Quo vadis, OSM?

“Public opinion though often formed upon a wrong basis, yet generally has a strong underlying sense of justice.”––Lincoln

THE other day, this paper carried the story that Mayor Oscar Moreno is seeking reelection on May 9, 2016. Right there and then, I felt that the City Mayor of my one and only city in the world is now trembling in fear, and having continuing sleepless nights due to recurring nightmares. My humble opinion is based solely on proven and uncontested past.

It is not normal for an incumbent to announce his reelection bid a year before the forthcoming elections for the simple reason that he wants to appear to the voters as a working, not campaigning, chief executive.

Because of what he did, he made himself vulnerable to doleouts until election day.

But where would he secure the funds knowing full well that the city council is up in arms against his ways of governance since Day One of his administration?

The only valid reason for doing such a folly is because he would like to swap positions with my most outstanding congressman, Rufus Rodriguez, whose term is ending. But the problem with such a gambit is the perception that Mayor Moreno is no better than Sendongkoy, his political mentor cum you-supply-the-word.

Further, the 2nd District of our city is perceived to be composed of intellectual if not, sound and wise voters. Hence, he would be slaughtered by Councilor Monching Tabor or even by the amiable and soft-spoken wife of Congressman Rufus.

This is not even to mention his residency which is in the 1st District, an area that has been controlled for a long time now by Congressman Klarex Uy who is definitely not for the incumbent mayor.

So the buzz word now is, “Mapusoy intawon si boxer…”
But the bigger problem would be, what happens to the so-called “capitol powerhouse” and the extra “luggage” from Quezon City and elsewhere who are now handling the coffers of the City of Cagayan de Oro, and “milking” on our taxes and other finances, according to my businessmen-friends in the city who are seriously considering of moving out to El Salvador City, if the creeping “dairy” business in city hall continues beyond next year.

Never before has our city appointed so many OICs at the expense of Civil Service employees and officers and paid at an alarming extravagance of people’s hard-earned money.

With this sad spectacle, there is an absolute need to revive the no-nonsense Citizen’s Committee during the watch of one of our city’s most respected former City Mayor Justiniano “Tenying” Borja.

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“I know where there is more wisdom than is found in Napoleon, Voltaire or all the ministers present and to come––public opinion.” – Talleyrand, “In the Chamber of Peers”

When Mayor Moreno preemptively announced the start of his doleout days and nights, he miserably failed to re-visit the national and local elections of 2010 and 2013.

During the unlamented regime of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, all the trapos joined her political machinery named:

aLakas-Kampi, for only one reason, huge campaign funds from people’s taxes.

But because, God is good, He always leads us the way out of harm’s way.

Tropical typhoon “Ondoy” lashed Metro Manila on Sept. 26, 2009 or only seven months prior to national and local elections, causing widespread flooding in almost all of Metro Manila. As a necessary consequence, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, the most qualified candidate at the time, found out to his dismay that no amount of dirty money can change the presidency which is perceived to be made in heaven.

And so history tells us that no amount of money, including educational qualification, can make a President or a City Mayor.

In the same manner, everything went smoothly for PNoy and his Liberal Party until Jan. 25, 2015, when the arrogant MILF-BIFF conjoined twins brutally massacred 44 valiant SAF commandos.

From there on, everything went on a downturn. And if only 19 of all the City Mayors in Mindanao survived the landslide victory of a non-performing legislator, PNoy, despite the flooding of money from GMA’s Lakas-Kampi and Villar’s Nacionalista Party, there is absolutely no reason why in next year’s elections, the candidates of the Liberal Party and the much discredited candidate of the UNA would not be wiped out by the party of the poor supporting the candidacy of Super Digong Duterte and his team in our City of Cagayan de Oro.

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“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can to do me.” –Psalms LVI. 11
Thank you Lord for everything. And Lord God, kindly teach our leaders to practice honesty, humility and transparency in their solemn task as our servants-leaders because those who have less in life are the sovereign and very source of their borrowed power and wealth.

Finally, Lord, please make our leaders see the glaring light that greed is a flawed way of life.

Truly, there is more profit in giving than in taking. For it is in giving that we receive. Truly, love begets love. Amen!

(Call or text 09188030197, e-mail bagabuyos@yahoo.com, and check out the blog iluvmindanao.net)