Think about it
Noynoy’s backers in Pangasinan
By Jun Velasco
DID you know that during the campaign, Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas dined thrice at Dagupeña?
People around were scrambling for space to get a piece of the next president, although no one then knew if he would win at the time.
The Aquino magic, it was already clear then, was in town. Cory or Ninoy magic, and now, Noynoy magic.
We personally checked this out with Dr. Anthony Castro, son of Dagupeña matriarch Emma Bernal-Castro, who proudly confirmed Noynoy’s visit of the historic restaurant. People in the area who heard us chat about Noynoy suddenly came forward to listen and swapped ideas.
A few names cropped up on who actually manned the ramparts for Noynoy’s electoral victory in the province which gave him the second biggest number of votes second only to Cebu nationwide.
But politicians the likes of Victor Agbayani who was LP provincial chairman, and cumpadre Al Fernandez, Noynoy’s pointman in Dagupan, and the rest who ran and either won or lost in the last elections were presumed to have worked more for their winning – “natural!” — than anything else.
It’s for this reason that our analysts put higher premium to private persons who campaigned for Noynoy like they were the candidates themselves.
Take our pare and neighbor in this page, Gonzalo Duque who single-mindedly pushed for Noy in all public forums, i.e. his column, his school Lyceum Northwestern University, and over DZRD radio and others.
Among the notables in the private sector who went all-out for Noynoy aside from Dr. Castro and the Duques were Jovie Bengson who serves as tycoon Cesar Duque’s chief executive officer; Sonny Enrique of Lingayen, Ben Datuin of Calasiao, Fred Go of Pozorrubio and William Chua of Villasis.
Working like Katipuneros of yore, the Noynoy campaigners in the province were in the midst of action that literally advanced the political supremacy of their candidate – exploiting his unbeatable pedigree to his first hand encounter with the leadership values such as of sacrifice his father so went through, his mother’s spirituality and lofty visions for Filipinos.
Of course, two past governors, Raffy Colet and Oca Orbos, rallied their old leaders to come out and be counted. Double 0 formed the cycling races “Noynoy Na Takbo Na” involving 100 veteran cyclists with Tour legend Jess Garcia that became a grand spectacle on many highways and roads in North and Central Luzon.
Secretly funding the races was former DPWH Sec. Jun Ebdane who trounced Amor Deloso, LP’s candidate for governor in Zambales, by landslide. Noynoy, by the way, soundly trounced Dick Gordon in his own home Zambales.
Back to Pangasinan, it will be noted that while Agbayani and Binmaley Mayor Rosario worked for Noynoy, they lost in the count, while re-electionist Governor Amado Espino, Jr., like outgoing Rep. Jose de Venecia, sided with Aquino in the homestretch of the campaign.
Observers recall that the Aquinos of Tarlac have their roots in Pangasinan particularly in the town of Mangaldan. This was confirmed by Jess Aquino Garcia.
* * *
Noynoy made phenomenal victories in San Jacinto, Binmaley, Lingayen, Bugallon, Pozorrubio, and Aguilar.
Did he win in Sto. Tomas town?
That’s no longer here or there. What matters now is how well will our new leader handle the presidency and how our people will help make him succeed. It’s both their calls now.
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