Happy Weekend

Kampanya Taktika
by Gina Dizon

I laughed out loud when congressional aspirant Atty. Mauricio Domogan in an interview said “Nu umay ti politika, tiempon ti panag-uulbod.”

With the election campaign now in the heat of the moment, we will expect more promises and lies to come along the way as aspirants will promise this and that and bring the moon down to earth. So dear voters, listen with a discerning ear the sweetly flavored words of the aspiring public official as he woos your votes.

But of course not all these aspiring wanna be’s are lying braggarts or sheepishly looking smug liars. Juan de la Cruz has to be very discerning in how he will separate the full time liar from the white defensive liar, the superficial from the well-meaning one.

Some aspiring public servants are sincere enough to state and if given the chance, do their platform of government. How could we know then the genuine one from the impostor public official, the lesser evil from the bigger evil?

1.Should he/she be an incumbent or former government official, what has he done
during his term? Was he/she able to implement programs as he is mandated to do? Did he initiate pro-people and democratic systems in government for the people to participate in and/or get benefited? Given particular circumstances, was he/she able to stand up for pro-people and public good amidst pressures and threats of being isolated or not being given favors? If not, he must have been comfortably receiving his 15-30 salary only.

2. Does he/she hold a reputation of getting SOPs? This country is already full of filthy rich public officials. If we want our country to advance like our Asian neighboring countries Hongkong or Singapore, get these filthy rich corrupt people out of public office.

3. Should he not be a public official and a neophyte trying out in public office, what does he do in life? What good will he bring for the people? Is he capable of being a public official given his respective capacities? Is he able to initiate systems and approaches for the betterment of the people? Will he/she be able to stand up for pro-people positions amidst pressures and threats of being isolated or not being given favors from superiors? If not, tell her/him nga agdigos iti nalammiis nga danum bareng mari-ing.

We need public officials who are not corrupt, people who will stand up for just and people-oriented concerns. Leaders whom we feel confident that they can lead and be there at your side come hell or high waters. He may be a Christian, a Muslim, or a Pagan; an Igorot, an Ilocano, or Tagalog; a man or a woman. But definitely, not an alien or a misfit.

We need workable and relevant systems. Better approaches which would redound to the public good and public interest. And this means better and responsive characters who would actualize what government is supposed to mean: a government by, of and for the people.
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I like what Mrs Cecilia Dalog is doing in Mt. Province to win votes for her husband, incumbent Gov. Maximo Dalog on his bid for a second term as governor of Mt Province. By herself, she goes from house to house in her hometown at Bontoc and talks to members of the household asking them to support her husband. This humbling gesture of a spouse to support her better-half speaks of the independence of a woman to do what she plans to do at the beginning of the day.

The woman is the anchor of the house, and with the persevering attitude of Ms Dalog, I am inclined to believe that comebacking governor, Atty Dalog sources his strength of character from his wife.

I am reminded of the wife of a well known politician who goes campaigning for his husband escorted by a pack of umbrella-holding women. One loyalist holds an umbrella for the wife of this well known politician whether in the heat of the sun or on a rainy day. I guess the politician-husband sources his strength from the umbrella.