Confessions of a ‘proxy voter’ at a PIDCI election

‘Team Pros’ sweeps PIDCI election. New board directors Bert Olimpo, Shiran Ybanez, Olivia David, Beth Manalo, Violeta McGough, Joycelyn Aligarbes, and Rely Manacay take their oath; the final tally.

How I ended up casting a ballot at the October 3 PIDCI election is a story with all the charm of a bad reality TV show.

Coming from MAKILALA taping in East Harlem, I, together with Victor Palmos and Laura Garcia, arrived at the Philippine Center close to the end of voting. I ran into Pros Lim, gave him a hug, and congratulated him for being the new president.

“Hindi pa tapos ang botohan,” he chuckled.

The ‘botohan’ was just a formality, I said in all levity, and that he was just proclaimed president in The FilAm.

Press Club colleague Tambi Wycoco may have spotted me coming in and waved. I approached and was requested to be a proxy voter for his community organization. I was both thrilled and anxious. Why would he need a proxy voter when he was very much present. And why me? Tambi said he could not leave his table duties, and his designated proxy voter, Ricky Rillera, called to say he could not come. I was the next available warm body!

I’ve heard a lot of controversial things about PIDCI elections and proxy voters, and here I was being part of the exercise. My mind was in overdrive, conflicted.

“Is this OK? You sure I’m not committing anything illegal here?” I asked Tambi, and he gave me his highest assurance.

I was likewise assured by others, including some PIDCI officers, I was not in violation of anything. In fact, I was ordered to rush to the booth with five more minutes to go before voting ended. Nonoy Rafael literally pushed me to the elevator.

At the proxy table, they took my name, asked me to sign next to it and gave me a number. At the next table, I found myself standing in front of Randy Gonzales waiting for a ballot. I gave him the pained look, ‘Hey, this is great material for an article.’

I was ushered to a booth and did my duties to vote for certain names ONLY, put the ballot in a transparent box and took a seat in the room. I have to say: I felt like I was part of PIDCI history. It was the first time PIDCI was getting a new president after four successive terms of Fe Martinez.

The votes were counted, all 160 of them. It was ‘Team Pros’ all the way. The PIDCI flock voted straight. Pros Lim, without any opponent, was declared the president. The new board directors are all members of his ticket: Joycelyn Aligarbes (124 votes), Olivia David (134), Violeta McGough (124), Rely Manacay (95), Beth Manalo (130), Bert Olimpo (100), and Shiran Ybanez (100).

A stunning upset was Fernando Mendez, a popular and active member of the community who is also the founder of the Fiesta in America trade expo who garnered 63 votes. He ran as an independent.

Aligarbes, Ybanez, and Manacay are “lucky,” said one voter who shall not be named. They piggybacked on the right team and won “even if they were never involved with PIDCI ever…They are now brand-new directors,” sighed this long-time leader.

Aligarbes disputes the comment, saying she’s been with PIDCI “for a while now.”

“I was the first Mrs. Kalayaan Fil-Am, co-chair of Mrs. Kalayaan in 2013, co-chair of Ms. Diwa ng Kalayaan 2015, and was also co-chair of the Philippine Independence Day Ball in 2014,” she said in an email to The FilAm.

Pros Lim thanked his voters and pledged to serve the community better by involving more member organizations in PIDCI activities, presumably including the planning of the annual Independence Day Parade.

The community, including this drive-by proxy voter, is keeping a close watch, hoping a new leadership will reinvigorate the organization.

Outgoing President Fe Martinez watching the count; Incoming President Pros Lim flashes smile of a winner. The FilAm Photos