The Commission on Elections has reported the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the Cordillera was generally peaceful and orderly except for some incidents in Abra.
Said incidents indicated political tension in the province, owing to its long history of political rivalry among prominent political clans. Authorities have always prepared for this.
What is often overlooked during elections are candidates fielded by the underground movement in various elective positions especially in the barangays to build support network for different purposes, such as access to resources and influence in the communities.
The recent 2023 BSKE gave the underground movement an opportunity to install at least nine of their fielded candidates across the Cordillera. These winning candidates may project themselves as pro-people but may only be doing such to elicit support from the residents in favor of the movement.
I call on my fellow Cordillerans to closely look into their agenda in the barangay council and ensure that the village’s resources are benefitting the constituents.
Let us make sure that these elected barangay and SK officials are organizing activities that are consistent with the national government’s programs instead of promoting projects of organizations that are linked with the underground movement and its allies. — JAMES BIAG, president, Balik Loob Organization of Mountain Province
May 7, 2024