Playing with Fire
Mayor Belen’s transformative leadership
By Gonzalo Duque
NOTWITHSTANDING the non-stop put-downs by a few pathetic loud mouths against Mayor Belen Fernandez, the city of Dagupan — City Hall specially — is festive.
Why?
Because despite the bankruptcy that she inherited, the Mayora—with the Sanggunian’s support—was able to find ways to produce the much needed 13th and 14th-month pays of city hall employees.
Palakpak naman diyan!
This heartwarming news has lifted the faces—and feelings—of everyone at city hall.
We heard even the once dyed- in- the- wool loyalists of the past administration are now openly praising the mayora.
The ‘gifts’ timing is just perfect, they chorus, blasting to smithereens the words of a gloom and darkness being spread by incorrigible detractors against her.
Walang pupuntahan ang mga paninirang yan.
May narinig tayo na marumi raw ang ciudad. Anooo!!!
These people are blind to the bone. Or are they talking of another city? Kahit thousands ang nagdadagsaan sa ciudad, nalilinis agad pagkatapos ng gabi. Inspired ang mga workers. Nakikita nila ang magandang pamamalakad ng mayora.
Mabuti nman at nakita agad ni City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara ang punto ng pagbibigay ng 14th month pay. All this, says mayora, is in accordance with COA rules.
Mabuhay and Merry Christmas!
* * * *
Mayor Fernandez’s consistent policy on employees’ empowerment is meant to address its transformative process, i.e., the little or small people are being energized to unlock their leadership potentials in an honest, straight and straight-forward work-focused mantra.
Walang arte arte… you get what you see. Unlike in the past, some officials would dazzle their workers with show of kindness pero pakitang tao lang; worse, they don’t lift their spirit and develop the employees’ potentials.
Mapalad tayo at ang mayora ang mapagmahal, maalalahanin at pro-active.
Para nating naririnig yong lagging sambit ni Kuya Joe de V, “Masaya ang Christmas sa Dagupan dahil may Belen sila.”
Masayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!
* * * *
Siyanga pala, the president of the National Press Club Benny Artiponda has accepted our invitation to grace our Media Night on December 18 at the Stadia.
We meant to cancel it, but majority of our friends and members pleaded that we should celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Jun Velasco, 2-time director of NPC, told us Benny was recently elected president of the Confederation of Asean Journalists for which we are all proud.
Congrats, Sir Benny!
A successful businessman, Benny beat all past NPC presidents in renovating the NPC building, which can now compare with the best press club buildings around the world.
Benny is on the forefront of the nationwide crusade against killings of journalists most of who are based in the countryside.
* * * *
There was a mis-print in our last week’s column, which should have been thus, “This ‘history’ subject reminds us of our effort to make our mark in the integration of the province’s history with the education curriculum. We remember a Pangasinan high education official in the province who has devised a methodology that would enable school children learn their local history even while they are young.
Preparing the book cost P10-million. (the itals did not see print).
Sadly, the project did not see success because of poor coordination then.
But lately, with Vice Gov. Ferdie Calimlim’s personal follow-up with Sec. Armin Luistro, we’re sure a milestone will happen early next year.
* * * *
Our Indian partner Ashok Vasandani is grinning from ear to ear because he is leaving the Conquerors’ presidency with a lot of accomplishments. Just like his predecessor Norman Velasco who, we are told, is moving to Security Bank, this Christian group has had good, very dynamic leaders.
Hope Ashok’s successor will be as good if not as better than he. We heard his group will play host to a well known psychic Danny Atienza, who has a TV program in Manila.
Danny raw disagrees with the Hindu prophet who predicted that a killer skin disease will hit Pangasinan and the Ilocos. Or has the disease arrived?
God forbid!
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