"6 years ago, the people call her as their savior, the hope of Barangay Silangan. But a few months after being elected as the Barangay Captain, Risa Pontavel begin to show her true colors."
"True colors, you say?"
So the thing about the investments, road repairing and other projects are all done just to portray a good image of herself in front of the people who thought of her as their hope, huh?
"If you want the employer to hire you into their company, or if you want your girl's family to accept you, you always gotta make a great first impression. Otherwise, you'll never get their trust."
'He had to mention that second line.'
"Mr. Rene there's something bugging me out."
"What is it?"
"She did all those things 6 years ago to gain their trust, then simply abandon those things that she had accomplished, as though saying she no longer needs them." I told the barangay councilor. "Then how is she able to stay in her position despite throwing away the trust the people gave her? Why did the majority of the barangay council let her do things on her own? Why didn't you do a single thing about captain Risa, knowing full well what she's doing all this time?"
No one said a word between me and Mr. Rene for a good long moment after I spout those questions. But, I can clearly see that giving an answer to my question is rather uneasy for him. His left thumb and index finger are fidgeting and his eyes can be seen that he is troubled.
I didn't mean to make it hard for him, but I can't confirm my theory unless it comes from Mr. Rene himself. That's why, I took a deep breath, put my hands inside my pockets and mustered up the strength to speak.
"Could it be that you and the others knew the way the barangay captain do things all along. But you decided to just feign ignorance about it?"
The councilor shuddered as I just finished my sentence.
"You and others were behind Risa, the barangay captain, when she executed those projects just like what a true barangay council does. But, at the same time she abandoned the people who trusted her, as soon as she showed her real personality to everyone, the rest of the barangay council had also went into hiding, as if trying to avoid your image from being destroyed in the face of the people."
"..."
"The people knew what kind of person Risa really is, yet they still voted for her to be the Barangay captain. The barangay council knew exactly what she was doing, yet no one took the initiative to act against her. The question is, why?"
The expression in Mr. Rene's face changes as he makes an awkward smile. Scratching the back of his head, he gave me a reply.
"You never hesitate when it comes into asking hard questions, huh? You're a smart kid. You wouldn't ask me those questions if you haven't figured out the answer yourself."
I averted my gaze from Mr. Rene to the empty basketball court in front of us. And then I let out a sigh.
The bystander effect, or the bystander apathy. A social psychological theory stating that a person is less likely to take action or offer help to a victim when there are others present. In the barangay council's case, Mr. Rene and the other councilors refused to put a stop to how the barangay captain does her job. Probably because they think it's not their obligation to act.
The people are no better either. Because the town stayed the same with the previous barangay captains before captain Risa herself, they grow accustomed to the unchanging state of the barangay. That is why, for them, it doesn't matter who sits on the position anymore, as long as they can live life as is.
To be honest, no one has the right to blame these people, nor the barangay councilors. It is easier to give up than hoping for someone who will bring change to this corrupted town. And councilors aren't exactly obligated to do something just because they have the power to do so.
Everyone has the right to live life and do things their own way. But letting the barangay captain do her shady work is also unreasonable. It's absurd. Someone needs to step up and do something, or the barangay will never reach the point of change it deserved.
Someone who can inspire people to make the change, someone who is willing to do things the others wouldn't. Someone... someone...
At that moment, Mr. Rene, the councilor of barangay silangan struck me with an unexpected question.
"Sano, don't you want to make a change to this barangay?"
"Yes...?"