Business Log
Gallant is definitely running
By Eva C. Visperas
So you think the next political battle is still eight months away and the political pot has yet to brew? It has long started to boil, in Pangasinan third district, that is.
Lawyer Gallant Soriano, the deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) who hails from San Carlos City, has bared his plans to run as congressman in the third district in the 2007 elections, making the congressional fight an exciting three-cornered fight between a Harvard-educated, a three-term mayor and a son of an incumbent congressman.
He formally informed his leaders last Saturday about his plan during his belated birthday celebration in their family residence in San Carlos City.
“I am offering myself as an alternative leader and I feel that with our network here and abroad, we can do so many things for our district,“ the 45-year old Soriano, said in an interview with this corner several hours prior to his announcement.
Soriano is the youngest son of the late Jack Soriano who was former congressman of second district in this province and mayor of this city for many, many years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Major in Economics and Bachelor of Laws both in San Beda College in Manila.
Soriano will possibly slug it out with Rachel Arenas, Harvard University educated and daughter of philanthropist Baby Arenas, Bayambang Mayor Leocadio de Vera Jr who’s in his third term, and Jun Tulagan, son of Rep. Generoso Tulagan who is on his final term. All three have been going around feeling the people’s pulse.
Incidentally, how San Carlos City votes is crucial because it is vote rich having about more than 100,000 voters. Gallant’s Kuya Douglas was also a three-term mayor who has adopted General Douglas MacArthur’s “I shall return” slogan hung in one corner of the fence where the birthday party was held.
Gallant said politics is a “calling… and there are three events that must concur with you if you decide to enter it. As political pundits would say, it has to be the right time, the right person, the right position”.
“I think so it’s the right time,” he said. It’ll surely become more exciting, I bet, when the big day comes.
But Rachel and Leo are not a bit worried. I talked to both before I wrote this piece. Leo was laughing, and showed no signs of worry. Rachel she will continue with her barangay sorties and concentrate on her mission.
So will it be Rich (as Rachel is called by some people), Gallant (who is expected to be Galante in sharing his blessings), or the Generous’ son Leo Boy, always a very jolly guy.
For sure, the third district will be where the action is this coming May. I’m so excited!
(You can also read this writer’s other stories at http://businessblog.prepys.com.)
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