eleksyon ekonomiks in da yir op da pork

(This column appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s a weekend. In a few days time, we’re in for the Holy Week. Just a few words before we (or at least some of us) immerse in our annual (read: once-a-year only) moments of showing piety (in my case, it means no acerbic comments about everybody else).

So, our lawmakers have increased their pork barrel allocation. I don’t know if this was part of the predictions of the fortune tellers (both real and fly-by-night), things are really “porky” this year. Well, at least for those who will make it. Hmm, must be good news for their constituents: that means more roads, more medicines, better times for the (Filipino) people. Do I hear someone say “YEAH RIGHT”? No wonder everyone is running these days. And yes, before we forget, as reported in the national dailies, some retiring government employees have to make do with whatever is available (or unavailable) coz the retirement money (or whatever they call it) has been allocated for the increase in the pork (hmm, just when I thought everyone is into health food these days. Corny joke? Heck, it’s a weekend.) And interesting enough, the former Senate President who called for PGMA’s resignation didn’t say a thing about this. Ahh, politics.

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Remember my feature about our house helper and laundry woman complaining about the high price of chlorox and sabon? I called that poor man’s economics. Now there’s another twist. It’s the other poor man’s economics (okey, this time let me refer you to, well, some barangay officials). A few nights ago, the fried chicken vendors along Gomez street had to go home early coz their stuff was sold early. I asked one vendor what happened. It turned out one (controversial) official running for reelection was in town and supposedly doled out something as much as two thousand bucks to some lucky patrons, err, officials, who in turn had their companions buy some stuff for dinner or whatever. As one fried chicken buyer had it, kaupay la basta eleksyon, kadamo kwarta. And no vendor in his right mind would disagree with that statement. And the buyer added, mayda pa liwat ti-abot, tikang kanda (names of two other candidates). Now, that’s what we call a robust economy in the year of the pork, err, pig.

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It’s registration time for the local bets. Candidates from the opposing parties in Calbayog sponsored their respective masses at the Cathedral. One kibitzer (a mataray one, if I may say) had it: “maupay kay nanimba anay sira antes sira mag-aragway”. I’m using the term aragway coz the kibitzer used a violent term. Anyway, my apologies if I had to mention that line. I know many of us advocate peaceful polls, but the line, be it joke or otherwise is a reflection of the way elections are (and will be in the many years to come) in the RP.Now, have I told you about that other Calbayog (election) tradition? It’s about some people who serve in the polls (you try to identify their position or line of work) who go on house-to-house binge to collect their (election day) allowance from the candidates? More details next issue.

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Let me end with the last part of Charo Nabong’s article “People who made a difference in Samar in 2006”:

Ray Gaspay is one of two persons who provide cable tv services in Catbalogan. The other guy has been able to make extensive cable tv connections in Catbalogan that has earned him millions. Ray, on the other hand, has made limited cable tv connections, but unlike no other, Ray was able to connect with people worldwide specially those who come from the islands of Samar and Leyte. With his SamarNews.com, an on-line newspaper about Samar and Leyte, he prides in providing "the latest news in Eastern Visayas region"? and providing a message board for personal comments & inquiries and even searches for long-lost friends and relatives; and a discussion forum on issues affecting us in the region. Obviously not a commercial venture, I don't know how Ray is able to sustain SamarNews.com but he has done it!

As a lawyer, Antonio Eduardo Nachura is known nationally as an authority on Constitutional law - teaching and writing law books about it. He is also admired by close friends and colleagues for his dedication to teaching. Even when he was congressman of the second district of Samar, he continued teaching law in various law schools. He has served as Undersecretary of the Department of Education and has been one of the public prosecutors during the impeachment proceedings against Pres. Joseph Estrada. Recently, he has been appointed as the country's Solicitor General. But it is not his long list of achievements in his professional and political career that I have included him in this list. As president of the Katbaloganon Association of Metro Manila in 2006, he envisioned a book tracing the history of his native town of Catbalogan as a legacy to the young Catbaloganons to be proud of their heritage. And he made this vision a reality by publishing O, Catbalogan! Prof. Cesar Torres praised the book as "one of the most beautiful book ever". He said that "In the entire history of Samar, since the beginning of time, "O, Catbalogan!" is one of the most momentous happenings in our history... It is a food for the soul, food for the intellect, a tribute to all the Samarnons, past, present, and future."? Of course, I'm thankful to Atty. Nachura for giving me the opportunity to work with him on this book.

Thus, I welcome the new year with inspiring stories of leadership, vision and action of people who were unstinting in their service to care for our environment, nourish our heritage, and to improve the lives of our people. Not only at the end of the year, will we be asked this question again, have we done something to make a difference?

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In line with the celebration of Holy Week in Calbayog City, Bishop Isabelo Abarquez will lead a Lenten Reflection at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Holy Thursday at 7:00 pm.

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This is it for now. Have a nice weekend everyone! Ciao!