Butch Bagabuyo “Life calls you out and summons you forth... and even ‘born leaders’ find themselves following a summoned leader.” – Dr. Leonard Sweet, Summoned to Lead. FRIDAY was the end for the first deadline in the filing of certificates of candidacy. But it was also the dawning of the “New Order” where equality for both the capitalist and the teeming millions of the unwashed, unschooled, barely sheltered and perpetually abused mass of Pinoys. Mr. Rodrigo “Super Digong” Duterte stood his ground not to run for president as he has always been uninterested on that position, and he wants to retire from governant despite his consuming love for his people and country. According to him, he has posted as early as two years ago on his Facebook wall that he will not run for President in 2016. Does that statement mean it is time for the millions and more who love him to give up and continue the endless excruciating pain imposed on all peace-loving but unfortunate members of society? No, and that’s final. There are only two standouts. As for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, it simply means he, his loyalists and followers have to work harder in action rather than by word of mouth to “summon” the man destined to save our country from the follies of “daang matuwid” (but to the many, it is “dalang natuwad”) where broaddaylight killings spawned by debilitating greed personified by drug kings, queens, mercenaries and plunderers both in and out of government, in callous conspiracy with Imperial Manila, the trapos and the filthy rich. For Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, it was time to preserve his vested interest to be the next Vice President of our country (survival mode). He wants to be identified with his desire to be with a sure winning non-presidential candidate for now but remain in the limelight without hurting a sure-loser presidential loudmouth. Here’s my humble take: Between now and Dec. 10, 2015 or thereafter, based on Comelec’s whims and caprices, all those who have filed their certificates of candidacy are now, for all intents and purposes, subject to the stupid laws on elections in our country. Our election laws are stupid, to say the least, if not insanity, because those who filed their certificates of candidacy are now definitely candidates. But how come they are not allowed to start the “election” campaign until January and February 2016 for national and local candidates, respectively? However, in truth and in reality, all those who have filed their certificates were actually campaigning their desired positions a long time ago. Further, all of them, except the naïve, shall, without fail, continue to work hard at all cost to achieve their goals, no matter what and how.
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In our City of Golden Friendship, everybody is convinced that while there appears a three-cornered fight, there is unanimity that it will be a fight between three-time outstanding Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and ailing former ex-mayor Vicente “Dongkoy” Emano. However, to be fair, a few capitol transferees (who they?) and Quezon City intruders in the city’s coffers who made it huge (based on their newly occupied houses, not homes) in our city during the last three years are hoping against hope, and trying their worst to make a spin in vain within the confines of the city hall that their city mayor will be reelected. But because space is lucrative both in the newspaper and in real estate, allow yours truly to write only about the worthy contenders in the May 9, 2016 local elections. Here are just a few of the undeniable facts:
  • Ever since the creation of our city courtesy of the well-loved late Vice President Emmanuel “Maning” Pelaez, this is the first time that the incumbent is so unpopular that he had excruciating nightmares even during daytime in looking for those willing to run under his ticket. In fact, in all those years, the incumbents were clear winners even before the start of the election campaign––but not this time.
  • This is the only time in our history when the incumbent intentionally disregarded all those who worked hard or even put their lives on the line in favor of people he had brought in from out of our city, and installed them closest to the coffers.
  • Since the creation of the barangays in the country courtesy of no-nonsense Mayor Reuben R. Canoy as the smallest government unit, the incumbent mayor easily got control of the barangays. But not this time. In fact, of the 80 barangays in our city, the ex-mayor won handily 66 barangay chairpersons, I was reliably informed, and worst, the remaining 14 belong to the congressmen of the two districts. None from the incumbent mayor.
  • In all past elections in our city, the incumbent was the most popular choice of city hall employees. But not this time! Today, what is happening is exactly the repeat of the last elections. Trust me, in the last local elections, there was an unusual exodus of city hall employees from the incumbent to his opponent despite the allegation that the opponent of Emano then was his protégé who ruled the province almost exactly like what he did when he continually dipped his dirty fingers into government coffers.
In the coming days, rest assured, yours truly shall do his best to assure the poor people of our city that both the clearly ailing Emano and the incumbent transition mayor are made to either return to their hometown or God knows where. In the meantime, here’s what I would suggest we do:
  • Ensure to make our respective families the smallest unit in governance for lasting peace, posterity and the achievement of the New Order, the ways of the ants.
  • Let us form ourselves into groups of 10. Since the average Pinoy family is five, then it should be very easy to have two neighbors form groups of 10. And while it is easier said than done, it is definitely doable but only for those who are determined, otherwise known as “summoned leaders,” to pursue the New Order which is actually justice for Mindanao and the teeming poor elsewhere.
We are the “Aldub nation.” Tsada, di ba?