Barangay Lagtang councilwoman airs gripes

CEBU, Philippines -  Barangay Lagtang Councilwoman Khea Cabuenas Bacaltos now prefers the Liberal Party over Alayon for the reason that her father lost the race for barangay captain allegedly because of lack of support from Alayon.

“Disappointed kaayo. Wa mi mag-expect nga mao toy mahitabo,” said Bacaltos in an interview with The Freeman.

Bacaltos’ father, former city councilor Semy Cabuenas, ran for barangay captain in Lagtang, a position he had held for eight years before joining the city council in 2010.

He, however, lost to former councilman Dindin Bas by about 190 votes.

Bacaltos, who ran under her father’s ticket and the only one in her slate to have won, alleged that if only they had the support of her father’s party, Alayon, all the members of her slate would have won.

Barangay elections are supposed to be non-partisan, but in Talisay City and in some other areas, barangay election candidates seek support from political parties to win.

For his part, Cabuenas, in a separate interview, said he supports his daughter’s move, since it would be good for their barangay.

“Kung di na niya buhaton, wa gyud siya’y mahimo sa barangay kay babagan man siya,” he said.

Cabuenas also shared the same sentiments with Bacaltos in connection with the election last October.

He said while first district Rep. Samsam Gullas raised his hand in support, his grandfather, Alayon president former first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas was also giving his support to his rival, Bas.

Word has it that Cabuenas would join the LP camp as well, but he said his concerns now are in his barangay and how to help Bacaltos serve it well.

If Cabuenas joins LP, he would be the second Alayon senior to do it, with City Councilor Dennis Basillote being the first, following the defeat of his son in the polls last October, reportedly also for lack of support from Alayon.

Meanwhile, Bacaltos said the other reason for her switching allegiance is that she felt as an outcast in the team, which used to be allied with her father, former city councilor Semy Cabuenas.

Because she ran with the opposing camp, she alleged that barangay captain Marc Ferdinand “Dindin” Bas has denied her of committee chairmanships, allegedly preventing her from serving her constituents.

Bacaltos, a second-term councilwoman, used to head the committee on Women and Children, which is now headed by Councilman Clifford Barliso.

“Unya moingun siya (Bas) nga wa siya mamulitika. Ako ra ma’y babaye sa konseho, nganong sa lalaki man gihatag ang Committee on Women?” she asked.

Bacaltos said she, too, has not been given membership position in any of the barangay’s many committees.

She said the Lagtang Women’s Association (LWA), a 600-member group, is not anymore recognized by the barangay.

The barangay has created another women’s group and has phased out LWA from its list, prompting Bacaltos to ask for help from the City Hall.

“Wa naman gyud ko’y mahimo. Mangayo sila (constituents) og tabang nako, wa koy matabang kay they have paralyzed me. So I decided nga moduol ni mayor (Johnny V. delos Reyes),” she said.

 Last Saturday, Lagtang, a known opposition barangay, got 100 sacks of cement from Delos Reyes. The mayor said Bacaltos personally requested these from his office, and since the barangay needed it for the completion of  its gymnasium, he delivered them immediately.

Lagtang will celebrate its annual fiesta next month, and Bacaltos said the gym will be the main venue for all their activities.  (FREEMAN)