All about 2022

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

For the ordinary man on the street like us, we do not care more or worry about why the position of House Speaker in congress is hotly contested to the extent that important house bills including the hearings for the 2021 budget for national line departments are set aside.
    What concerns us more are the real situations we face such as food on the table, children’s school needs and the real monthly “house bills” for water, electricity, telephone, internet connection that have to be settled, especially in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
    For days until this weekend, all the news on TV carried interviews from politicians and political analysts. Everybody was talking at the same time even. As the song goes, “everybody’s talkin’ at me; can’t hear the words they’re saying; only the shadows of their eyes.”
    So true. Everybody was talking but not one was telling the truth. But the answer why the honorable congressmen fight for positions in congress this early is revealed by their facial expressions and body language.
    Remember, actions speak louder than words. Their moves are maneuverings for the 2022 elections. Aside from the national expenditure program, the deliberations in congress for the coming year’s budget is an election budget. For each congressman, it is all about the elections in 2022.  
    Aside from maintaining their position in their respective districts, they will have to support their local line-up and their line-up for senators, vice-president and president. But to be able to support a line-up, a congressional bet must secure his or her election budget.
    After the 2019 elections, President Duterte himself proposed a term-sharing deal for Taguig-Pateros congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque congressman-elect Lord Velasco where the former will be House Speaker for 15 months and the latter to take over the position for the remaining 21 months.
    But while the term-sharing agreement is applicable on the two congressmen, it does not necessarily bind the 300 or so members of Congress who look at things differently according to their personal agenda and the needs of their district.
    If the suggestion of any Juan and Pedro could be heard by the honorables in Congress, the best time for a change in speakership should at least be in December after the 2021 budget has been passed and signed by the President. Everyone knows that leadership changes in the House while the budget is being deliberated could delay its passage.
    The country’s 17th presidential and vice presidential elections of 2022 since 1935 are scheduled to be held on Monday, May 9, 2022. We no longer see a postponement because of the movements we see in congress which are affecting every LGU politician.
    There is no more time to discuss any re-scheduling of the national elections even for reasons provided by the health crisis. More importantly, politicians want to be re-elected immediately, others want to win new positions, and their constituents want new leaders.
    By the way, at least six personalities from different political parties may be supported by the “opposing honorables” in the lower house, namely; Vice President Leni Robredo (LP), Senator Cynthia Villar (NP), Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte of Hugpong Pagbabago, Senators Panfilo Lacson (Independent), Christo “Bong” Go (PDP), former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (NP).
    Depending on the situation which could shift priorities, we might see incumbent Senate President Tito Sotto (NPC); Senators Sonny Angara (LDP), Manny Pacquiao (PDP–Laban), and Grace Poe (Independent) throwing their hats in the presidential ring.
    Even the name of incumbent Manila mayor Isko Moreno (NUP/Asenso Manileño) was seen floating with coronavirus aerosols. When interviewed, he replied that “every politician wants to be president.”
    Who knows, speaker Cayetano (NP) might just be interested to be next President. However, what is certain in Congress is that whoever is Speaker of the House, the goal of each congressman is have his or her personal election budget be approved.