Sir Michael

34 years old
Tuwali
Married
Banaue
Interviewer: It is very well known that Ifugao has a bilateral kinship system where a
member of a kin extends over to the 4 th degree. As an Ifugao, how do you define
kinship?
Respondent: ohh, perception? Kinship is a close relationship of an individual to another
meaning ohhhh, they have one family, ties examples brothers, sister, the first degree or
1st cousin, also their parents, 2nd cousins so that is what I coud defind kinship.
Interviewer: Until what degree do you consider someone as kin?
Respondent: actually here in Ifugao it is under the law that is the 4 th degree or 3rd
cousin, in our municipality even in the province we still consider until 6 th degree,
because we have the practice during occasions, example is the hunga. For as long as
the meat ahh be deliverd in your house that is what we consider closed relationship of
family. Kaspangarigan kuma washay partiyon cha ya ‘’Forwa’’ Forwa pun term mi che
gamin sunga an naming nan dumanunan nan karni, 1 st cousin inggana ahhh, actually ya
maala pay gaym chi 7th degree because until 5th to 6th degree ya maala na pay gyam chi
kin.
Interviewer: inuy ngy father side mo? Ngy degree an i-conseder mo
Respondent: 6th to 7th
Interviewer: Mother side ngy?
Respondent: ohh parehas lng
Interviewer: in laws ngy?
Respondent: under the in laws is 3rd degree
Interviewer: How far can you trace the degree of your kin? In your father side
Respondent: ahhh I think until 5th degree
Interviewer: Mother side ngy?
Respondent: mother side yah hanggang lang siguro 2nd degree te agghe ami gamin
immunagl hichi Hungduan
Interviewer: hi ngy In Laws
Respondent: until 2nd degree lng
Interviewer: Among your kin, do you have a relatives who is engaging in politics? How
are you related to them?
Respondent: within the definition of my kin? Miid met, puro distant relatives but one of
my fathers brother is once a Vice-mayor ngem maid muy simmarunu but at present ya
wala.
Interviewer: Do you have a relative who ran in a position during the past three
elections? Did you vote or support for her/him? Why?
Respondent: past three elections? If relatives ya dakol da and they are their in the
positions
Interviewer: so did you vote them?

Respondent: yes, I even became ahhhh, one among this what we called political
leaders since 2010, I am 20 years old that time right after my graduation. Engaging it is
ahhh is one of being speaker, arrenging political sceneries and supporters for those
who run in municipal level. I spend most of my 13 years, every election I always give my
full support to my candidates.
Voters Perception on Political Dynasty
Interviewer: What is your perception about Political Dynasty?
Respondent: My perception on Political Dynasty is that a family member or one of those
within of that what we defined a kin is already being elected in one position in the
government and then another within also the kin is being elected in position. In my point
of view is that what should spend on what function when they are performing in the
position for example, I think it is also, because many people say that political dynasty
will depend on the performance or their functions while their being elected for example
ahhh, someone is being elected as a mayor and the other is ahhh being elected as
councilor, I think ahhh it is okay because the function of being elected is executive and
the other one is legislative, the one that is being elected councilor will not affect the
others councilors who will approved their ressolutions or ordinances not unless if the
other relatives is a vice mayor, so okay sana na mayor yung isa tas councilor yung isa
kasi different position, ibig sabihin hindi niya ma-influence yung mga decisions ng ibang
level ng politika.

Interviewer: Should political dynasty be prohibited or not? Why?

Respondent: sa akin is hindi, kung kasi political dynasty ang pag-uusapan in the first-
place politics is for good governance ibig sahihin ehhhh nag eelect tau namimili tau ng
tao para makatulung sa bayan, hindi naman tayo nag eelect dahil sa mga ahhh sa
status or relationship. Example yung sinabi natin kanina,kung sakin loang ah, kung
yung isang tao foe example eh Mabuti naman yung nagagawa sa isang bayan, meron
siayng kapatid or meron siyang apo na may maganda rin na kaloob pero ang talagang
desire niya at yung talagang puso niya ay magserbisyo sa mga tao sa pamamagitan ng
isang politician so okay naman yun. It is depending on the performance of the person
not ahhh relationship or status.

