The race for Vice Mayor

In our Talakayan program over channel 36 and DWRW a few days ago, we took a poll asking our audience if government should continue or discontinue sending our athletes to the Olympics. Of the more than 30 respondents, everyone said we should discontinue. Their answers came up with qualifications.

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Until and unless our government can come up with a sound sport program, we should stop embarrassing our country. Small countries like Jamaica and few others are reaping medals. The Philippines is richer and larger than some countries with winners. Why send a 5-feet tall boxer and compete. Mark Anthony Barriga maybe a good boxer, but can’t we train a taller boxer next time? We have an abundance of talent.

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The latest news on the local political front; Madame Lolita Olalia Hizon will run for vice mayor in Bacolor. She is running in tandem with her incumbent son Jomar Hizon. This developed after incumbent vice mayor Jun Canlas backed the comebacking Buddy Dungca. All the while the Hizon camp thought they had Canlas already.

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There are reports that smart Buddy Dungca is being backed up by the Pinedas, and that as far back as two months ago, Buddy was making the rounds of the barangays conducting medical missions. If I know Atsing Lolet, she is not called Pampanga’s best for nothing. It is battle royale in Bacolor for sure.

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The vice mayoral race in Angeles city is as interesting as the Lazatin vs Pamintuan contest. There are now four in the derby with the entry of fellow columnist Mark Allen Sison, reportedly backed up by vice president Jojo Binay. The three others are Jay Sangil, Alfie Bonifacio and incumbent Vicky Vega Kabigting. I am still betting for Kabigting. Mark has lot of catching up to do.

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Glad to know that there is an increase in the number of workers in the Clark Freeport. It only shows that my friend Chairman and President Ed Oban and the board of directors are setting the policies right, and implementation are within the context of best practices. Congrats to the team of Philip Panlilio, Teng Gorospe, Frank Madlang bayan, Pip Galang, Bernie Angeles, Maris Mandocdoc and Pearl Sagmit and the different managers of the corporation.

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When we came in 2001, me as a part of the board with Babe Singson and later Manny Angeles, Levi Laus and Benny Ricafort as presidents, there were only more than 22,000 workers and more or less 200 locators. When we made our exit, the number of workers ballooned to more than 55,000 employed in more than 500 locators. Not bad by any standard. Now the Freeport has more than 66,000 employees.

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My article about Senator Lito Lapid got a good review. Let me share them with you. From Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan; Lapid's story is a classic case of a downtrodden, disadvantaged and marginalized who reached the dream of every Juan, Pedro and Maria. One in a million.

From Bernie Angeles, vice president of the Clark Development Corporation; Good article on Sen Lapid. Very inspiring that with hard work and believe in yourself, anybody can succeed.

Alex Cauguiran has this to say: You are the only political historian in the province with vivid memory. Reading your column is like listening to a story teller.

Thanks for the other comments, it encourages me.