When good candidates step aside

A news item on page 3 of The FREEMAN last Easter Sunday caught my attention. Aside from making me think about the state of our electoral politics, I was drawn to it even more because I personally know the candidate involved.

Cebu 3rd District Provincial Board Member John Ismael Borgonia was my schoolmate at the University of San Carlos College of Law in the late 2000s. In a large Law school like USC, many schoolmates tend to fade into the background of mere acquaintances, but the low-key Borgonia stood out because his elder sister Eden was my classmate at UP High School Cebu.

In the news item, it was reported that Borgonia has withdrawn his candidacy for reelection in the upcoming May 12 electoral exercise.  The news article revealed that, in a letter dated March 24, the Comelec Law Department stated that Borgonia's Certificate of Candidacy was 'considered withdrawn' effective March 13, 2025.

It was only recently that the official Comelec action was known, simultaneous with the announcement of Borgonia over the weekend on his Facebook page ‘Board Member Atty. Jiembo Borgonia’ about his decision to drop from the race. It was due to the absence of a political party to support his campaign, he said.

Borgonia emphasized that he cannot sustain a reelection campaign as an independent candidate in the district. “Sa gidak-on sa tersero distrito nga naglangkob sa lungsod sa Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, Pinamungajan, Aloguinsan, Barili ug Syudad sa Toledo nagkinahanglan ug organisado nga pwersa ug pundo,” Borgonia said. After discussions with his family and team, he decided to step back rather than compromise the quality of his campaign, choosing instead to focus on finishing his current term strong.

I checked the Comelec ballot template for Toledo City and saw Atty. Jiembo Borgonia’s name under 1CEBU. I don’t want to bother my friend Atty. Jiembo right now, and I’m also not keen on dipping into political intrigues. Perhaps someday, after the elections are over, we could talk about local politics over a bottle of beer and catch up on each other’s lives.

Still, what bothers me is losing a candidate and public official of his caliber due to a lack of machinery and resources. It’s not his loss --it’s the public’s loss. While I know a few deserving politicians who have the resources to thrive or survive under our current electoral system, I know many more who also deserve to be elected but shy away from politics because the system is stacked against those with modest means --not even the poor, just those without deep pockets.

I’ve said this before in my previous columns about our electoral system. It should be the people and other stakeholders in the community, including businessmen, who provide the support, resources, and logistics for the candidates they believe in. It should not be the sole burden of the politician.

Too often, we treat candidates as if they alone must bankroll their campaigns. The result is a system that favors political dynasties and discourages ordinary citizens of integrity and competence from running for office. Machinery, funding, and logistical support should ideally come from a mobilized, participative citizenry.

If we are serious about reforming our electoral system, we must begin by shifting our paradigm. Elections are not a personal investment by the candidate to be recovered once in office. They are a collective exercise by citizens to choose leaders who share their hopes, values, and dreams. Politics is a shared responsibility, not a quid pro quo game.

Call me idealistic, but I’m sure you won’t disagree when I say we’ve taken our expensive and transactional politics to the extreme.