Interviewer: Can you Identify what are the good and bad effects of Political Dynasty?
Good muna?

Respondent: the goodness of political dynasty is that ahhhh one member of the kin or
family or relatives is performing best practices to address the needs and demand of the
people or to provide the needs of the community in which it makes everybody ahh
satisfied or what we called everyone is happy. I think that is the good point if political
dynasty exists and this individual within the kin is working harmoniously towards that
goal then that is the good side of political dynasty

Interviewer: Sa bad effects naman?

Respondent: Sa bad effects naman, there are those acts or decisions being made by
other politicians and being supported by relatives or family member who is also a
politician which in the end it will take advantage of their position just for them self and
not actually for thee people in which this people or beneficiaries of the community
cannot or they are being hard up to voice out or settle those matter because thos who
are manipulating the government unit are within the kin. For example, ang isang
politician ay may mga programa siya para sana sa mga mahirap, example the
assistance coming from national level channeled to DSWD, however the final
beneficiaries are this politicians, the one who identified the names of this will be
supported by their family members or relatives who is also within the politician. The
people who shall benefit where not included, however they cannot insist themselves to
be included as beneficiaries because when decisions arise and when this politicians will
decide and said no then they have no power.

Interviewer: Are you aware of any Law prohibiting political dynasty?

Respondents: no, I know that’s theirs a no, but I do not know, what is the a article or
section of that law prohibiting. But I know that theirs is an exciting law that prohibiting
political dynasty………. But it is still a bill..
Interviewer: How many years have you been voting here in Banaue? Are you aware of
the political landscape of the Municipality of Banaue?
Respondents: since 2010 …. 6 years and 6 times
Interviewer: Are you aware of the political landscape of the Municipality of Banaue?
Respondents: what do you mean political landscape. Ano ba ang gusto mong malaman
yung paano ang kalakaran… pagdarating ang campaign hanggang matapos ang
halalan ganun ba. I’m aware, I’m very sure of that as I said before that, I’ve been ah one
of the leaders of this politician since I I’ve this thing
Interviewer: Do you observe if there was a practice of political dynasty in the
municipality? Including beyond the 5th degree of Kinship.
Respondents: maid ta skip ta mo, actually wala naman, in Banaue wala
Interviewers: Were there politicians in Banaue who have relatives running or in a
political position outside of the municipality or the province? Including beyond the 5 th
degree of kinship.
Respondents: for my concern wala pa

Kinship and Politics

Interviewers: . Do you have any ideas on the feasts or occasions being conducted in the
community you belong to? Can you name them?

Respondents: anong feast and occasions, occasions of the government or families , ah

all of the municipality… for example is yung mga festivals. In Banaue what we called the
imbayah at the barangay level we call it kulpi that’s ….. the knowns occasions in
Banaue

1a. How about traditional occasions

Respondents: that’s considered among the occasions ….. the imbayah .. nothing else
Traditional feast? wala naman yan naman …… community level .. sasabhin natin na
yung fu’a or we called it binogwa .. we also have a practice when it comes to MOMAH

Interviewer: With these feasts and occasions, which are the ones that gives importance
to kinship?

Respondent: in term ichatewe an occasions, I think…. Achi met mabalin an idjum tau
nan nathe, kasi ganun naman talaga eh, pag may patay dun sila nagiging closed yung
mga tao o yung mga family members

Interviewer: pero ano yung mas nagpapakita ng kinship?

Respondent: For me personally is during wake, when someone is dead, that’s the time
you will really see the relationship of a family member or relative, how close they are
because thats the time that they could have fun for one another, they could share grief.
Sample, in our tradition, during death our close relative even distant relative who always
consider you as one among those relative. Your family member will deliver a pif or a
sack of rice, those people within the community will just volunteer themselves even
withot telling them to go and get firewood of to help in arranging the or preparing the
venue for the wake….ahhh yan naman talaga. I think we have the fu’a, I think its not so
much….becuase wedding, wedding will people will just come! Hindi mo naman tlaga
nakikita kung gaano sila ka-close.

Interviewer: Does these feasts and occasions help elective officials in campaigning?

