“It is for name recall, for barangay [residents] to easily find their names on the list of candidates,” said Marino Salas, election supervisor for Pangasinan province.
Salas said 30,000 candidates were running for village chiefs or village council members in 1,364 villages in 44 towns and four cities in Pangasinan.
He said that number was nearly double the number of candidates in the last barangay elections, which was less than 20,000.
The list of candidates could make one chuckle but Salas said barangay politics could be intense and explosive, as candidates were longtime neighbors and even members of the same family who knew the “dirty secrets of each other.”
“Very good,” “Mr. Clean” and “Sunshine” could make the voters’ day and inspire them to go for Sally Noreen Aquino of San Aurelio 2nd in Balungao town; Virgilio Medros of Pugardo, also in Balungao; and Ferdinand Galdones of Lapaz in Umingan town, who are all running for barangay councilor.
But would they vote for “Crooks” (Eugenio de Perio of Concordia, Bolinao town) and “Buwaya” or crocodile (Ruben Valdez of Sumambit, Bayambang town) amid political and corruption scandals in the country?
Would they go for Wilson Orencia of Bensican and Angelito Castillo of Camangaan, both of San Nicolas town, who go by the name “Abusayap”?
Would “Rambo” (Jeffrey Martinez of Malilion, San Nicolas), make it?
Would anyone trust “Bandit” (Henry Mariñas of Amanoaoac in Umingan town)?
And who would vote for “Saddam” (Amado Balala of Carusucan Norte in Anda town)?
There are candidates who are obsessed with numbers like “30” (Servillo Nebran of Dacap Sur, Bani town) and “5-6” (Lee de la Cruz of Bannawang, Malasiqui town).
Do the nicknames “Pogi” (Ralonito Balmores of San Rafael East, San Nicolas) and “Pangit” (Melchor Palma of Zone I, Rosales town) really show their physical attributes?
Or has “Pugot” (Francisco Peralta of Catungi, Bolinao) lost his head and decided to run?
Animal names seem to be popular among candidates, such as “Kabayo” or horse (Elyn Guevarra of Ballag, Bani town, and Maricris Nipal of Sampaloc, Bolinao); “Kanding” or goat (Celso Vallo of Batangcawa, Bayambang); “Bakabaka” or cow (Ruben Lopez of Pugaro, Balungao town); “Beklat,” a snake (Rodrigo Bugarin of Apalen, Bayambang town); and “Bulldog” (Miguel Imbuedo Sr. of Guiset Sur, San Manuel town).
These candidates took their nicknames from birds: “Wawak” or crow (Domingo Salinas of Cabeldatan, Balungao); “Kalapati” or pigeon (John Laureta of Carusucan Sur, Asingan town); “Manok” or chicken (Arnon Macaraeg of Polong Sur, Malasiqui town); and “Heron” (Heronico Pasca of Ninoy, Aguilar town).
But another candidate, “Lamok” or mosquito (Mary Soprepeña of Papallasen, Umingan town), hopes to win votes despite using a nickname taken from a pesky, disease-carrying insect.
In a farming and fishing province like Pangasinan, expect names like “Bangus” or milkfish (Alfredo Dizon of Santa Maria, Alaminos City; Jerry Cayabyab of Telbang, Bayambang; and Saturnino Paras of Cabatling, Malasiqui) and “Pusit” or squid (Reynaldo Tenaza of Banog Sur, Bani) to appear on the ballots.
Then there are candidates who want to be remembered through voters’ appetite.
“Pandesal” or bread (Nicolas Cabudoy of San Bartolome, Rosales) may go well with “Palaman” or sandwich spread (Efren Muñoz of Atainan, Alcala town) while “Tagapulot” or honey (Eddie Oquin of Centro Toma, Bani) and “Bocayo” (Ricardo de Vera of Asingan, Bayambang) may tickle the voters’ sweet tooth.
The people of Ilocos love “Kilabban” or cold rice (Manuel Espiritu of San Pedro Apartado, Rosales) with “Adobo” (Henry Morales of Alingan, Bayambang), with a side dish of “Tinapa” or smoked fish (William Cruz of Poblacion, Binmaley), “Kamatis” or tomato (Pedro Bugarin of Aliaga Malasiqui) and “Sibuyas” or onion (Alfredo Irang of Catuday, Anda).
Serve these “dishes” with “Patis” or fish sauce (Annie Ubaldo of San Pedro Ili, Rosales) but do not offer “Bangles” or rotten or spoiled (Ramil Bergonia of Tawintawin, Alaminos City), and don’t go near “Takke” or feces, as how Antonio Francisco of San Julian, Balungao, wants to be remembered by voters.