P-Noy’s wang-wang speech equalizes La Trinidad pinoys

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

On July 10, volunteer-musicians will perform in a “concert for a cause” for nine-year old Delson Lipawen at the Kalei’s Grille and Restaurant, Caoili Bldg., Km.4, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Dubbed “Saturday Night: Live at Kalei’s,” all proceeds of the benefit concert will be donated to Delson, a fourth grader at Longlong Elementary School who has a heart problem.

In last week’s tree planting activity behind the school, Principal Carmen Meris informed me, Ramon Dacawi and Alfred Dizon that Delson often skips his classes as he easily gets tired due to his heart disease.

The show is being supported by Mayor Greg Abalos, Congressman Ronald Cosalan, Felipe Caoili Jr. and Claudio Corpuz Jr. of Kalei’s Grille, Engineer Joey Marrero of the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Binhi, Blugraz composed of singing lawyers Bubut Olarte, Rolly Vergara, Angie Cabrera, Alma Sarah, Nes Mondok; homecoming musicians Conrad Marzan, Bryan Aliping and Felix Tayaotao; Bow, Pedals and Necks; Propagandia, Trance Mission, 13th Issue, former councilor Tommy Chamos, Dr. Steve Piok and Band and other surprise guests.

The concert will be Conrad’s latest appearance and performance to the Baguio-Benguet crowd that he used to sing to, before he leaves again for the US .
***
It is not as simple as apprehending people who violate Presidential Decree 96. President Noy’s statement in his inaugural speech outlawing the use of sirens tells us about an awakening of the Pinoy discipline that has been sleeping for too long in the past so many years because a government has forced it to be so.

In his speech, P-Noy said “walang lamangan, walang padrino at walang pagnanakaw, walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong.” (no more influence-peddling, no more patronage politics, no more stealing, no more sirens, no more short cuts, no more bribes).

Noynoy further said that it is not the Pinoy’s fault that the government is now what it is today.“Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? Ako rin.” (Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped install in power? I have).

“Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? Ako rin.” (Have you endured being rudely shoved aside by siren-blaring escorts of people who boast about their position and power over you? I have).

“Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nila itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? Ako rin.” (Have you become tired of a government that, instead of serving the people, needs to be endured by you? I have).

On Sept. 21, 1972; then President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Proclamation 1081, placing the entire country under Martial Law. Of course, the military arrested criminal elements, opposition leaders including Benigno Aquino, journalists, student and labor activists.

With the single stroke of a pen, Marcos shut down Congress and assumed its legislative functions. During that period, hundreds of presidential decrees were issued and one of them was PD 96 which took effect January 1973.

This Martial Law decree declares the “unlawful use of motor vehicle attachments such as sirens, bells, horns, whistles, or similar gadgets that emit exceptionally loud or startling sounds, including domelights and other flashing devices.”

With Noynoy’s statement against the wang-wang, PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa immediately deployed cops to confiscate the gadgets from private motorists and government vehicles, including those attached in motor vehicles privately owned by policemen.

“Director General Verzosa also relayed the order to all police commanders nationwide after the use of the gadget was mentioned in the inaugural speech of President Noynoy,” said Police Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman.

"The Philippine National Police will align and follow all the programs and policies of President Benigno C. Aquino III regarding the use of sirens. The PNP will immediately coordinate with the Land Transportation Office, the primary implementing office of PD 96, for the immediate implementation of this Presidential directive," he said.

Despite all these updates relative to P-Noy’s statement, many police commanders stare blankly as if they do not know what to do with Verzosa’s order.

During the first-ever presscon conducted by Mayor Greg Abalos Jr. as La Trinidad chief executive, together with VM Romy Salda, Admin. Charles Canuto and municipal lawyer Mauricio Cating Jr., it was not clear if Police Chief Insp. Freddie Lazona who was also present, was up to obeying the order.

To give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe Lazona has not received the order from his superiors, knows nothing about the illegality of wang-wangs attached to private cars, or even if he knows that it is illegal, he has to await for the order to act accordingly from his immediate boss – the PD and RD.

Well that is the kind of government many of our officials and people have gotten used to – wait for orders to act even if a crime is ongoing in front of their noses.

Take the case of Jueteng. It is rampant in Baguio , La Trinidad and in many parts of the Cordillera. The police know where the pagbolaans are but they are apprehending no one.

And that precisely is the reason for Noynoy’s speech where he said that it is not him who found a way. “You are the reason why the silent suffering of the nation is about to end. This is the beginning of my burden, but if many of us will bear the cross we will lift it, no matter how heavy it is.”

It simply means that all of us, including Mayor Abalos, VM Salda, Admin. Canuto, Atty. Cating and Chief Insp. Lazona, will have to do his role in order to realize the changes that the rest of the Pinoys dream of. In that presscon, Abalos said “anything that is illegal should be stopped.” I do not know if Lazona understood that or will he still have to wait for an order?

By the way, I still clearly remember things that happened some 20 years ago when a team of policemen raided a jueteng den in Baguio. The policemen who conducted the raid were sacked from their posts.

Again, somewhere around 2001-2004, a misunderstanding between some elected officials and the local chief of police of La Trinidad were mired in a misunderstanding over shares in “finances.” What happened next? Of course, the chief of police was sacked by the mayor.

I believe that is not what we still want after P-Noy said “kayo ang boss ko,” referring to all Filipinos “kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people’s needs and aspirations.”

Hence, when Mayor Abalos, a true-blue La Trinidad boy who grew up with the valley’s clean rivers and green mountains said in his speech last June 29 that his administration will come up with a comprehensive development plan, he said it thinking that it will be a plan that everyone will agree to undertake.

I, too expect that many changes will happen in La Trinidad, Baguio , Benguet or anywhere, but only if the wang-wangs, the icon of anti-discipline and arrogance will be removed. –marchfianza777@yahoo.com