By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

AFTER failing to block the passage of Dagupan City’s 2025 annual budget and the supplemental budgets that went it, now comes the opposition’s ploy to stall action on any activities that will boost the Belen administration’s unliserbisyo.

In fact, the life of obstructionism continues to breathe life among the 7 epaLiFes. The burning of the dumpsite last week as an act of sabotage was predicted given the palpable desperation and frustration of the opposition to stop her administration from achieving even her vision on environmental protection.

Worse, their timing for the burning was off. It was obviously not vetted at all. With truckloads of unsegregated wastes already being picked up daily for delivery to the landfill, the burning only exposed and confirmed who are likely behind the fire at the dumpsite. Surely, it can’t be the villagers or illegal occupants within 500 meters from the dumpsite, simply a risky thought. Will the scavengers even dare burn their livelihood?

It can only be the handiwork of politicians in the opposition who have everything to gain – and not much to lose!

I’d surely like to hear any of the 7 epaLiFes to deny this – and lie!

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INEPTNESS AND INACTION. I also wonder how the COMELEC officials in Pangasinan feel each day when they drive to-and-fro their homes and offices and see all the violations of postering getting worse every day due to their ineptness and inaction.

Imagine what their friends and relatives say behind their backs on seeing the results of their negligence during the campaign period.

The only way to escape public castigation is for them to, at least, show some initiative by visibly removing some posters from their homes to the offices.  Hopefully, this will at least make one or two local candidates feel some guilt about shaming the Comelec officials.

The photos from our Cesar Ramirez show this to be happening in Lingayen.

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MY FAVORITES TO THE SENATE. My favorite bet to the senate, former Sen. Ping Lacson, always has practical solutions to seeming contentious problems in governance that don’t require compromises.

He says people can still win the fight vs corruption by lifting the Bank Secrecy Law on elected officials and government employees.  This is thumbs up. Wonder no more why he can never be voted as president.

Then, to prevent VIPs from attempting to use the busways on EDSA for “emergency purposes’, he suggests that the directions of the busways be reversed or against the direction of the vehicular traffic. Make the buses do a ‘counterflow’ from inside the barricaded busways.  Goodbye VIPs always feeling entitled.

To help divert the young from being potential drug addicts, policemen must learn the art of teaching. He believes our police should already be trained to work closer with the community, teachers and schools instead of being just a law enforcer. “They can explain to our youths the whys and hows of staying away from illegal drugs,” Lacson said. Our cops need not be feared but respected.

Having closely reviewed and studied the process of budgeting for years, he knows whence he speaks when he described the GAA 2025 full of sources for corruption.

I rest my case.

Then, my favorite reelectionist is Sen. Pia Cayetano.  She easily gains the respect of her colleagues as chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee, the Education Committee, Finance Committee, Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking.  She always stood to debate issues on the floor that threaten quality of life of Filipinos.

Empowering women and girls is her foremost advocacy. As a triathlete, she encourages fitness and sports, and creates awareness on maternal and child health. She supports children with special needs and those under difficult circumstances through Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation. Fitness, and care for the environment are the hallmarks of her Bike for Hope. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Senator Pia started ‘Pilipinas In Action’ and mobilized the ‘bayanihan’ spirit to provide assistance to our health workers, economic frontliners, and the most vulnerable sectors.

One of her advocacies is to see less Filipinos die from lung infections due to smoking, whether from cigarettes or vaping.  She fought for measures to discourage smoking in every way.

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STO. TOMAS EXAMPLE. During the Covid pandemic, the spirit of bayanihan came to the fore. Civic-spirited individuals in several communities opened pantries, free food for those in need. And there were aplenty, they who had no income or livelihood to support decent meals for the families. 

It’s refreshing, therefore, to learn that a similar concept has been organized in the town of Sto. Tomas! The big difference is, farmers are part of the concept! They are encouraged to donate their surplus vegetable produce or harvests that could no longer be sold out of constraints in resources. 

Of course, the son-and-father Mayor-Vice Mayor of the town would find the opportunity to be generous to the generous farmers. 

The food items are free to families known to have little in life. Sto. Tomas being a small town, that should not be difficult to establish.

I hope the example set by the Villars in Sto. Tomas will cascade in every town in the province. Like they say –Sana All!

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DIVERSIONARY TACTICS. Leave it to political strategists to choose what buttons to press in crisis situations.

The rule no. 1: Divert attention away from the impending crisis.

The sparks from the growing public interest in the Supreme Court’s hearings on the unfunding of PhilHealth and funds raised for Makarlika Fund can temporarily divert attention away from the brouhaha that is the bicameral conference that led to the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Another tactic is to draw attention to the impeachment.  Out of nowhere, Senate President Chiz Escudero announces the senate’s impeachment calendar to evoke public reaction and possibly debate over its propriety and predicted timeline – impeachment trial ends on July 30!

Pass the popcorn!

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I will miss interacting with Judge Ulysses Butuyan, the incorruptible Pangasinan judge, who left us to be with our Creator two weeks ago. He was witty with a brilliant mind. He was my favorite columnist at the time.  I pray he inspired many lawyers and judges, very much like he inspired me not to lose sight of corruption in our midst.

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