Cavite 4th district (Dasmariñas City) Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., a reelectionist, is eager to celebrate his 72nd birthday with his constituents on March 26.
However, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) told him during a House panel hearing Wednesday, March 9 that he can't do that, unless he doesn't mind getting in trouble ahead of the May 9 polls.
Seeking clarification from a Comelec official during Wednesday's House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms hearing, Barzaga pointed out that his actual birthday, March 25--a Friday--falls on the same day as the start of the campaign period for candidates in local elective posts. This includes district representatives like himself.
"Ayoko namang mag-birthday ng March 25 kasi marami sa aking mga kababayan, pati na ako, hindi na ako kunakain ng karne (I don't want to celebrate my birthday on March 25 because a lot of my constituents, like myself, avoid eating meat) during Friday in the Lent season," he said during the hearing.
"On Macrh 26, kung mag-celebrate ako ng akong birthday, at kung magpakain ako (if I celebrate my birthday and hold a feast)...on account of my birthday, is it prohibited under the Comelec?" Barzaga asked.
"I'm celebrating it every March 25, unfortunately laging bumabagsak sa campaign period," noted the committee vice chairman. "Of course, everybody is invited," he added, referring to his House colleagues.
The attending resource person in the virtual hearing from Comelec, Campaign Committee Director Elaiza Sabile David, was pretty blunt with her answer.
"If that is prohibited po? Yes po, eh panahon po kasi ng eleksyon eh (it's because it's the election period)," David said.
To this, Barzaga asked in an incredulous tone: "In other words, candidates cannot celebrate their birthday, which they have been doing since they became public officials?"
David, despite finding the query funny, stood her ground and insisted: "Opo sir, siguro mag-ceĺebrate na lang with the family (Yes sir , maybe just celebrate with the family)."
"We do not do that, the city of Dasmariñas knows that so mula akong mag-mayor, nagse-celebrate ako (eversince I became the mayor, I've always celebrated with) the people of Dasamariñas," replied the veteran congressman.
He even joked that not throwing a birthday bash this year could lead to him getting teased by Dasmariñas folk.
"Hindi acceptable sa botante, ang sasabihin, 'Cong Pidi nagtitipid ka dinahilan mo pa Comelec.' Oh well anyway, sige pag-aralan natin yan (That's not acceptable to voters, they will say, 'Cong Pidi you're just using the Comelec as an excuse to save money. Oh well anyway, let's look into that)," Barzaga said.
David discouraged the Cavite solon from throwing a public birthday bash "for his protection as a candidate".
"It could be an issue against the candidate kahit sabihin na birthday pa (even if its your birthday). So it's better po siguro, suggestion lang din po, if ano na lang, yung birthday na tahimik po. Magsimba na lang sir kayo (So maybe it's better, this is just a suggestion, celebrate your birthday quietly. Just attend mass, sir)," she said.
During the amusing exchange between Barzaga and David, other House members gave practical suggestions to the former, like holding his birthday on March 24 (before the start of the local campaign period) or discretely sending the food to them via delivery riders.
Suffice it to say that all solons in the hearing sided with Barzaga regarding his dilemma. One of them, Manila Teachers Party-list Rep. Virgilio Lacson, said it's not Barzaga's fault that Gog chose such date for the latter's birthday. As such, Lacson appealed to Comelec to give an exception to Barzaga's birthday plans.
The Wednesday hearing was presided by chairperson Negros Occidental 4th district Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer.
Barzaga is vying for his second term as Dasmariñas congressman.