Free chocolates for barangay kids

CEBU, Philippines – Sweet Treat. Children at a city barangay were happily surprised one morning to find out that they will be given imported chocolates by their barangay chief. Before 9AM, kids ages 12 years old and below happily lined up at the basketball court and waited to get their sweet treat. And they waited... and waited. They stood under the blistering heat of the summer sun, sweat running down their faces, while several barangay councilmen gave speech after speech. Even a barangay councilman from another city barangay had his time in front of the microphone. An Ear informer told a mediaman, “Nindot ilang tumong, pero sobra ra kadaghan gipa-speech uy. Naluoy ko sa mga bata.”

Political flavor. One of the barangay councilmen let it slip during his speech that they are waiting for media coverage before starting the distribution of chocolates. He said, “Sa di pa madugay, manghatag na kita sa chocolates. Naghuwat lang ta sa media.” The Ear informer commented, “Ah, mao diay.” The children waited for over an hour before they could get their hands on the promised chocolates. The Ear informer said, “Everybody went home happy. The politicos had their speeches, the kids their chocolates. But chocolates don’t taste as sweet when it has a political flavor.”