Kay Manang Tasya<\/strong>\u201d (You are the priority of <\/em>Elder Tasya), and other fascinating promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter how sweet and promising their one-liners are, they do not seem to meet or even exceed the standards of good governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
The country is notorious for its corruption—down to the ‘barangay’ level<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A perfect example would be the one who campaigned on the slogan that he is \u201csomeone you can lean on<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0 Leaning on, in the context of public service, is neither the ‘kagawad<\/strong>‘ who would provide the cases of beer during the birthday party of a barangay member<\/strong> nor the barangay chairman<\/em> himself who would shoulder the sacks of cement for house construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Someone to lean on”<\/strong> is a leader who organizes scholarship funds and livelihood programs. To ensure that the jobless are encouraged to join a business cooperative.\u00a0 Every barangay member is taught garbage segregation and proper disposal.\u00a0 That no one is seen consuming alcohol or smoking in public places, or even simply to espouse cleanliness and discipline, is to say that the barangay<\/em> chairman<\/em><\/strong> is genuinely someone you can lean on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIpaglalaban ka<\/strong>\u201d does not mean that when a person is the cause of a brawl, all he has to do is to ask for the help of kagawad,<\/em> and his wrongdoings would be tolerated and that he would be defended no matter how wrong he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a candidate pledges that “he would fight for you,”<\/strong> he will defend what is morally right even if the deed is deemed unpopular.  Fighting for someone is fighting for the rights of the oppressed, whether he is your associate or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When someone claims that “he is the patriarch of the barangay,”<\/em><\/strong> he should see that his words and actions are acceptable.\u00a0 He should take concrete steps to maintain the health and well-being of every barangay member<\/strong> by integrating medical missions –just like a father who wants all his children to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He should not take sides during barangay<\/strong> hearings<\/em>; instead, he should punish the wrongdoer.\u00a0 The punishment should be like this: it comes from a concerned father who does not want his son to become the bane of the barangay<\/strong>.\u00a0 The world has too many assholes already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the candidates enjoy the perception that the people appreciate them for their advocacies and promises, they appear to be ignorant of the long-term needs of their constituents.\u00a0 They usually offer short-term and patchwork solutions<\/strong> to the same old problems that have been haunting and destroying Filipino values for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where I pity Kuyang Rey<\/strong> and most Filipino people. While the concept of self-reliance and the value of hard work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lack of money is no excuse for working-class Filipinos to rely on others, especially politicians. By giving Kuyang Rey\u2019s<\/strong> family the poso<\/strong>, the candidate did not help him. It only made Kuyang Rey<\/em> even worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/a>
Money for your vote.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

After all, it is not the barangay chairman\u2019s<\/strong> task to provide a family with a deep-well pumping machine; it is the job of the “padre de familia<\/strong>” (head of the family) to invest in all the essential things his family needs. It\u2019s not the church<\/strong>, DSWD<\/strong> (Department of Social Welfare and Development), PCSO<\/strong> (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office), or other charitable organization responsible for one\u2019s needs, but the person himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of the poso<\/em>, a well-meaning politician would rather coordinate with the water company so that everyone in the barangay<\/em> would benefit, not only a few families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of construction materials, why not gradually help the person find a decent job to build his house from sweat?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of movie passes to get the teen votes, a resource speaker can be invited to the barangay hall<\/em> to give English proficiency classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Poso’<\/strong> is suitable for only one family, but an efficient water distribution system benefits the entire community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hundred-fifty hollow block is good only for Aling Bebang\u2019s<\/em> comfort room, but a job opportunity would enable every father in the barangay<\/em> to build a house of his dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A movie pass or two would be a temporary escape from the harsh realities of life, but an English proficiency class could equip them with confidence in finding a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ah, to hell with the shallow minds of these politicians. Politics is as dirty as a charcoaled rug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I wrote this, my drinking buddy texted me that Andong<\/strong> would come to our compound tomorrow to shower us with paper bills.\u00a0 Lots of one depicts the face of a brilliant senator assassinated at Manila’s main airport in the early ’80s — the five-hundred peso bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe the money is enough to buy me a pair of jeans, a cellphone ‘load<\/strong>‘ good for a month, or even wax and tire black for my dying jeep. After all, the entire barangay<\/em> won\u2019t even know if I sold my soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nah, I\u2019ll sleep all day tomorrow, and Kuyang Rey<\/em> will never be able to wake me up, even with a megaphone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everyone in the compound seemed awakened by the loud voice from the entrance. Even a nocturnal guy like me, who spends the wee hours of the morning watching tacky movies like Bruno and Borat, was moved out of bed by a man’s jovial yet familiar voice. I was not mistaken.\u00a0 It was ‘Kuyang Rey” (elder … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “As Dirty As A Charcoaled Rug”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-manila","category-this-thing-called-life"],"yoast_head":"\nAs Dirty As A Charcoaled Rug - Baclaran Para\u00f1aque Rizal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A humor-laden essay about corruption in the smallest political unit in the Philippines. 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