By Eva C. Visperas

 

IT was not yet time to wake up at 3:25 a.m. on Wednesday, but the insistent barking of my loyal dogs prompted me to slowly rise from my bed.

Last week, vertigo temporarily halted my passion for writing, a pursuit I’ve cherished for the past 34 years. It served as a reminder to slow down, breathe, and enjoy life in its simplest forms.

During this forced vacation for reinvigoration, memories occupied my thoughts, particularly about work and the latest political happenings.

Over-fatigue, heat exhaustion, lack of sleep, and stress had drained my energy, especially while covering the filing of candidacy from October 1-8 for next year’s elections. The tent shielding us from the scorching sun outside the Pangasinan Comelec office offered little relief from the heat. To add to that, I couldn’t ignore the undeniable effects of aging.

It’s yet another lesson in news-hunting as we accumulate years in this profession.

While in recovery, I reminisced about past years of covering COC filings. I recalled several instances involving Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, who began her political journey as a councilor, ascended to vice mayor, and eventually became mayor.

Her secret to political success, much like her approach to business being a mall magnate, is consistency, determination, and an immense amount of hard work.

I had the opportunity to work closely with her as the City Information Officer (CIO). When she reclaimed her mayoral seat in 2022, I finally accepted her long-time offer to join her team. Few know that the moment she first won the mayoralty, she persistently called me to accept the CIO position. At that time, I was still with The Philippine Star, waiting for my retirement.

When the pandemic hit and businesses, including media outlets, faced significant challenges, I seized the opportunity for early retirement and accepted Mayor Belen’s offer.

Even before her official oath-taking, we — she, I, and our team of cameramen — began touring the city, notably visiting the Bonuan dumpsite. It was imperative to address the issue of the massive garbage piles there, despite claims by the outgoing city administration that waste management was not a problem. I still have photos in my cellular phone capturing the overwhelming sight of mountains of trash, flies, and the unforgettable unpleasant odor. This visit occurred weeks before the official turnover of responsibilities between outgoing and incoming city officials.

I was nearly overwhelmed. It almost made me want to give up before I even began my role as CIO.

Imagine a humble Mayor Belen telling us after that grueling tour that we would have an early lunch of pork barbecue and inihaw na bangus at Mang Tito’s shed in Tondaligan Park. Yes, despite the experience, we momentarily forgot the stench at the dumpsite.

We continued our visits to the dumpsite, where she engaged local residents who were turning trash into cash for their livelihoods. And we kept coming back to Mang Tito’s best-selling pork barbecue.

During floods, she brought us along to inundated areas, ensuring she saw the reality on the ground for effective response, and supervising the distribution of relief goods. I quickly realized the value of investing in a pair of rain boots to protect myself from flood-related illnesses.

I also fondly recall her humility during visits to public markets. Despite her financial success, she dined at local turo-turos, genuinely enjoying the simple dishes of everyday people. Siyempre, sama-sama together kami.

Of course, we had real sumptuous meals too on occasion and it would be like a fiesta. “Stomach progress” as our team loved to describe it.

She approached each working day as if it were the best day, putting in remarkable effort. Hindi kinaya ng powers ko yung sobrang sipag niya.

So, when I saw the large crowd wearing red t-shirts gather as she filed her COC for another term, I knew it meant something significant.

The fire of her passion for work continues to burn brightly, and the people’s love for her grows even stronger!

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