La Union farming village goes all-out for people’s initiative

SAN FERNANDO, La Union — Barangay Bato here is definitely no "opposition country."

And its chairwoman, Gloria Munar, is ecstatic. The reason: all of the barangay’s 375 registered voters have affixed their signatures to the "people’s initiative," which elsewhere has sown division among locals on the issue of Charter change.

Barangay Bato has more than a thousand residents mostly dependent on farming.

Munar told The STAR that she is thankful to her constituents for cooperating with the signature campaign that coincided with the barangay assembly.

"During the barangay assembly, we told them that the people’s initiative is a mode of changing the system of government (from presidential to parliamentary), and we believe that it will pave the way for progress," she said.

"I am very thankful because they (voters) are very cooperative and supportive, not only of the signing but of all other programs and projects that we are implementing in our barangay," she added.

Prior to the signature campaign, Munar said they requested the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for a new voters’ list sans the deceased and transferees.

She admitted that there were a number of people who resisted the signature campaign, but they were nevertheless unregistered voters.

Munar said she was overwhelmed when voters did not complain in affixing their signatures since they know that she is after their welfare.

"They told us that anything that we (barangay council) do is for their welfare, so they follow. We are not bad rulers; they trust us in our jobs as public servants," she said.

Munar said the barangay council did not force the voters to sign neither were there "promises’ nor "gifts" because "the people want change in our system and they believe in our leadership."   

Farmer Pedro Binbinon said he signed the people’s initiative because he believes that Munar and the barangay council would not do anything wrong for their community.

"All the projects that Kapitana (Munar) and the barangay council have done are for the sake of every resident. I hope Cha-cha would uplift our lives and lead to the progress of the whole country," he said.

Munar said the Comelec has already verified the signatures of the 375 registered voters.

She said La Union officials did not compel them to work on the signature campaign but instead properly explained to them the "beauty of a parliamentary government."

She expressed hope that those pursuing the initiative would be happy with the results, thanks to the cooperation of her constituents.

In Barangay Masicong, another farming village here, 96 percent of its registered voters signed the people’s initiative.

It was short of only four signatures to match Bato’s record simply because the four voters were in Manila.