How good governance prevents people from being indebted to politicians

MASBATE CITY – Vice-President Leni Robredo on Wednesday repeated her controversial stand on vote-buying, that voters should accept the money offered to them. But vote whichever candidate they prefer, regardless.

“Sinabi ko na ito and I got into trouble, pero sasabihin ko ulit ... Kunin ninyo. Kunin ninyo ’yung pera kasi galing din 'yan sa inyo,” Robredo said, acknowledging her incapacity to stop voters from receiving money they can use for day-to-day expenses.

(I have said this before and it got me in trouble, but I will say it again. Take the money, because that money came from your taxes anyway.)

But Robredo added that vote-buying only happens when voters are not empowered.

“Parang tinanggap na ng tao na ang may kapangyarihan ’yung mga namumuno sa kanila,” she said during her meet-and-greet with parish priests and religious leaders here.

(Voters seem to have accepted that those in leadership have power over them.)

Helplessness plays a role in vote-buying, Robredo said, which breeds patronage politics.

“Halimbawa, walang masyadong maayos na programa, social services. ’Pag ako, ordinaryong mamamayan, nagkasakit ’yung aking magulang, lalapit ako kung sino naka-upo. Kung sinong lalapitan ko, bibigyan ako, and I would feel indebted to that person,” she said.

(When there are not enough social services and programs and a voter needs help, they come to those who are elected. Those elected will help them, and so they feel indebted to the person.)

“Masusukat mo kung maayos ’yung pamamahala, when people don’t have to beg anymore,” she said, adding that voters whether rich or poor should not be deprived of services.

(One indication of good governance is when people don’t have to beg anymore.)

“ ’Pag ang tao, hindi niya nararamdaman na indebted siya sa politiko, ’yung participation niya sa governance, mas maayos. Ang pakiramdam ng tao, ‘Pinapahiram namin sa inyo ’yung kapangyarihan.’ So, kung may mali kang ginagawa, karapatan namin punahin ka.”

(When voters no longer feel indebted to politicians, they can better participate in governance. They feel that officials are only borrowing that authority. When mistakes are made, the people know it is their right to hold those in power accountable.)

When voters are empowered, politicians try harder to put their best foot forward, Robredo added.

Her late husband, former interior secretary Jesse Robredo, formed a People’s Council when he was mayor in Naga city, which gave constituents a louder voice in local governance.

Robredo attended a people’s rally after her visit to parish priests and religious leaders in Masbate City.

The rally was held at the coastal boulevard facing Masbate Pass, where the plane carrying Robredo crashed in 2012. The boulevard was later named after him.

After the rally, Robredo visited the Masbate City municipal hall, where she gained the support of Mayor Rowena Tuason and other local officials.