The functions of our local officials

One thing that we have quickly learned is the functions of many of our local officials, especially those in the legislative sector such as councilors and representatives to Congress.

Too often, voters have an unclear or skewed view of how our local legislators do their business.

In a political system that has fostered patronage, we have come to think of our councilors and congressmen not as crafters of legislation but as milking cows.

The results of this skewed thinking: the billions in the so-called “Priority Development Assistance Fund” (read: pork barrel) that has been allotted to our congressmen, purportedly for furthering the development of their districts but has become a festering ground for corruption.

Exactly a decade ago, the Napoles PDAF scam has exposed how some unscrupulous persons – purportedly aided by unscrupulous government officials – have taken gross advantage of that corrupt system to fill their own pockets.

In our “Know Your Candidate” talks with many of our local councilors, it appeared to us that some have not only learned the true functions of their jobs but have also struggled to make the public understand that their role is more than simply handing out assistance (although a few has lamented that that skewered thinking some of their constituents still have still won’t go away).

It's high time for our government officials – with the help of media – to enlighten the minds of our citizens and make them understand how our local officials perform how they perform their duties in their respective positions.

It’s often been said that an educated electorate will help us get out of the “old” ways of patronage politics and get our country to move forward as we begin to face the “new normal” post-Covid-19.

And what better way for educating our electorate than making them understand the dynamics of the government that they help create?