|
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Carvajal: The lady is no tradpol
By Orlando P. Carvajal
IN A country that is mired in partisan political infighting, to be a non-traditional politician is to separate oneself from all that is ugly and destructive about traditional politics. And our lady governor has done precisely that.
Unlike traditional politicians (tradpols), Gov. Gwen Garcia has risen over traditional and obstructionist partisanship and delivered on her promises. Her claims to accomplishments in her recent State of the Province Address are simply unassailable.
She delivered because, unlike the traditional politicians in the opposition, she did not spend the past one hundred weeks virtually campaigning for re-election. She consolidated the province, not her political party, by helping develop all the municipalities including those controlled by the opposition. A tradpol (like someone we know) would starve the opposition of resources for their areas.
She delivered because, unlike traditional politicians, she has fought, continues to fight, to keep the geo-political integrity of Cebu intact. She has, moreover, taken risks a tradpol would never take to strive for the unity of the Provincial Board.
As a result, she has gained the admiration, albeit grudging maybe, of the likes in the opposition as Raul Bacaltos, Agnes Magpale, Juan Bolo and Victor Maambong for some of her accomplishments. Earlier, of course, we know that Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez had come around to support her program of government.
This more than makes up for the snub she got from the likes of Joven Mondigo, Estrella Yapha, Victoria Corominas, and Gabriel Quisumbing who are opting for loyalty to a party over a strong and united Cebu.
Traditional politicians forget that they are elected to work for the province and not their party, that once elected they are supposed to form a unity government for the welfare of the province because loyalty to the party should end where loyalty to the province begins. Or is that ideal sadly passé now also in our beloved Cebu?
Her greatest achievement to me (which, by the way, is President Arroyo’s greatest failure) is doing exactly what she knows she has to do for the progress of Cebu and trusting the Cebuanos to appreciate her performance with no apparent anxiety whatsoever over her political future.
This is in contrast with the tradpols in the opposition whose obvious objective is to prevent her from performing and getting credit for that performance so they can win the province in the next elections for their party boss, whose devious desire to hang on to a political fiefdom has him mastermind a potentially destructive division of Cebu and a continuing obstructionism on the part of his henchmen in the Provincial Board.
Yes she is no tradpol and she has done us proud in Cebu. Carry on, Guv.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 19, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
