Punchline
Citizens’ politics
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
DON’T look now but it seems more political blood in the local scenery will be drawn as the 2016 election nears with a twist.
Fortunately, it’s the usual political pot calling the kettle black because that would have predictable results and yield nothing but ho-hum reactions from the electorate. We are seeing the intervention and involvement of advocates for good governance taking center stage, standing up to politicos.
We have this in the controversy over the alleged irregular sale of the MC Adore Hotel property in Dagupan City, the alleged black sand mining in Lingayen, alleged illegal transfer of the Bayambang school to another venue, the alleged misuse of a tobacco excise tax share in Alcala. And now comes the alleged misuse of tobacco excise tax in Laoac town. The catalyst in this case is the Save Pangasinan Movement.
In all these allegations, it is not the politicians that are directly raising the issues but concerned individuals from among the electorate, which is a positive development.
These days, claims of achievements by politicos are no longer simply taken with a grain of salt as traditional propaganda by concerned citizens. The citizens are beginning to stand up to validate or refute claims of politicians. And they are not stopping there. They are taking the cudgels for the governed and are no longer averse to filing formal charges against alleged corrupt officials, regardless of who and how it favors another politico.
A quick look at the list of complaints filed with the Ombudsman will attest to this. And to the credit of the present Ombudsman, the complaints are being given due course, rightly or wrongly.
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DAGUPAN WILL SURVIVE. The vision of Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez to start having multi-level classroom buildings only in the city is timely, if not long overdue.
We have long known that the city is not only below sea level but sitting on a liquefaction-prone area, yet wonder of all wonders, I don’t recall having heard government planners state any need or the urgency to guide and encourage homeowners and business groups to build only multi-level buildings because of these facts about the city’s topography.
In Brunei and in Thailand, houses on stilts were the norm for decades. Should we start considering the same mode for the next 3 generations? Or should Dagupan already consider studying how Venice became what it is today?
The only thing I need to hear from our planners is: so how should buildings and homes be structured and built for the future given that the city is likely to be hit, not only by constant flooding but by earthquakes or tsunami?
Given Mayor Belen’s refreshing vision, I have no doubt, the city will never be erased from the map contrary to doomsayers’ prediction, all because the city is below the sea level.
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MAKING DENR ACCOUNTABLE. The provincial board, many of whom our Tita Roces claim to be members of the “silent majority,” may not think much of the garbage war that surfaced in Binmaley town between the AFP and the LGU, but the fact is, we have a serious and worsening crisis in waste disposal management in the province.
The landfill in Urdaneta might have helped mitigate the situation for many towns and cities, but do they know how many open and uncontrolled dumpsites are still out there polluting our air, surroundings and rivers?
The unabated and irresponsible disposal of wastes in the towns is a disaster waiting to happen but unlike floods and earthquakes, widespread pollution will not be detectable until an epidemic among children breaks out, water is contaminated, fish become scarce, food chain is disrupted, etc.
We have a potential calamity that can be avoided and contained by government. If our national and local government agencies are not made to account today, tomorrow will be too late. It is bad enough that we are experiencing a harsh climate change that man cannot control, to allow wastes to aggravate our situation is most unkind and disastrous for our children and their children.
I certainly hope the provincial board will soon make the Department of Environment and Natural Resources account for its activities, including its negligence in the province.
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FOLLOW-UP SUMMIT. The update given by P/Supt. Benjamin P. Ariola, action officer of the provincial anti-illegal drugs special operation task group (PAIDSTOG) is a good update for a start (read our page 1 story).
It’s still long on narratives and awfully short in the delivery of campaign’s data but I have no doubt we will begin to see more pertinent and significant data as the campaign moves forward. At least that’s as far as the police component is concerned. The campaign finally has some data to chew on and act on.
The political component of the campaign is another. The province needs to see the inputs of both the Liga ng mga Barangay and the Provincial Anti-Drug Advisory Council (PADAC) as well. So far, both groups don’t seem to be relevant to the campaign. I thought Guv Spines has shown the way when he convened the provincial summit on Anti-Illegal Drugs but nothing has since been heard from Liga Federation Pogi Espino and PADAC chair Vice Guv Ferdie Calimlim.
How many ADACs have they activated? Which towns and cities have complied with Guv Spines’ directive that budgets be allocated to support the campaign in their level?
If they think that the anti-drugs campaign is all about police action, then I’m afraid Guv Spines is doomed to fail in his effort to crush the drug syndicates.
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G- SPOT IS IN THE HOUSE. Next week, The PUNCH will have another distinguished Pangasinense as a columnist, in the person of Virginia “Gie” Jasmin Pasalo.
The title of her weekly column will be G-Spot! No typo-error there. Hold on to your seats because it’s not exactly what you think it is. I, too, almost fell off my chair when she told me her preferred column title. She said she will explain why she chose it in her first article next week.
Gie, is really no stranger to the lettered community being a highly respected poetess here and overseas, a Commissioner of the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission, Executive Director of the International Visitor Leadership Program-Philippines (IVLP-Phils) and Founding Chairperson, Women in Development . (She thinks women need more empowerment than they already have!).
She is a former Trustee (representing women) in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, a Parvin Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, USA, former consultant to the UN, International Social Science Council, Philippine Congress and the City of Dagupan.
She edited the “Pangasinan Pinablin Dalin,” a book on the province’s historical and cultural development, published by the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission.
Given her credentials, she knows whence she writes as G-Spot! Read her next week!
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