By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

At the rate the Lim administration in Dagupan City is running its affairs, it certainly appears to be on a spiraling self-destruction mode!

Mayor Brian Lim’s continued blatant attempt at cover-up of widespread corruption by his barkada at the market victimizing fish vendors has made it difficult even for his fiercest loyal supporters to stand by him with the unresolved corruption issues surrounding him. After all, weren’t they who made others believe that their Brian will do a better job as chief executive than his predecessor Belen Fernandez?

How can any responsible individual’s conscience defend him for covering up a corruption issue that’s staring at his face every day, abuses being committed by his subordinates daily in his name?

The exposé of the fish vendors, backed by documents, is the kind that evokes both courage and risks to lives of those who dare. The determination of Councilor Teresa Coquia and a number of her colleagues to make people accountable is admirable, being public servants. In sharp contrast, the city is watching a Mayor Brian acting blind, deaf and dumb to massive corruption. Could this be reason why he also refused to appear before the SP  for the traditional State of the City Address because he refuses to be made to account?

It’s obvious their Mayor Lim doesn’t think it befitting his stature to respond to corruption issues exposed by lowly vendors. He obviously doesn’t even think the corruption issue from them deserves a statement from him.

Well, he doesn’t need to make a statement, his own silence is deafening enough for the city residents to hear – that he is the protector of the corrupt among his subordinates. His ‘hear nothing-see nothing-do nothing’ stance is atypical of a corrupt leadership in any place in the world.  That he was once a JCI World president must make his fellow Jaycees who made him one, bowing their heads in shame.

Could the hundreds of responsible career city hall workers still be happy doing something productive in his name? My heart goes out to them because his inaction on the grand scale of corruption issue being committed daily also sends the message that there is corruption in their midst as well and are also being covered up and protected – when there are none to defend and protect.

I already hear loud whispers of low and declining morale among city hall employees. Apparently, the resentment towards him and his barkada who’ve done everything to ruin their personal integrity as government workers is growing– and his awaited ouster is still six months away.

At the end of the day, Mayor Brian only has himself and his barkada to blame for being the worst that occupied the city hall in the eyes of his fellow workers at the city hall, including his soon to be former loyalists who were lied to.

Perhaps, he has imbibed the old political philosophy he dutifully learned about vote-buying: “Nabayaran na kita, kaya hwag kang ma-complain!”

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STRESSFUL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION. The entry of a new year always reminds us to take stock of ourselves, to reflect on our personal successes and failures in relationships, at work, at home, with friends and relatives, and for our healthcare.  

Nobody really makes a checklist, but what easily comes to mind are thoughts of what made us feel miserable, felt unhappy and disappointed with ourselves.

Perhaps we can avoid these negative feelings if we try to understand what triggered those.  

Allow me to cite some observations I made of friends who make a habit of doing new year resolutions.  

Firstly, be warned that there are resolutions that are made to be broken, so knowing that one should not be too hard on one’s self with failed resolutions.  

Resolutions made to be broken are those that require deprivation: Stop smoking. Stop drinking. Stop eating. These resolutions are supposed to make you healthier, more wholesome.  Yet one knows that convincing one’s self that one can do these is already stressful, and self-doubt begins to creep in.  

Having seen how many fared and ended with these, makes me conclude that these are the worst resolutions one can make.  The operative word STOP is stressful. 

Can we achieve something for ourselves without necessarily imposing the STOP on ourselves? Of course, we can!

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WORK WITH LESS, NOT STOP.  Substitute the word STOP with – LESS! It simply means cutting down on smoking, drinking and eating. It’s about the consciousness of being able to do something that keeps you stress-free without deprivation.

Note this. The LESS mode makes a difference in one’s mind. It’s simply a reminder about how we should manage ourselves in situations: Do I have to smoke now? vs I cannot smoke; Do I have to drink more? vs. I should not drink; Do I have to eat all these? vs. I should not eat.

The “Do I have to” tells us what ought to be done under the circumstances. By responding in the negative gets the same result of “STOP” without thoughts of deprivation but just feeling good that you did yourself a good deed that time. So why stress yourself with complete deprivation?

There were others who eventually succeeded by starting with:” Smoke 5 sticks a day,”  “Only 3 beers max,” “Half rice per meal,” etc… and ending up achieving what STOP failed to do for them.

We can do as many resolutions that will make us happy and still commit to change at the same time. Try it! And have fun with daily challenges with no deprivation!

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PREVENTION NOT CARE FOR PH. The recent update from the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) on the Omicron variant appears encouraging… or so it seems.! Bottomline: It’s not as deadly as Delta. That’s a relief… until someone is reported to have died from it.

 For now, U.S. health authorities have decided to reduce isolation and quarantine restrictions for those who test positive of COVID-19. Quarantine period is down to 5 days from 10 days!

 However, I sense that the decision is more political than scientific. It appears to be more aimed at calming nerves than managing the disease scientifically and medically.  Note that the CDCP had been liberal in its view of COVID-19 in the past and consequently, the contagion was blindsided by the sudden eruption of sorts of Covid-Omicron cases in the country. Ditto in other Euro countries.

 Back here, to our national and provincial government’s credit, our IATFs are more cautious. It’s still the ‘prevention is better than cure’ mode! We have nothing to lose but perhaps just holding back on some old normal habits, i.e., bigtime partying, political rallies (taken over by caravans?), regular outdoor activities for kids, etc.

 The sudden surge of cases in liberal countries was largely caused by demand for less government intervention and restrictions. Can you imagine how we’d be today if our government had been lax in disciplining our legions of pasaway?

 So, if we are to succeed in our economic recovery, our governments can serve us better if they look inward than outward when planning for our welfare. Let the liberals sink and swim, we stay afloat!

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