Boring

Ben Contreras

I AM sharing with you this message (with slight editing for clarity): “I am appalled by what I saw at City Hall. Many employees were busy not with their work but on something other than their job descriptions. They’re not the usual people I used to see. Why are they allowed to do that?”

If I may hazard a guess, what this person saw were not regular employees but “JOs” (job-order workers). My regular informer told me that City Hall has hired a lot of JOs for a purpose: politics. They are said to have been instructed not to do anything but destroy political enemies. A few of the JOs have allegedly reported this to their parents and friends. Two have recorded activities that would be used as evidence for a possible complaint.

These JOs are said to be youngsters who are good at computer imaging. Some are being commissioned to go to different barangays for “espionage” and recruitment purposes.

Politics in the city has gone high-tech. The proliferation of trolls signals a different approach on political demolition jobs. That’s politics. But I sincerely hope that these youngsters would be spared from this dirty game. No politician should exploit and take undue advantage of their innocence and poverty.

If they are paid with personal money, then that’s politics. But if government money go into the salaries of these people, they will be as liable as those who hired them.

Poor kids, indeed!

• •

The forum at the VIP Hotel was not meant to be a debate among candidates for mayor in the city. I thought it was. Three “colors” went there. One color dominated the place as a show of force and loyalty, another by their loyalty to their Lord, and yet another by a small group but reinforced in trickles.

One who represented his mentor was surprisingly adept. Another whose face has always been of confidence and who greeted almost everyone seemed to have a ready answer to any question. The third one looked shy who seemed to shun the audience by looking elsewhere. One in the audience joked, “Ma-stiff neck baya intawon.”

The program started quite late but dinner was served. After one hour, I and my friend Dave Agudo opted to leave early after a long day in Tagoloan and a late lunch. The initial issues taken up were not new to us or to me in particular, that’s why. Bored! Not at all! But the call of nature was bothering me. Thus, when Dave said “Let’s go, I am bored,” I did not hesitate.

The next day, I heard that the forum went well. And the “winner,” well, the answer didn’t have to come from me.

• •

A video of an accident caused by counterflowing was posted on Facebook. Our traffic czar shared it. Counterflowing is being practiced at the Maharlika Bridge with impunity because of lack of interest from our authorities and the city government. I have written about it several times. There was no reaction and response at all from all concerned.

A few hours ago, a car just did that and got caught in a situation where approaching vehicles must have cursed the driver. Had those who turned left drove fast, it could have been a head-on collision. Apparently embarrassed, the driver turned his hazard lights on as a face-saving gesture.

Posting that video won’t help if those who are supposed to do something just warm their seats in their office.

It’s time to act. It’s long overdue!