Thursday, September 13, 2007 Diaz: Quo vadis, Congressman? By Cris Diaz
QUO vadis, Congressman? I am referring to Congressman Augusto "Jun" Baculio, (Kampi), of Misamis Oriental's Second Congress District.
Baculio ran and lost the gubernatorial post against incumbent Governor Oscar "Oca" Moreno, (Lakas), who ran for re-election in the May elections this year.
Baculio was left with no option but ran for governor after his three-term as Congressman of the province's Second District ended.
Of course, "Jun" as he is fondly called to associates and friends would have wanted to continue his services had he been elected governor.
But running against an incumbent governor in control of the province's political geography may have proven too much for Baculio.
"It was an election of guts, money and even muscles," Baculio reminisces one of his unforgettable elections.
With his son Rex, (Kampi), trying to follow his footsteps as Congressman, the elder Baculio faces political pressure. Father and son ran tandem in the province's otherwise visceral electoral exercise.
Now, after months of unwinding, Baculio's political pulse could no longer be felt. Quo vadis, Congressman?
Baculio did not raise his finger during elections for President of the League of Mayors in the Province (LMP) last August.
Neither "Jun" showed interest in the elections of Provincial Councilors' League, (PCL) too.
For politicians, winners and losers, the LMP and PCL elections are necessary springboards to test the waters of local politics.
For the losers, gaining an upper hand in the LMP or winning the Presidencies of both the LMP and PCL would have been a tactical victory.
In other words, even if an acknowledged party leader lost in a major electoral exercise such defeat is regained with a tactical victory of sectoral leader’s elections like the LMP and PCL. But, Jun Baculio now seemed to have adopted a never-care-less attitude.
Isn't this a message that Baculio is leaving politics? It's too early to predict.
Somehow, this writer learned that Baculio had pursued his project of giving livelihood to constituents in Misamis Oriental.
"He (Baculio) is keeping mum on his activities - political or otherwise - but is pursuing his livelihood program in Misamis Oriental," a close aide said.
Last month, Baculio went on a trade mission in the Middle East where his group met with businessmen in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
An informant said that businessmen in Middle East, especially in Dubai, have agreed to grant capital to goat and poultry raisers in Misamis Oriental.
"I have a lot of unfinished commitments to the people of Misamis Oriental involving livelihood projects. These projects were originally scheduled this year but were a bit delayed due to the elections in May," Baculio said.
It was learned that the Middle East wants to import hundreds of thousand of goats and poultry products from the Philippines.
Aside from goats and poultry products, the Arab world is also interested to import tropical fruits from our country. This includes, bananas, pineapples and mangoes.
Obviously, Baculio is now enjoying being an entrepreneur rather than a politician. "Actually, I am fully booked year round on trade missions. I am doing this for the people of Misamis Oriental," Baculio said.
(Cris Diaz is adjuged "Best in Column Writing" by the Rotary Club of Metro Cagayan de Oro, 2000. E-mail: column_ph@yahoo.com)
