What the captains' manifesto meant

I did not intend to write about politics this early. Considering that the next presidential election is a good one year and two months away yet, I thought the better thing for all of our leaders (and yes, us, the followers, too), to be busy with should be exploring ways to cushion the debilitating effects of the global economic meltdown. Finding solution to the nightmares of thousands of laid-off workers or priming our industries for them to hold on to their operations in the face of massive worldwide losses could have gripped the full attention of our people away from any speculative discourse on politics.

But, my judgment of our predilection is wrong. Lahi jud ang Pinoy! Election is, indeed, as perennial as the grass. It allows no idle day, not even for a fleeting moment. Politics engages us, in no uncertain terms, shortly following an election to the next time we go back to the polls. How else shall we explain that just few months after the 2004 elections, the “Hello Garci tapes”, (those alleged recordings of presidential instructions to cheat) surfaced, became the talk of the nation and moved our people to almost topple Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from power following her admission to some “lapse of judgment”.

Also, at the start of this year, all kinds of subliminal advertisements blossomed if only to complete the full run of political events from election to election. Just take a closer look at the advertisements of His Honor, Congressman Raul V. del Mar in Cebu City. One such propaganda is in the form of a virtual endorsement for his daughter as the next representative of the district starting 2010. These large pictures are seen posted on the halls of most, if not all, of the barangays in the north district of this city. 

This early, we are getting occupied with the question who among our elected officials will next occupy which position. On the national level, each prospect (for the presidency) is trying to make himself easily identifiable. That’s the only way to explain the presence of the banners of Mr. Bayani Fernando, the Metro Manila Development Authority head, on the streets of Cebu province.

Politics dominates our psyche, really. We can only shake our heads at what the barangay captains in our city, few days ago, did. While, theoretically, they are supposed to be insulated from any political alliances, they almost chorused into circulating a political manifesto.

The barangay captains did not write about finding a solution to the intrusion of seawater deep into the belly of the city. Why should they? That issue would not buy for them a garbage truck. They did not print their sentiments out to search for justice by clamoring for a solution to the vigilante style of murders (about 200 in Cebu City). Anyway, the victims were derelicts who could not help perpetuate them in power.

It was truly a political manifesto of the useless kind. In the midst of the mounting problems confronting our people, our barangay officials were concerned only on who would be the next candidates for mayor and vice mayor, with still more than one year to go.

 Unfortunately, they did not understand the tragedy looming behind their manifesto. They tacitly admitted to the whole world that there could be no persons capable of running the affairs of the city government. Differently stated, our barangay captains opined that among some 400,000 Cebu City electorates, acting Mayor Michael Rama included, no one else, except del Mar and Osmeña, had the competence to lead our city as mayor. Atty. Romeo Reyes, with whom I briefly talked about this matter, sighed in agreement to my reading of the situation when I said that “Ug binisay-on pa, kitang tanan, apil na ng mga kapitan, mga bogo kay dili angayan mahimong mayor sa ciudad”.

Notwithstanding the barangay captains admission against their interests, I believe that this city teems with the most profound professionals. Wherever I go, I meet people with impeccable academic credentials and a deep sense of patriotism. They may not hold elective positions but I am certain than when given the chance, they can manage our city better. The barangay captains better find these men or lose their credibility!.

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