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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Mercado: Battle for Candaba
By Ram Mercado
I AM NOT really worried on the silence and non-expression of support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by Pampanga Representatives Blueboy Nepomuceno and Ana York Bondoc who belong to the partido NPC.
When I saw a full-page Sun Cellular ad photo of Ms. Bondoc on a daily - pretty and impressively professional in a doctor's garb - I felt worried about Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo whose pictures were all over the papers in recent weeks.
If the Macabebe princess keeps to this good image, instead of her unmade-up appearance with close-cropped hairdo which makes her appear like an adopted daughter of Board Member Bay Tolentino, Jerry Pelayo's political goose is cooked.
It is not a secret anymore that the energetic and voluble Candaba mayor is now rated as the chief rival of Anna York - or even his brother, Rimpy - in the 2007 congressional polls, if there's going to be one.
The embattled President Arroyo has found Pelayo a fearless and dependable ally during last week's critical stages of the ouster turmoil. Articulate, sensible, and courageous in his defense of the President, the mayor has gained admiration from the Kapampangan sector and a high mark for confidence by Madame.
Besides, Jerry's untarnished credibility as a spokesman for Pampanga delegates to the periodic Palace meetings puts him far ahead of Mabalacat Mayor Boking Morales who, while loudly eloquent and verbose in his expression of loyalty to the President, is questioned for his motives.
This is a heavy baggage on Morales, particularly when he speaks for Pampanga. Pelayo has yet to attain tradpol (traditional politicians) status like Morales who is determined to convert his municipality into cityhood status to extend his hold on the progressive community.
The people of Candaba, on the other hand, are frustrated that throughout the postwar history, there has not been one of their sons who was elected to Congress. For a decade or so, the royal family of Macabebe - starting from father, to son, and now to the daughter, enjoyed a power monopoly in Pampanga's 4th district. Consider that Candaba is exceedingly bigger in land area, populace, and development potentials than the coastal town of the Bondocs.
Candaba's best bet has hitched his wagon to the GMA camp which was engulfed by a raging fire last week, until a fireman named FVR doused cold water on the conflagration. If the President survives this one, and the next possible big bang in later days, Jerry Pelayo is her man in the district.
Provided, of course, Anna York maintains her charming and captivating looks and stop acting like she is an adopted daughter of Bay Tolentino, Jerry will be on a difficult and uphill fight.
Compounding my worry about Pelayo is the threat of an avian (bird flu) infestation in Calumpit in the Province of Bulacan and adjacent his area of responsibility. I understand one of his primary priorities is to safeguard his town as a sanctuary of migratory birds from China and satellite nations. This exposes Jerry, who does not believe that virus-carrier birds can fly from faraway shores to his town, to the danger of getting afflicted by the deadly flu.
Candabeños last week expressed apprehensions that their best aspirant to Congress is prematurely putting himself - and the town's political interest - at risk by his frequent sorties to the bird sanctuaries in swampy marshes.
As this developed, Ms. Bondoc took time out from her lawmaking duties, to pose for this full page ad, with bold letters captioning her as Pulmonary and Intensive Care Specialist, St. Luke's Medical Center.
If this means anything to Candabeños and the people of the province's 4th district, it is that she is aware and very careful of bird flu virus (a deadlier one than Sars) and is in a better and more qualified position to deal with it than Jerry Pelayo should this menace hit the district.
In the meantime, sources from BM Tolentino's office intimated that the now prettified lawmaker has been cautioned by the royal family of Macabebe to desist temporarily from her usual visitation to that area where Jerry is known to roam and tinker with exotic birds.
Pulmonologists usually attend to bird flu cases. In case some infected people from Candaba may seek her help, she is at St. Luke's hospital. So there, Jerry, just in case, you would know where to go.
* * * * *
"If We Hold On Together," led by the Dinky Duo (Ms. Soliman and Ms. Deles) at the fateful Palace meeting, was first sang by Fernandino leaders (Save San Fernando Movement) during a human chain at the height of the lahar rampage in San Fernando. While the Fernandinos expressed the need for unity, determination, and courage to altogether fight for the city, the Cabinet rebels against GMA sang it for themselves before finally breaking away.
(July 13, 2005 issue)
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