Think about it
Rachel Arenas, a natural politician
By Jun Velasco
HAPPY Birthday, Jose Rizal! Happy 59th anniversary, Dagupan City! And Happy Reopening Day, DZRH Dagupan!O, yes, happy birthday, Commissioner Al!
There’s a festive air in Dagupan. Time to indulge? The week also marks school reopening, masses of children and teenagers going back to school, snarled traffic and, oh, massive expenses drawing instant smiles and frowns from our financially burdened parents.
There’s a bit of anxiety and confusion, too in certain quarters, what with Pagasa’s warning of an imminent earthquake in Asia, the coming of rains, flash floods, sickness, a weakening peso and the overstaying political disturbances.
Time to brace up and focus on the essentials or be left behind in this fast-paced age.
* * *
At the East Central Elementary School, we heard Speaker Joe de Venecia report that with computers it’s now possible for pupils and students in Philippine classrooms to participate live in lectures and activities in Beijing or New York classrooms through satellite beams.
He capped his speech by giving two computers for the school and distributing notebooks, school papers, pencils, crayons. Socialized education? Not much money involved there, but it made an impact on the pupils who raced to reach the hands of their congressman and potential prime minister.
Joe de V was always doing this, but last week’s was done with such aplomb reminiscent of his campaigning in the 60’s.
In one day, he’d cover quite a mileage of five or more towns, several barangays and puroks and remained unruffled until sundown. Those in the entourage complained of his fast pace although were much younger who skipped one or two meetings and rejoined “wisely” for lunch or dinner.
“Are you campaigning for congressman?” we ask. He says the visits are for charter change which he describes as “our remaining salvation as a nation.”
Is there any way we could bring back Mayor Benjie Lim into the fold? We ask because in all his sorties in Pangasinan we only see Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, his charismatic father, Commissioner Al, former Vice Mayor Teddy Manaois, former Councilor Fred Quinto, and incumbent Councilors (Michael Fernandez, Jojo Guadiz, Jose Netu Tamayo, Farah Decano, Alex de Venecia and ABC president Eric Muñoz. But no Benjie.
His answer is snappy, “we want to help him, he is our mayor. But he should let us know how. He should stop sulking. He is our friend.”
Benjie shut himself from JdV as the un-natural offshoot of the hotly contested presidential race between PGMA and the late FPJ.
By what twist of a mind-boggling decision, Mayor Benjie, a major plank in Lakas-Dagupan and the FVR-JdV-GMA Triumvirate, jumped over to the Hyatt Ten side, leaving an ugly dent on the ruling political party’s armor. This rash decision is well-known by close friends as a proverbial temper or a BSL idiosyncrasy.
Benjie’s self-imposed alienation from Lakas has by force of circumstance thrown him to FPJ’s side or whatever party representing his memory. No such FPJ Party though exists in Pangasinan anymore.
We want to follow the logic of this decision. If Benjie guns for congressman, as he is telling everyone , he will have to summon all he has, personal charisma, leadership skills, and millions of resources, organization or campaign machine and time; he will have to race against time to form a party.
Benjie’s decision to fight JdV reminds us of former US poet laureate Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” which favored taking the less-traveled road. Problem in Benjie’s case is that real politik is vastly different from poetry. Having immersed himself in the rough and tumble game of power, Benjie knows deep in his heart what road to take.
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Pagani ganin Congresswoman Rachel Arenas impressed a packed People’s Astrodome where she addressed the graduates of the Asian Institute of E-Commerce College last Wednesday morning.
What won their hearts was her declaration that though a Harvard graduate with vast job offers abroad or in Manila, she opted to come home to offer herself in the service of the people.
Those who saw and heard her were in agreement that if she makes it to the House of Rep, Pangasinan will have a brilliant and eloquent representation in that body. The US-trained scholar was introduced as an inspiring woman because of her physical endowments and inner beauty and scholarly preparation. She is a good mixer, makes one feel like she was an old friend and strikes a conversation with everyone with great ease.
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