Fiesta Time is ‘Epal’ Time

BRACE yourselves, you will see a lot of faces again this week – both real and on print.

As Cagayan de Oro City will celebrate Kagay-an Festival, you just don’t enjoy every activity in store for everyone, but you will also have to witness the intricate details of faces of people who “made the event possible.”

Spare the private and commercial firms for also putting their traden ames as part of their marketing strategies, but for people who have vested interest for the coming elections, which is about nine months away from now, it is something to be curiously scrutinized of.

Epal. A Filipino colloquial term deriving from “nagpa papel” or those who wants to catch attention and credit to every single project or work done for the public. At some point, it has evolved into “EPALitics,” as the new “Trapo (traditional politician).”

And there was a bill introduced in Congress to ban too much putting credits on a specific politician on every project made for the public. I doubt that bill will be ever put into law, just like the Freedom of Information Bill.

But occasions like the festival and even occasions where most of the people will gather around, expect the bombardment of their faces who longed to be remembered especially that 2013 is near.

I have admired this Barangay Chairman who admitted that he had to put his name in the streamers of one of the events in their village because it’s the only way for people to get to know him. And through his eyes you can see his sincerity in telling the truth. Unfortunately, people like this Chairman is very rare nowadays. Most unfortunately, he is not from Cagayan de Oro City.

For putting one’s face or name in a government project or any public activities like the fiesta may not sound bad after all. Who knows, they deserved it and maybe they have fought it with their life and limb just to make that project happen. For credit’s purposes, so that people would know that these people or politicians were behind these successes.

But yet again, there’s this cloud of doubt. If it’s real hardwork, then the credit is due to them, but if the hardwork was borrowed from somebody else, then there’s the problem. And let’s not forget the very important element of all – honesty – especially in dealing with the total amount of expenses where the money from the taxpayers is used.

And was there even a hardwork, or was it more than just a facial value than the actual public service done?

We can’t help if politicians do their politicking stuff in times like the city fiesta but hopefully, the enthusiasm of the people celebrating it will supersede the cunning designs in luring voters’ recall on their names and faces.

It’s about Cagayan de Oro City, that’s the least they could do for the people to enjoy their lives once in a year.

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Speaking of fiesta events, let’s support our homegrown artists especially in the tattoo industry. Yes, sometimes they get the impression of being into the “underground civilization” and a favorite subject of criticism to some self-righteous people. But “demonic symbolisms” aside, some tattoo artists deserve an award for excellence in portraying the very art itself.

Just like this 33-year-old artist whom I prefer not naming to avoid suspicions that I get a percentage or perks for their upcoming event this August 26. Perhaps not everyone knows that he’s been innovating a machine for the development of the tattoo industry. In fact, his innovations have already gone overseas and too bad, only few within us know this achievement, to think that his tattoo shop is a registered business and he also pays taxes.

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What happened to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and the two pilots was painful and very unexpected. But only God knows why. The incident can be likened to former Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay whose fate was also sealed in a plane crash. And he was loved and admired by people for being a good leader thus a memorial achievement award was named before him, to which Robredo was also a recipient of such distinguished award.

I thought, maybe Robredo was a good government official or leader after all? Because too-good-to-be-true government officials usually don’t stay longer. The country mourns his death and his efforts shall be remembered. We offer our prayers.

(Nef Luczon is a freelance journalist and a part-time communications instructor. He is also a film and art enthusiast. He can be reached at nefluczon@gmail.com)