Business Log
An ugly experience in Alaminos City
By Eva C. Visperas
Honestly, I admire Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza for being a workaholic, and the programs he is implementing in his city are newsworthy.
He is a good news source. I normally interview him by phone only considering how far his city is from Dagupan City.
Tuesday, I sought an appointment with him for an interview. I told him Kuya Ding Micua, Yolly of Inquirer and Orland of USATV will be with me.
The mayor said he will expect us to arrive before lunch.
So off we went to Alaminos City.
When we arrived, the mayor was still out. Next recourse was to see the city administrator. Mr. Ernesto Malay, the former Philippine Tourism Authority regional director and who served as Nani’s (that’s Mayor Braganza’s nickname) administrator has resigned or “retired” early. So, it’s now retired Col. Wilmer Panabang who occupies Malay’s vacated post.
We entered the room and greeted him ‘Good Morning, Sir’. Panabang, browsing documents, seemed to have hearing difficulty (or worse, pretended not to be listening). He didn’t reply and didn’t even bother to look at me. He did the same to Yolly when she was introduced by Kuya Ding.
So, I repeated my greeting when I stood near him. This time, the poker-faced Panabang responded.
Okay, we were served coffee and biscuit automatically by an office worker even without instructions from Panabang. Thank you Madam (whoever you are) for that kind act.
Panabang kept signing and browsing documents unmindful that we were seated in front of his desk. (Oh by the way, he was seated seemingly hiding in one corner, suggesting that he is not ready to serve. Anyone who enters his office can not easily see him). He didn’t stop at anytime to talk to us. So we asked someone to look for Ivy from their City Information Office so we could have someone to interview while waiting for the mayor to arrive.
Then, I overheard Panabang talking to someone (obviously the mayor) asking if we had arrived.
“Yes, sir they’re now here…” he said. From what I heard, the mayor wanted us to see him at the PTA resort for the interview and possibly lunch.
But for some reason, Panabang just kept the mayor’s instructions to himself.
He didn’t bother to relay it to us.
Ivy finally came and we asked her if we could interview the city agriculturist or Mr. Roel Añonuevo, the city planning and development officer, as suggested by Yolly so that our time would not be wasted while waiting for the mayor.
Ivy accompanied us to the conference room and Mr. Añonuevo came but before we could ask him our questions about their projects, he excused himself to ask Panabang’s permission to grant the interview. He didn’t come back and didn’t have the courtesy to explain why he could not grant us the interview. Looks like there is EO 464 here.
Then, came Ivy again asking us if we would want to go ahead to the resort.
So we said why go there and when the mayor would not be there? What would we do there? No clear answer from Ivy.
After waiting for an hour with no one to interview, we decided to leave and have lunch (kanya-kanyang bayad) in a nearby Jollibee store.
It seemed it didn’t take long for Panabang to realize how inconsiderate, imprudent and ill-mannered he was. A male CIO photographer was sent to trace our whereabouts and begged us to go back. We said we didn’t find the need to and would have to return to Dagupan after lunch.
While on the road to Sual, a friendly Panabang called Yolly on her cellphone but Yolly prudently passed the phone to me knowing she would not mince words to give Panabang’s his due for his ill manners.
To my surprise, Panabang sounded very friendly and imploring. He wanted us to return.
Thanks but no thanks sir. We (and anybody for that matter who comes to your office) deserve a little respect and better treatment. Maybe Panabang always had that bad attitude and nobody had pointed out his bad manners.
When we reached Dagupan, Mayor Nani texted me and said the food he prepared was spoiled because we didn’t show up at the resort.
I replied and the told him about the group’s nightmarish encounter with Panabang and suggested that Panabang be tasked to be more efficient (and courteous) as chief of Public Order and Safety Office, and as public servant.
An hour later, I learned from a police official who knew him that Panabang actually ran but was defeated as mayoralty candidate in Ilocos.
No wonder!
(You can also read this writer’s other stories at http://businessblog.prepys.com.)
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