Respondent: yes, absolutely

Interviewer: In what ways?

Respondent: ohhh…their relatives will recognize him or her, the pepole, actually the
presence of politician to an occasion will signifies that that politicians care for the peole
or people whore are celebrating or who has an occasions.

Interviewer: wait lang sir, ten ihnay nalabsan an question… Do these feasts and
occasions, have different meanings or purposes when it is being done during election
campaigns?

Respondent: actually yes, given one of these occasions or practice that other politicians
do when they are planning to run, they will call the people for reunion, the practice of the
clan to be together so they celebrate call all their clans to be united and that’s the time
they will say their plan to become as a politician.

Interviewer: so ngay effect na ba sir para inuy ohan Politician?

Respondent: it has a very good effect on their parts because advices or information will
be deliver to them by those who are present and they will know that he or she is running
or one among the candidates for the position of politics

Interviewer: How does these political candidates behave and interact in these
occasions?

Respondent: politicians interact ahhh..depending on their ways, for example sa

observation ko may mga politician naman na pumupunta sa mga wake, nalalasing dun
nakikkiinuman sa mga umiinum, nalalasing dun because that’s how he could get the
heart loob ng mga botante. Meron din naman yung mga ibang politician na pumupunta
doon, nakikikanta kasi yun yung alam niya na way na makakatulong sa kanya as
apolitician that they could love him or vote for him. Dipe-dipende sa perception yan e at
totoo naman na may mga lasinggero na nananalo, meron din yung hindi umiinum na
nananalo. Dipedipende yan sa politicians but it will always go down into three ways.
Yung iba nakikiinum, yung iba nakikikanta, meron din yung iba na pumupunta lang para
magpakita and then aalis din so tatlo lang naman e. Pero may pamahiin ng iba na
during campaign bawal na pupunta sila sa mga wake kasi malas daw, yan yung ibang
pamahiin.

Interviewer: Does the ifugao kinship system affect the political landscape of the
Municipality, how?

Respondent: of course, considering that we still have the close family ties, kahit aya mo
yung… honestly speaking a, even you are within the family tapos yung kaugaliaan ng
family is ayaw mo talaga because it is wrong but during elections, you have no choice
but to vote that person. Even at the 2 nd cousin naman or 3rd cousin, kahit ayaw mo sa
kanya or kahit meron kayong hidwaan in the end during election at the moment you will
shade you will still consider your ahh…relationship with the person. Only if you could
practiced na talagang hindi nila iboboto but the things there is they would prefer not to
vote, the other also.

Interviewer: In terms of the state of political dynasty in the Municipality does it have an
effect? Ihnay bay effect ni kinship in forming Political D6ynasty?

Respondent: I think base on the previous elections it has no effect, given the example a.
In 2016 in Banaue this person run as a vice mayor his uncle who is the brother of her
mother runs a councilor and then his 1 st cousin run also as a councilor, so their where
two in the councilors slot and 1 at the Vice and then wala namang nanalo sa kanila,
although they are known in the municipality, walng nanalo. Now, this latest election, at
the barangay level, this person run for barangay captain, the son of his brother runs as
a Kagawad and then the result is the one who run in Barangay Captain lose then the
one who run as a Bgry. Kagawad took the second place. So, I think, the Kinship will not
affect the creation of political dynasty in Banaue. Otherwise, if that would happen then
this previous election should have given the best result or the best example of the
Political Dynasty

Interviewer: Will you vote a family member or relative if he or she decides to run for
consecutive terms?

Respondent: yes,

Interviewer: What if the family member is consecutively running in different positions?

Example from Mayor to Governor then to Congressman…
Respondent: if the performance is better than the opponent, based on ahhh… how you
see it then why not.

Interviewer: If you have a relative succeeding an elective position from a family

member, will you support them or not, why?

Respondent: yes, it is always boiled out to the performance of the person. I think I will
support if he will perform well
Interviewer: What if a family member keeps on getting elected in a position or stays in
politics despite finishing 3 terms, will you support them, why?

Respondent: of course

Interviewer: Will there be factors or reasons for you to not support a relative running for
a position during election?

