Punchline
Make way for the women
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
What a day of surprises the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy was!
Topping the list was the surprise entry of an old friend Celia Chua-Lim, wife of former Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim in the 4th congressional race. Just when everyone thought Manay Gina de V would slug it out in a not too evenly matched contest with two administration bets, LTO chief Arturo Lomibao and DENR’s Eli Quinto, the voice of soft-spoken Celia suddenly reverberated.
While Lomibao’s shadow vanished and Quinto is steadfast in his objective, the reliable network of Cong. Joe de V will likely hold sway over the two. The Lims’ ragtag team that had not seen a semblance of any resuscitation since the twin debacle of Celia’s hubby Benjie and son Brian’s 2007 foray in the district and in the city, will take some doing to reorganize and be effective.
But like they say, “It ain’t over till it’s over” and the fresh image of “Manang Celia” and former activist Eli could just give “Manay Gina’s” political savvy a cause for worry.
Yet without meaning to belittle Eli Q’s candidacy, he who has the capability to pull the carpet from under the two ladies’ feet, between you and I, I always find a contest between women more stimulating and yes, unpredictable. After all, there is an exclusive new factor that will be placed in the political equation – a woman’s instinct. It’s the kind of instinct that knows no rhyme or reason but somehow almost always catches a nasty rat, no matter how big.
Ask former Speaker Joe de V and Mayor Benjie, they know!
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The entry of more women in politics, never mind that most are wives of has-been politicos, is a welcome development in this generation. Somehow, with a woman at the helm, honesty and sincerity are presumed virtues until the husband starts dictating what’s good for him first and her, second.
I believe that was the case even with President Gloria. The euphoria that accompanied her ascent to power was premised on the two presumed virtues. Note that her political troubles started when reports of series of corruption and infidelity involving her husband, Mike, began to spread. It has been downhill since for her.
President Cory was lucky in the sense that there was no domineering Ninoy to badger her. She only had to contend with a political brother Peping whose name was dragged in small nasty deals as well, but not big enough to drag her down.
So here’s my unsolicited advice to political wives with surviving husbands – you only promised devotion in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer… but never in politics and public service! Check with the priests who married you. Take heed lest you become another GMA whose distrust ratings keep falling each day, and you begin looking like another wicked witch! Be the all knowing, kindhearted, honest and beautiful queens that you are. Ignore the flatteries of the scheming court jesters.
In a sense, single ladies provide a benefit to our people that others may have difficulty providing as public servants – it’s easy for them to have an affair in governance with their constituents without macho husbands looking over their shoulders. May I cite Cong. Rachel Arenas and Dagupan Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez.
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RECYCLING THE CALAMITY RELIEF GOODS. In this season of giving, beware of the politicos, particularly the incumbents in typhoon devastated areas, who give out food and goodies with labels that bear their names or their wives’ or children’s running in next year’s elections.
Chances are these are part of the calamity relief goods delivered to them by foreign and local donors in the aftermath of the Typhoon Pepeng.
They who recycled the relief goods ought to be ashamed of themselves for their grievous misuse of other people’s generosity, as they take advantage of the poverty of others.
May karma yan!
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THE HIDDEN GUNS. We may not have seen the execution and assassination of politicians, judges, businessmen and journalists here in the scale of the Maguindanao massacre but certainly Pangasinan has had its share of victims felled by assassins hired by the powerful and the rich.
This alone is an indication of the continued failure of the PNP to net the thousands of loose firearms in the province. Without a doubt, there are politicos and businessmen out there who have kept an arsenal all these years but have remained ‘untouchables’, courtesy of our politicos, and the PNP hierarchy.
Perhaps, with the momentum provided by the investigation of the Maguindanao Massacre, Smiley PD Barba will decide to surprise us with a number of search warrants to be served against known powerful and rich personalities in the province. If he does, he’d surely be just a bus ride away from the chief PNP post in the years ahead. But will he be on his mettle? Hmmmm.
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INFOMERCIALS & PLATFORMS. Here’s a simple election game you can play right away to help you decide on who you should vote for.
Read, watch and listen keenly to what the candidates are saying about themselves and what they say they can do for you. If you are observant, you will notice candidates vying for legislative posts talking like they are vying for executive posts. It means they have no idea what they are gunning for and can only think of what pork barrel can do. So cross them out. A post in legislation requires knowledge about laws and the process of making them.
Then candidates running for executive posts who can only make motherhood statements about change and reforms, really have nothing to offer but a song and dance. Cross them out. Would-be executives are expected to talk about specific problems that ail the nation or the community.
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