Chavit chooses his battle
By Leonardo Micua
ONE of my favorite senatorial candidates, second only to former Senator Ping Lacson, is former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson who has withdrawn from the race, citing his failing health as his reason.
Like former Senator Ping, Manong Chavit is a pragmatic politician who calls a spade a spade and does not hesitate to go against an action gone wrong. His withdrawal from the race to give premium to his health was so sudden and caught the whole nation by surprise.
No, he did not run away from a good fight. The 83-year-old seasoned politician merely gave more value to his health when he heeded the advice of his doctors to get a good rest after recovering from a bout with pneumonia.
His doctors told him he will be putting his life at great risk if he continued with his senatorial run as he would have to go through the rigors of campaigning nationwide.
After serving for several terms as governor of Ilocos Sur, he became mayor of Narvacan, and his vice mayor who ultimately succeeded him as mayor is my good friend from way back, Atty. Pablito Sanidad.
For more than 50 years, he was the political kingpin of his province and no politician during his time dared to cross him.
A business tycoon with ventures spread here and abroad, Manong Chavit is a billionaire who now seeks to inspire every Filipino to value their labor and also perseveres to succeed in life.
He gave flesh to the teachings of Jesus Christ by not only giving fish to the poor and hungry but also teaching them the rudiments of fishing through his various philanthropic activities.
He shared his wealth to the poor and more than that, he gave them jobs and capital to put up livelihood to support their families.
Manong Chavit was in Dagupan during the Barangay Night of the city fiesta on December 27, where he made a lot of people happy through his token of generosity.
When PBBM formed the administration ticket, I was taken aback when he did not give a slot to Manong Chavit because I know he was one of Apo Lakay Ferdinand Edralin Marcos’ most loyal supporters up to the end.
Admitting his politics is now over, I am sure Manong Chavit will still be the kingmaker in his home province and one who could provide advice on governance to younger politicians.
Although he is no longer a candidate, he is not running away from his promise to help jeepney drivers meet the requirements of the Public Transportation Modernization Program.
Proof of this is, he is bringing into the country his Korean company to manufacture e-jeepneys for drivers who cannot afford to amortize the expensive China-made mini-buses already availed of by some of them.
Other candidates should follow the good example set by Manong Chavit by also considering withdrawing from the race — to have a longer and happier life.
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Many were appalled over reports of the recent arrest of a Chinese national and his two Filipino cohorts for spying on our military installations, including the EDCA sites, power plants, malls and other vital facilities, using sophisticated surveillance gadgets that could easily transmit data to Beijing.
This is a very serious matter that should be looked into by our different security agencies, especially given the fact that only last year, several China-made submarine drones were found in our coastal waters for a purpose that Philippine authorities are still determining.
The electronic gadgets used by the Chinese spy could transmit coordinates of our vital installations to China, and very remotely through the monster ship of the Chinese Coast Guard often spotted in the waters off Zambales.
Connect the dots to the inflow of Chinese nationals to work in POGO centers during the past administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the late birth registration of Chinese nationals to claim Filipino citizenship, and we realize we have a big problem in our hands.
A report said that the confirmed spy, who underwent training under the CPLA, had been in the Philippines for five years, and we suspect, he may have come in along with the deluge of Chinese nationals who arrived to operate the POGOs.
All these could be signs that China may be concocting a sinister plot of annexing the Philippines to become one of its provinces.
But they got it all wrong. They cannot take the Philippines without a fight.
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