Meet and greet

A CAGAYAN de Oro city councilor went live on Facebook last week which happened to be the first week of the year, and she naturally asked about the New Year’s resolution of her viewers. My reply: to write more, read more, and to switch to the carnivore diet. She was somehow shocked with the “carnivore” part. I’d be shocked, too, had my future self told my old self that she will become a carnivore in the future.

And then, she asked us to guess her New Year’s resolution. My reply: to prepare for 2025. The 2025 elections, that is. Because isn’t that the Pinoy politician’s main goal now? But she said it’s too early for that. Hmmm.

Namfrel-CDO Mis Or began preparing for the 2022 elections in mid-2021. And we were not even running for any position nor were we supporting a candidate—for obvious reasons. So, for a politician to say that January 2024 is too early to prepare for the 2025 elections might have prompted her viewers to suspect she was merely making pa-cute. And she’s indeed cute, pretty, beautiful, with good vibes as her aura. That, plus the urong-sulong start of a political dynasty, will surely make her win again.

Some friends became city councilors years ago. I never interviewed them for my column then. If I ever mentioned them, most probably it was through blind items that were so vague, they would never guess I was writing about them. Haha. Whenever we met, politics was seldom the topic. They have remained loyal—they haven’t switched to other political colors just to win again.

Nowadays, a city councilor seems more powerful than the ones we had before. Perhaps it’s because of social media. And the entourage that surrounds some of them wherever they go. A few don’t even carry their own bags anymore. They have an assistant for that most important task. Plus a dedicated PR team that takes videos and photos of their daily ganap, almost a la “The Kardashians.”

I couldn’t imagine my former-city-councilor friends having assistants to carry their whatever. They didn’t have that kind of perk.

There are city councilors who level up to higher positions. Or to lower positions. Since a former city vice mayor desperately wanted to be a barangay captain last year, anything is possible now in politics. But politics is much like showbiz—famous today, unknown tomorrow. That’s why there’s the necessity to run in every election, for whatever position, to remain relevant.

One politician who may have lost her relevance is former Sen. Leila de Lima who has been out on bail since Nov. 13, 2023. Three days later, she had a reunion with former VP Leni Robredo in the latter’s hometown, Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Of course, the reunion had to be with Robredo and not with former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Pinoy loves reunions especially during Christmas. That’s where people notice who’s fat or thin, who’s looking young or old, who has had plastic surgery—and these can be considered as the simple comments. Wait till they start talking about who’s who and who’s not. Still, it’s all good. There’s lechon, dinuguan, parlor games, raffle prizes, dancing, singing, the exchange gift. Plus the promise to meet more often. Yeah, right.