Hillside’s state of affairs in Year of the Water Snake

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

At the start of a January dinner-prescon for practicing journalists that is tendered yearly by the Filipino-Chinese community to kick-off the annual celebration of the Chinese New Year, I opened a conversation with Dr. Charles Cheng of the Baguio Filipino-Chinese Hospital and businessman Peter Ng of Hotel Supreme. Normally, people would ask silly questions about the heart in relation to their love life, or their health in relation to the heart.

Some would ask if it would be good to travel while others want to find out what kind of business would be best in the Year of the Water Snake. A night before the Chinese New Year prescon, we were invited to another annual party by the Hedcor and SNAP-Benguet, two entities that are engaged in power generation with the use of water.

That maybe the moving factor why I opted to ask Dr. Cheng and Peter Ng if businesses linked to the water element would be good, thinking that Hedcor and the Aboitiz Group were in the “water business” in some sense. Both admitted that they were not FengShui experts, but yes, “water business” is good in the Year of the Water Snake. Certainly, their answer confirmed the PowerPoint presentations by Messrs. Manny Rubio and Rene Ronquillo of Aboitiz and Hedcor Benguet who were both looking bright and acting positive while talking about their “water” business to the local media.

What confuses the water snake is why the Asin hydro-electric plant that is exactly in the same line of business with Aboitiz and Hedcor is not doing well. The hydro-electric plant that City Hall has been squeezing money from, and has tried hard to manage with pride has been closed for business. I now believe that FengShui and plain luck do not work alone, especially if business is mismanaged and shifted to monkey-business.

Talking about monkey-business, with the passage of two controversial laws – one that increases the retail price of cigarettes and liquor, and another one that gives away pills and condoms free to the public, especially the poor, I wonder what vice our government wants us to be busy with. More about FengShui and financial luck, a friend who tries to make matters light texted me about what he has in mind for the Year of the Water Snake.

He said, “Wear clothes designed with polka dots that represent small coins but do not wear checkered shirts that represent checks. When you jump, the polka dot coins will jingle and make music, while the checks will bounce.” He also advises us to “avoid eating the meat of four-legged animals, because good luck would run away faster on four legs.” He said it is better to eat food harvested from the sea and rivers. Fresh water eel is best.

By the way, with a meager financial assistance it gets from a city that has benefitted much from the business that the Chinese community has provided even before this place became a city, as compared to what the ever-controversial Panagbenga receives, as usual the Baguio Spring Festival was highlighted with the annual Barangay Gift-Sharing, this time to residents of Padre Zamora Barangay. Watch out for the grand colorful parade along Session Road, tomorrow at 3pm.
***

In the Year of the Water Snake, “Maysaka,” a cousin who begged for anonymity dissected Barangay Hillside as he frankly told me last week that he was always skeptic about public officials and that his trust level with them was way down below so that he always kept his guard up.

Over the course of his life, he said that he has been let down for so many times by public leaders with promises that are not kept, changes that were never made, money that were misused, their obsession of imposing authority and their arrogance instead of serving the people and keeping up with the goals of a barangay or a community. He knew that he was not alone in having seen these things as he was sure that many others shared the same sentiments. But lately, his skepticism about barangay government officials turned to something positive. Below is his story.

“Wait a minute. I think it’s time to give credit to what is due the barangay officials of Hillside, Baguio City. To me, they are unsung heroes. I go out on a limb to praise and pat them on the back. This is what I have observed of the current Hillside barangay officials from the Barrio Captain, Kagawads down to the Tanods who have been serving the community for two and a half years. They inherited financial deficits that were for the most part, ignored or mismanaged by the previous administration but this was slowly being replenished. They acknowledge that the turn-around wasn’t going to happen overnight. They admitted the change wasn’t going to be easy. They built a great team that involved a high level of accountability and dedication to higher standard. They showed up more often at the barangay hall and engaged people in conversations and listened to Hillside residents about all kinds of social issues. They conduct meetings for the betterment of the community.

They admit that they are not perfect and that they will make mistakes along the way but are honest about it. They take time to listen to and really try to understand people. Their concept of leadership is serving others rather than being served, and it is the people in the community that they are concerned most. Their demonstration of humility, sincerity, integrity, personal character, decision-making and commitment were qualities seen by me and the barangay residents. This display is what draws people and skeptics like me into believers of government officials again. The leadership is calm, patient, always showing respect and a positive approach in resolving conflicts. Their discussions are courteous and non – confrontational, they listen carefully and explore facts, making sure that their focus are on issues rather than on individuals.

Having all this traits, almost all conflicts are resolved effectively. They have been donating part of their barangay allowances. The officials were able to elicit cooperation and community involvement because their constituents saw the positive things that were being done in the barangay. Associations were also formed. The officials literally ring a bell to notify people to bring in their trash to the truck or garbage collection area – a very practical method that they devised. Some were saying that they do away with the barangays elections and retain the present crop of officials. I look at Hillside as a model barangay that should be emulated, and if so, the whole country would certainly be a beautiful country to reside in.” – marchfianza777@yahoo.com