Nani, Espine, Orbos and Pangasinan politics

By Al S. Mendoza

IF IT’S TRUE that Nani Braganza is fed up with politics, I’ll be darn.  Drat!

Nani is too good a guy to leave the political scene this early – if ever he does. He’s only 42.  The whole world is right there for his grabbing, anytime.

If the mayor of Alaminos City sticks to his threat of giving it all up, my golly, good governance’s loss is corrupt-laden governance’s gain.

But no, if I read it right, Nani’s only fed up with Alaminos politics? Or national politics, maybe?

But how can he so easily desert Alaminos, his beloved land of birth which, I’m constantly told, has been reaping the rewards of Nani’s no-nonsense style of leadership?

C’mon, Nani, say it ain’t true.

Now, if I read the report of our Eva Visperas in the Philippine STAR right, Nani seems disappointed only with national politics.  And I can’t blame Nani for that.

Look, we all know that Nani used to inhabit the corridors of big time political power as he used to hold Cabinet positions like Press and Agrarian secretary on separate occasions. Not everybody is given the luxury of holding two Cabinet positions; and Nani was only in his 30s when he held both powerful positions. 

Talk about trust. 

Talk about confidence. 

Nani has both, else.

But brilliance of mind could only be the reason behind those twin appointments that came Nani’s way.  Cheers!

Eva has quoted Nani as saying he was unhappy with the way things are shaping up today in the national political scene.

“Imagine the foot soldiers of the national political parties are confused,” Eva quoted Nani as saying.  “If they are confused, how much more with the people?”

With humility, Nani now considers himself a foot soldier.  And what a damn good foot soldier he has always been. 

In Nani, Ate Glue has one of the best foot soldiers in her camp, right smack in the nation’s vote-rich province that is Pangasinan. She simply can’t afford to lose Nani. Nani is too young for pastureland.

Now, how about this?  My legman tells me Nani might run for governor of Pangasinan.

Aha, interesting! 

If true, Nani will be up against Dr. Agbayani (Victor’s wife, who else?), Rep. Amado Espino of the second district (my beloved district), Irrigation boss Art Lomibao and incumbent vice governor Oscar Lambino.

And then toss in another: Oscar Orbos, the former governor himself, whose political clout and enduring charisma remain essentially visible as always. 

Listen to my legman:  “Orbos is ahead of the pack because he is the lone oppositionist as the five others are basically Ate Glue’s allies.”

I can believe that.

In Orbos, we deal only with Orbos.

In the rest of Orbos’ five opponents, we deal not only with the five Orbos foes but also with Ate Glue.

Too many cooks spoil the broth, goes the saying.

Politics is like cooking: You need ingredients to get the desired result. 

Sometimes, the ingredients fight for a vantage position, the right taste.

At times, the ingredients become unwieldy.

Listen to Nani: “Your companion now will be your enemy tomorrow and your enemy      yesterday is your companion now.”

Well said, Nani.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/)

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