SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. When the provincial board of Pangasinan reorganized its committee chairmanships, it forgot to list one important committee where many board members can easily qualify to become its chairman.

It’s the Committee on Silence.

The current composition of the board is already one year and 11 months in office since their election. But sadly, many of them still have not said a word during discussions or deliberations. About six of them have been heard only to say “Present” or merely raise their hands during roll call, then silence for the entirety of their sessions.

Sayang ang pera ng taong-bayan na dapat i- represent nila.

Having been covering the provincial board sessions since I started in the media, 25 years to be exact, I could not help but compare previous provincial legislators when their discussions were too good to be missed. There were intelligent discussions, each board member wanting to talk, to contribute, not to be outdone or outsmarted.

During the time of then Vice Gov. Gonz Duque, Bokals Romy de Leon, Bobby Ferrer, Diony Antiniw, Editha Demetria, Bobby Sison, to name a few, deliberations were so intelligent and intense, each unafraid to voice his or her opinion.

But things have changed, so did the set up in the succeeding compositions. And little by little, the intensity and the fire, the wit and the eloquence, started to fade away.

Anggapo lay agasang na tongtongan, anggapo lay onkontra , kasabi dad sesyon plantsado la.

Kawaen. Sayang.—TITA ROCES

 

DIMINISHING DAGUPAN BANGUS? Like the BFAR, we doff our hat to the successful tagging of the Dagupan bangus, one of the many major accomplishments thus far of the present Dagupan City administration.

Now, the producers can be assured of getting fair and better prices for their Dagupan bangus which on many occasions in the past were not priced differently than those produced in western Pangasinan or in other coastal areas in the country.

In Metro Manila, vendors will soon have to stop their old gimmick of identifying any bangus as Dagupan bangus even if the size, shape and smell are obviously not Dagupan bangus.

With the tag “Dagupan Certified.” the local bangus will earn respect in the market and will undoubtedly spawn a definite demand for a tagged Dagupan bangus which leads us to the question – i.e. Dagupan produce  more bangus than what it can today when the fishponds are getting smaller and fewer because of the greater demand for urbanization? That’s the question. – LEONARDO MICUA    

 

HONEST AND EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP. Recently two possible 2016 presidential candidates- one is a sure bet, the other, I guess, is still testing the waters, yet- have defined what our leader should be like. One said, a leader should be the one with experience, the other batted for honesty as the primary requisite for a true leader. Each one has a good point.

Indeed, we need a leader, a president, who has experience and one who is honest. But does it have to be a choice between the two virtues? If you were to be asked, will you go for experience over honesty, or vice versa? For me, our leader must have both.

I was happy to learn Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and I share the same view. In his recent visit to our beloved Pangasinan, he was asked by the media about the two choices. He said he’d go for both qualities. We should have a leader who is, “Matapat na, may experience pa.” He went on to say we should have a leader who has both values and a vision.

And I couldn’t agree more. For what is leadership expertise if driven by just personal interests? On the one hand, what is truthfulness in leadership when one cannot be competent? In other words, what is intelligence without virtues? And what are good values without proficiency? Besides, we are talking about the highest elective seat in the country, we shouldn’t settle with just one quality.

Oh and I remember what my beloved University said about it – “Honor and Excellence.” –JOHANNE MACOB

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments