By Gonzalo Duque

 

I want to congratulate all the winners in the recently concluded local elections. And best wishes to those who lost and accepted their defeat. To those who lost but are still at it, continuing with their politics, better luck next time.

When I attended the proclamation of Mayor Belen Fernandez, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua and their three winning candidates for councilors at the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall I felt suffocated. Ang daming tao, excitedly greeting them, welcoming back Belen.

Looking at the situation, I suggested to Comelec that next time, it should hold a  proclamation in a public place where there is enough breathing space. It doesn’t have to be at the SP session hall. It could have been held at the Dagupan Astrodome there being no other spacious area. But at that time, I’m sure Mayor Brian won’t have allowed it.

In fact, because of the maddening crowd, I lost my face mask. May pumansin sa akin that I had no face mask on. There I was, always careful avoiding any gathering attended by a suffocating crowd, suddenly in the middle of it, all I wanted to see Belen and company proclaimed.

The Comelec can very well do the canvassing of votes in the SP session hall but a proclamation requires a much bigger venue. How can anyone prevent supporters of the winning candidates from wanting to be part of the their celebration, in their moment of glory?

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In Dagupan, I personally find many of the programs of the outgoing Lim administration questionable, possibly tainted with fraudulent transactions.  To the city hall occupants, I have to ask: Napag-usapan ninyo na ba yan? May approval na ba yan? May  public hearing bang ginawa? Saan ninyo kukunin ang pagpapagawa niyan? 

Methinks, all, except Brian and his cronies, were blindsided about these issues. 

For instance, I consider the rush decision to build a new city hall at its present site to be ill-motivated. It was obviously meant to preempt Mayor Belen and to resurrect the old brouhaha three years ago about the transfer of the city hall to another site. But that plot ultimately backfired in the face of Brian as shown by the tsunami of support that backed Belen in the just concluded polls.

It was obvious there was no comprehensive planning, no consultation with the other officials and the people of Dagupan before Brian embarked on that plan to build a new city hall at its present site while leaving the old city hall intact. 

He perhaps thought he could impress the electorate of Dagupan with a well-designed building on a tarpaulin to help his reelection bid. But he kept everyone in the dark. Parang minadali lang ito as a propaganda against Belen.

Worse, the groundbreaking of this project happened too close to the elections. Para walang tme to discuss the project kasi gimmick lang talaga to impress voters?

Now that it’s in the open, kailangan saibhin nila kung paano maiiwasan ang baha sa lugar, kasi everybody knows flooded yan parang swimming pool every flood season. To avoid flooding, major improvements ang kailangan including backfilling, to do that, pero sigurado masisira yong old, historical city hall. Yun ba plano?

So, Mayor Belen, please review the plan for a new city hall proposed by your predecessor.  

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We expect the incoming administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to usher in peace, progress and real development of the country. President Duterte already started this when he introduced a lot of reforms despite limitations found in our 1987 constitution. It does not even identify our system of government –  presidential or parliamentary.

It’s is high time we consider rewriting our constitution – by a  constitutional convention or constituent assembly because in order to bring about a dramatic change and progress in our country, we must have some flexibilities. The only way to attain this is to have a new constitution.

It’s also time we do away with political dynasties. It was banned in the 1987 constitution but no implementing plan was passed.  Ang daming mag-asawa at mga anak as mayors and vice mayors. Sus!

And there may be a need to abolish the party-list system. Madami nang tongressmen, er.. congressmen around.

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