Covering Dagupan council sessions again

By Eva C. Visperas

WHILE listening to Bombo Radyo Friday morning, I heard local journalist Edmund Abubo saying that Dagupan City Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez has just beat his record for being the early bird in the city hall for many years now since he’s been covering the city hall beat.

Yes, for many days since she assumed as vice mayor, sources said Madam Belen reports to the office very early. Yes, as early as 6:00 a.m. Wow! Many, including me, just wake up around that time.

Does she really work that way? I asked a media friend close to Vice Mayor Belen. Yes, she’s a workaholic. For her, time is gold and her work habit in her own business that has led to its tremendous growth would most likely be adopted in the Sangguniang Panlungsod where she is the presiding officer.

But unlike other officials who introduce change drastically, sometimes adopting military style, Vice Mayor Belen says she does her way with a human touch and understanding.

She said she will work full time as vice mayor. That means she will be more visible in the city hall than in her malls. VM Belen is the type of person who consults knowledgeable ones for guidance in performing her task as a public official. She’s open to suggestions. I could feel how warm city hall employees are with her and with Mayor Al Fernandez. They feel like one big happy family working together.

Of course, she has initiated dialogues with her staff and some department heads and has began evaluating aspects that need to be improved on to serve the people better.

We know her predecessor, Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, was equally energetic and dedicated. And Madam Belen could learn a lot from Alvin’s experiences in running the affairs of the city council and, of course from Mayor Al, too, who was also a city vice mayor during his younger years.

By the way, the first session was not perfect but that’s how it was in many town or city councils we had observed. Practice makes perfect.

We are glad to be back at the city hall, too, to cover the sessions. We started our renewed coverage last week and we hope to do it regularly. It’s been such a long time, way back in the 90s I guess, when we would regularly attend the sessions there.

Councilor Dada Reyna approached me and said, “Ma’am, I’m in my proper attire!”  

“Yes, and you look very pretty and dignified,” I commented.

Councilor Dada and the rest of the city councilors never forgot my previous column about a dress code in the Sangguniang Panlungsod session. I hope they will forever be conscious about it. I hope the councilors will never attend again their sessions in maong pants and faded t-shirts as if they were doing their marketing chores.

Oh, well, everybody looked so honorable with his/her proper attire last Monday. Please keep it up.

Thank you to Councilor Joey Tamayo for immediately responding to our request to transfer the media gallery to a more convenient location.

Oh, by the way, several media colleagues made some negative remarks about Councilor Samson’s pose during their photo sessions.

Kumun Councilor, tondaan yo la may panag pose yo ya singa si FPJ odino si Rene Requiestas (a.k.a. Chetae) ta aliwliwa.

You look better as Chito Samson. Period!

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

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