ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL22.09.10
Aired on September 20, 2010
Narration by Emily Bolinas
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Program Transcript – MP3 Audio
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL
All politics is local, said former US House speaker Thomas O’Neil.
This point is lost, however, on the men and women lining up outside President Aquino’s house on Times Street looking for jobs. It is a sad fact that more attention is given to national rather than local government. We forget that most of what government does is done in provinces, cities, towns, and barangays.
The Local Government Code of 1991 carries out the constitutional mandate to ensure that local authorities have both the means and the ability to help people at their level. Local governments, for example, are the first point of contact for people who need assistance with jobs. Sometimes, cities, municipalities, and even barangays have people whom both prospective employers and employees can approach to that end. Christians seeking to engage local politics can find out what local governments can do by becoming familiar with what this law says.
Many functions having to do with the welfare of citizens are mainly local functions. Health centers, day care provision, solid waste management, and even parks and playgrounds are among the things local authorities are expected to oversee. These services directly impact citizens the most. There is always potential for good as well as abuse of power in this. Denying or granting services can be a means of eliciting or withholding support in a government where resources are used for political patronage.
It is indeed at the local level where abuse of power is most acutely felt. Many journalists have been killed under a culture of impunity where local officials use violence to maintain their power. Their total control of local politics has often been a source of concern in recent years as a result. Speaking out against abuses of authority, as the prophets of Israel did, carries a higher risk when the abuser is one’s mayor.
The challenge then for Christians at the local level is to see where they can be a positive force for change. By denouncing what is wrong, praising what is right, and seeing what needs to be corrected, local Christian communities can ensure that governments work for “the welfare of the city.” At a recent Asian Theological Seminary forum on “Faith, Politics, and Power,” one participant suggested that Christian citizens could participate in local development councils. These councils advise local authorities on matters like how money is raised and spent.
As the barangay elections approach, there is need to focus now on the smallest and most visible of these local governments.