Monday, April 07, 2008 Seares: The girl who 'scolded' Mayor Tomas By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
IN “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” a 1962 film by John Ford, a neophyte lawyer (James Stewart) helped civilize the West. He was credited with gunning down notorious killer Liberty Valance (Jack Palance) in a showdown but it was another toughie (John Wayne) who actually fired the lethal shot.
What’s the parallel between the film hero, who rose from celebrity to state senator, and Matet Balili whose 15-minute fame in February 2004 was recalled in last Saturday’s papers?
The update reported her graduation from college and her wish to return to Samar this year. Instead of coaching Korean yuppies, she decides to teach English to poor children in her hometown.
Matet, a high school student four years ago, had the courage to gripe to Mayor Tomas Osmeña about the sad state of her public school. That impressed the mayor.
Matet scolded Tomas? Not any truer than Jimmy Stewart killing Liberty Valance. Although Capitol’s Tomas-busters may strongly disagree, she saw no need to civilize the mayor. She just gave a gentle reminder.
No bandit
Tomas is a verbal gunslinger known for his outbursts, the habit to lash out at people who annoy him. But Matet was not contracted by the mayor’s enemies to cut him down to size.
In a way, Matet even honors Tomas who worries about fractured English of many public school students. Her choice doesn’t benefit his constituents but it’s one he and the rest of us can applaud.
Unlike Liberty Valance who bit the dust, Tomas is up and about, still flogging such victims as IBP members, owners of schools and hospitals, Sto. Niño vendors, and Capitol consultants.
