Elections 2007

My host father, Guilly The Awesome, is running for Mayor.

Considering Mayor Roy was murdered three years ago, I was a little concerned at first when Papa Guilly announced his candidacy. Politics in the Philippines are serious business, and the amount of political killings in this country are under criticism by international aid organizations and governments alike. Even at the lowest government levels there is corruption and murder; I think it's fair to characterize this place as, at times, a lawless society, with the military occasionally under fire for alledgedly perpetuating political murders through corruption. Some here might say that, considering this, it is hopeless to hope for change. Some might go further to say that running for mayor is potentially putting your life on the line.

In response to this political climate, Papa Guilly waltzed in to the house the other day and declared with confidence, "Lay your fears to rest! The opponents and I have signed an Agreement to Peace!"

While I'm not convinced that evildoers follow the covenant of peace agreements, Papa Guilly insists that hired goons will be foiled by this agreement and the protection of our trusty dog Pogie (see picture and note the scabies and starved rib cages). Just the same, Mama Nora is making him get security today in the form of four bodyguards and twelve drunken farmers. The drunken farmers, in fact, were the original security, and have been regulars at the house since my early days in country. I call them the Decoys. So, really, he just got four bodyguards, and now Mama feels at ease, regardless of the fact that the bodyguards are not allowed to carry guns because of the national gun ban currently in effect. Literally, all they are good for is taking bullets and for eating more of our food.

That's the thing about election season: it's a time when everyone who has any association with the Mayoral candidates – i.e. a classmate, or a neighbor's cousin's aunt's neighbor – can get anything they want. Including all of the food in our house.

At any given time, there are twenty-seven people milling around, waiting to see what we are having for snack or if we are having meat for dinner (big score). Mama and Papa don't seem to mind too much, and they even seem to actually know everyone who is milling around. Me, I don't know them all, and it is very easy for me to become cranky and upset at all of the freeloaders invading our home and drinking my powdered milk.

Even with the constant presence of the Decoys and extra moochers serving as bodyguards, my level of concern for Papa Guilly's safety still fluctuates somewhere between level "green" and level "orange" according to the US Terrorism Advisory Scale. Some days, when someone shows up late at night looking for Guilly, or when I hear about the recent movements of the NPA (the Philippine Communist insurgency) in the mountains of my town, I worry. Sometimes I just cannot understand why someone would involve himself in politics under these circumstances. Of course this town is peaceful and friendly, but one person can change all of that, and indeed did in the past.

Then again, when I see campaign signs that look like criminal wanted posters and hear cheesy jingles played from car radios hooked up to loudspeakers, I remind myself that politics here are also fun, exciting, and simply different than they are at home, if not also perfect material for constant mocking. I should write John Stewart.

Example: as it turns out, all four of the candidates for Mayor in this election are of the same political party. Is that even legal? Apparently so. But how, how can a voter distinguish one candidate from another? How does he chose? I asked Reno, the running mate of Papa Guilly, what their party stands for, and what sets him and Guilly apart from their opponents; you know, what are their issues?

The answer: We stand for The People of Hindang!

Profound indeed. It's no wonder that people vote for the person who pays them the most.

To his credit, my Papa Guilly is an honest man and cares passionately about his town and his constituents. It is rare to meet a politician who truly carries his word to the people and represents the political system as it was designed. I truly wish him the best in the elections, because to elect a man like Guilly would be to set an example to the people of this small town and to myself that change, however small, will come.

But you know what that means. It means I'll be sharing (read: fighting for) food with 27 moochers until May 15 when this ridiculous joke known as Election 2007 ends. Vote for Guilly!