By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

I CANNOT imagine what can be worse as a sign of blatant disrespect for the office of the vice mayor and the presiding officer by the opposition in the Sangguniang Panlungsod than for them to ignore his order, declare the session adjourned without ruling from the presiding officer then stage a walkout.

Last February 6, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua was ignored and thrashed like an irrelevant entity in the sanggunian. Give it to the 7 epaLiFes to continue insisting that the internal rules they crafted cannot be reversed by VM Kua, nor by DILG rule.

The 7 epaLiFes, Councilors Red Erfe Mejia, Celia Chua-Lim, Alfie Fernandez, Dada Reyna-Macalanda, Irene Lim-Acosta, Alvin Coquia and Marilyn Fernandez, walked out even after being reminded of the DILG rule about adjourning a session. That rule was quickly trashed.

Through it all, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua and the minority members were, as usual, aghast and completely surprised by the brazen action of their seven colleagues in the majority. However, their unagitated reactions again confirmed what their allies and supporters feared about them – that they were still totally helpless against the 7 epaLiFes’ mad control of the situation inside the city council.

Adding salt to the injury, the 7 epaLiFes went a step further. They challenged VM Kua and minority councilors to file a case in court to determine if their self-proclaimed adjournment and walkout were irregular and if they can be cited for their contemptuous conduct.

VM Kua’s response when was asked by The PUNCH? “I will wait for legal advice from my lawyer.” Duh?

What was the vice mayor thinking?  It was his person as vice mayor and presiding officer that was insulted to his face, yet he expects his lawyer to decide for him??  It surely was a response that will prompt more taunting and insults from the 7 epaLiFes.

At the very least, he should have said, “Yes I will file a case!” And that should be for the thousands of Dagupeños who trusted that he will fight for the right and protect the integrity of his post and his own. He ought to be reminded that it was not his lawyer that made him vice mayor and presiding officer.

Even assuming that he needs a legal advice before he can say he’s ready to challenge the 7 epaLiFes, here’s a footnote from City Legal Officer Aurora Valle.  I received this text from her after I updated her about the unwarranted and insulting walkout.

“If they would only sign as complainant, I am ready…”

There’s your legal advice, from the city legal office!  So, who is willing to sign the complaint for the Dagupeños ? VM Kua? Minority Leader Councilor Michael Fernandez? Anyone?

Ditto for Mayor Belen Fernandez whose administration is directly targeted for destabilization.

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WANTED: PUBLIC SERVANTS. It would seem today that the agenda in the national governance has been reduced to an exchange of allegations and discussion on presidential drug addiction and ill-effects of use of Fentanly.

But after seeing how the 7 epaLifes conducted themselves in Dagupan City, the unfortunate and absurd exchange between PBBM and ex-PRRD no longer comes as a strange occurrence to many. 

So, how are the early years of the 20^th century to be remembered? That our national and local politicos have resorted to anything decent and rational debates and discussions of issues?  That our citizenry, while appalled by it all have become unaffected, and simply view these deplorable situations in frustration, as entertainment?

Of course, it’s all about self-political empowerment motivated by greed! It’s about, “What’s in it for me?” and little or nothing about “What’s in it for our people?”

The words “public servant by public servants” are already lost, dumped in the past but the usual motherhood statements remain widely invoked to cover-up for the shenanigans, and for what they could not, and will not do.

Woe to the Pinoy. Woe to the Dagupeños!

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GUICO LEGACY. What the Guico administration thought would be appreciated overnight as its lasting legacy, the planned (actually already being implemented) Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain was suddenly met with admonishments, recriminations and disapproval particularly from the pro-environment sector after the almost century old trees were cut unceremoniously.

The netizens among the older generation that grew up with the trees as their constant and reliable source for calm and serenity were aghast.

It’s obvious that the Guico administration did not care to learn from its predecessors more than 12 years of engagement and lessons on tree-cutting in the province.

Gov. Mon-mon Guico should have been warned of repercussions of tree-cutting after the two Espino administrations became the subject of series of protests because the latter agreed to DPWH’s series of road widening  projects that required the cutting of hundreds of trees along main highways.

Fortunately for him, the Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain will be established inside the Capitol Complex, and the cutting of the trees will not disrupt the way of life of communities in the area.  The area is exclusive to the area designated purposely for the provincial government’s disposal.

That position perhaps led to the  “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” mindset of the administration on the issue, followed by “Don’t judge us today!”

Indeed, if the promised prominence of the Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain is not met, it will be a damning legacy for the Guico administration with Pangasinenses wondering” whether the century-old trees were sacrificed for a grand pay-off from the contractor as “commission.”

If it succeeds, Guico’s first term will be enshrined in the province’s annals as the administration that dared do it!!

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STOP SOUR-GRAPING. Finally, the promise of a flood-free life along Arellano St. through A.B. Fernandez Avenue and Perez Boulevard, is beginning to show signs of it being realized. The cementing of more areas of the once rough, bumpy and dusty roads have started.

Such a promise must not be lost in the minds of DPWH’s planners and engineers collaborating with contractors.    The promise must be guaranteed by no-nonsense construction that many DPWH projects missed out in the past.

It, therefore, behooves the Belen Fernandez administration to closely monitor the strict implementation of specifications of the approved plans. The City Engineering Office cannot point fingers once major flaws and defects surface and fail to deliver on the promise of flood-free zones in Dagupan. The CEO was ,and is, there to check.

Meanwhile, all the rants and moaning on social media about the disruptions of daily lives from the construction should already end. The more they speak out, the more they begin to sound sour-graping because the success is near to behold. 

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