Respondent: to be honest sa akin naman, ahhh…I always go with my principle that

those people who shall be elected must have to perform well and then meaning it would
benefit the many so for me, ahhh…. the relationship over performance…I think I always
go with the performance. That’s my principle regardless with my relationship with that
person, if that person could not provide and performed the needs and demands of the
people then why you still need to support them. In the 1 st place we are electing to
ahhhh… to help the community, to provide progress, to provide the needs of the people
and to make everyone’s happy

Voters Preferences and Kinship

Interviewer: How do you choose your political candidates? What are your qualifications?

Respondent: for me ahhh… I will always go with ahhh…. Their background, meaning
how they lead, if possible until 1 year old until they become a candidate. So, I will
always check their background. Second,is that their performance in their family alone,
how well, what is his/her relationship with their relaives, cousins or brothers and sisters,
second is within the community, there is achievement.becuase that will also reflect how
you could perform when you are on that positions and then educational attainment,
kailangan natin yan, gone where the days that we always respect the elders even
uneducated people but those where days when aahhhhhh…….when the needs and
demands of people are only for foods and then close realationship. But now hindi lang
yan ang ina-address natin ehhh. Imagine, noon ang rinerepeto nila, ang ine-elect nila na
mga leaders ehh mga sinasabi nila na mabuting tao, nakapagbibigay ng magandang
advices pero hanggang doon lng. Pero in our generation that is one among the criteria,
pero we’re given a technology in our modern world, we not only think about planting rice
and feeding ahhh…pigs or planting vegetables for us to live, no, because wala na
tayong lupa kailangan na nating magtrabaho, so those people who could address our
needs, examples pag gusto nating makapagtrabaho, sino ba ang pwede na uupo sa
gobyerno napwedeng makapagbigay ng magandang serbisyo.

Inetrviewer: so other factors, ihna hatu usum an insurat mi nga it can affect the voters
preferences, so 1st the party identification, what do you prefer with party of the family
member?

Respondent: I will go with my family, because I already assume na yung membro ng

pamilya ko is doing good

Interviewer: on the quality of candidate ng sir what do you prefer a smart candidate or a
family member?

Respondent: I will always go with my family, what if smart lang pero wala sa
performance

Interviewer: what if genuine compared with family member

Respondent: what do you mean by genuine, ideal politician ganon, I think ahhhh….
Sige lets go with the genuine

Interviewer: how about charismatic or family member?

Respondent: I don’t care charismatic

Interviewer: so how about ethniticy, ngy mas prefer mo, from the same ethnic group or
from other ethnic

Respondent: can I do it both?

Interviewer: its ok sir, what if with a successful career or yor family member?

Respondent: that will depend, actually that’s also my one of my ahhhh… criteria in
helping politicians. Even if aahh…..politicians is already successful for example they are
lawyer, doctor I don’t care provided that I will see their background they where once like
us ordinary people who once struggling until they reach their goal, and then by doing it
they really struggled in a good way and I could see it to them that they once in the
positions then they could perform or they could really feel what peoples need and
provide it then I’ll go with them regardless if the candidates that facing is one among my
kin.

Interviewer: what about sir, from a wealthy family of family member?

Respondent: I’ll go with my family

Interviewer: what about middle class

Respondent: kahit na, status of a politicians will not affect me

Interviewer: so kahit poor?

Respondent: yes, pano pag mahirap na nga pero pag pauupuin mo e lalo kang
pahihirapan

Interviewer: what is from a generational wealth

Respondent: hayaan mon a sila

Interviewer: what if well known family compare to your family member?

Respondent: I still go with my family, I don’t care if they are well known because I will
still go with performance then background of the person.

Interviewer: so lets go to the last question, what do you prefer the close relatives or the
distant relatives?

Respondent: that will depends because ahhhh… pag closed kasi, wala namang
problema jan eh, basta nakikita mon a talagang ipe-perform niya yung gusto niyang
positions sa isang politika, ganun din sa distat relatives. Actually ahhhh…. What we are
doing within our family members for three elections is that we divide it. We did also
credit, although they are distant and then we see to it that they could really help when
they are positions, so we divide our score but if you are asking my of who will I choose if
the closer one or the distant then I will still go with both of them, it will just only depend.