Tulabut: Father and Son

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

IT’S always nice to see a father and a son together. It is a lot better if they work together – for the good of many.

We have seen great father-leaders pass on the baton to aspiring sons. Such was the case with the late Pampanga Governor Bren Z. Guiao whose legacy is being given justice with the exploits of his son Vice Governor Yeng Guiao.

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In Mabalacat, the late Mayor Fred Halili who was the town’s chief for about 20 years has been blessed with son Councilor Christian Halili who followed in his footsteps.

In Angeles City, of course, there have been a lot of father-to-son stories. Most notable of which is the great leadership of Rafael Lazatin to Cong. Carmelo Lazatin and Francisco Nepomuceno to Blueboy Nepomuceno.

Contemporarily speaking, I think it is a rarity to have a tandem of father and son serving the public at the same dispensation. It is rarest even that they make a huge positive impact to local development scenarios.

Such is the case for Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and his junior – Edu, for clarity and fondness sake there – who are making waves in tandem achievements.

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Before the elections last year, I must admit that for a brief moment, I was swayed into believing critics that the idea of having a Pamintuan in the City Council might be a little off. Something that may even imperil the winnability of Atty. Edpam back then.

But that was a baseless fear, which I put aside. I talked to the very young Pamintuan and found him sensible despite his youth. He has set his sights then on pushing for quality and inexpensive education for the youth.

And so, I was convinced that Edu will be an asset to the comebacking mayor when the latter gets elected. In fact, I even wrote some column articles about him (and other young and dynamic candidates like Atty. Angelo “Pinggoy” Lopez) and what he could do when elected to the City Council.

I thought they will be a good father and son tandem – just like the Hoyts who race with grace, the Bonds and Griffeys who hit record baseball homeruns, the Barrys who made shots and executed plays in basketball for the wins. These tandems are epitomes of hard work.

More than a year later, Councilor Edu has made good a biblical admonition that was first taught by Paul to Timothy: “Do not let thy youth despise thee.”

Today, Councilor Edu is instrumental in the soon-to-be-established CCA or City College of Angeles, as he took the cudgels in the Council where he has sponsored the resolution that paved the way for the community college.

But unlike other councilors where their jobs end in the filing of resolutions or ordinances, Councilor Edu is bent on seeing the CCA come to fruition. If he has to lay the literal cornerstone, he would do it.

He has been conducting meetings hither thither, trying to know all the best practices and benchmarks that would make for a college where thousands of young Angeleños would start a future.

The recent employers’ summit inside Clark was one of the activities he led to make sure that would-be graduates at CCA will eventually find a job in locator-firms inside the Freeport. That’s about four to five years down-the-road thinking. That’s preparation.

He has been in talks with experts and professionals in the academe, just so the best and apt college courses will be offered. A survey of preferred studies is also being completed to re-validate course-to-job matches. That’s foresight.

And, oh yes, the Councilor is making it known that the Pamintuan Administration is looking for the most qualified educator-manager who could serve as CCA’s president when the free college opens in June next year. That’s leadership.

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For his part, Mayor Edpam is finding fulfillment with his old job (read: devotion). Has it not been so, you would not find him most of the weekdays in his City Hall office.

Very few local government unit heads find their office chair comfortable. Very few even are mayors who would hold office on a Friday or towards the weekend.

There are a lot of “Monday-only” mayors, making themselves available at the start of the week to the public but making themselves scarce for the next four days.

Not with Mayor Edpam, who has found renewed vigor that a lot of City Hall employees and observers are saying that he is now a workaholic, seeing him more often in taking care of people’s concerns. Whether in the office receiving guests or on the streets inspiring village leaders, Mayor Edpam has outdone any other local leader (even his own leadership in the 90s) as he is very much visibly working for the good of the Angeleños.

This is one reason why after his very first year as City Mayor, the bemoustached leader has already been getting citations and awards. One of which is the 4th place in the Top Performing Cities (highly urbanized). This is one citation that even the multi-awarded City of San Fernando has not attained.

The award has taken into consideration four vital facets: financial accountability, transparency, good governance, and environment protection. Indeed, Edpam has come-backed, has achieved.

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So where does the Mayor draw strength from? I don’t know Edpam to be taking Ginseng or Ginko Biloba or other concoctions. I am sure that a lot of prayers and the lending hand of First Lady Ate Minyang do some wonders as well as his newfound enjoyment on Angry Birds that keeps the stress levels to the minimum.

But I think his strength and joy comes from fulfillment too.

Only last week, Mayor Edpam was ecstatic in settling an ages-old residency problem at Sitio Hadrian in Balibago where about 200 families in that place can now sleep soundly.

That’s because the so-called informal settlers are no more as the mayor and his administration (Lupaho head Amos Rivera and Atty. Dennis Pamintuan, the City Administrator deserve a pat in the back there) successfully negotiated the purchase of the land.

Not only that. The owners – the Hernandez family – happily sold their property at a very minimal price (at P800 per sqm when it can go as high as P3,000 per) at the observation that the Pamintuan Administration really means well for Angeles City’s urban poor.

Not only that, too. The Hernandez family went down to the City from Metro Manila to meet the mayor and the occupants of their land in a gesture of trust, confidence, satisfaction and harmony.

One of the family members, in sheer delight of what they have seen during the visit, sent a text message to Mayor Edpam.

It reads: “From our brief visit and tête-à-tête yesterday which was a Friday pa, I believe you are doing your darnest for the people of Angeles. Recalling now in my forgetful mind what you said about the ranking of Angeles as 4th among the league of cities (where you said) ‘eh di ko inaasahan, di ko naman alam me pa contest ang DILG. Kasi yung mga ginawa ko eh ordinaryo lamang na dapat gawin ko.’

Well, me thinks that what is  extra ordinary is that you have imbibed the precept of serve the people and I believe that when you are not the mayor anymore, the people’s gratitude will be as heavy as Mt. Arayat. Yun ang difference ninyo ni Pnoy as executives. Siya ay slogan lang ung ‘boss kayo’ ikaw na internalize mo na yan a long time ago. In fact, you are willing to die for the people. That prods you on and on.

I am sure with what you are doing when history judges you, I am sure that you will be the best Mayor the City of Angeles has ever had and looking back at those golden days that was what you always do. And that is to serve the people. I envy the people of Angeles to have you and Miniang! God bless!”