Monday, March 03, 2008 Pangan: Same faith and credit By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
SOME lessons may have been learned from the rallies staged by protesters against the Arroyo administration. As reported by media and as we have seen them ourselves, the agitation for a change in leadership cannot be shrugged off as tentative and inconsequential.
In the same faith and credit as the previous people power demonstrations, the current staging are reminiscent of past protestations, only probably smaller yet in magnitude but, as the oppositionists claim, we have seen nothing yet.
There should be no sacred cows in government or so the ideologists propound and strongly suggest that the ax should fall where it should. Like sensitive individuals, however, we should temper our interjections with level-headedness, our anger with compassion and our fiery and irreverent swearing with understanding of those at the receiving end of our outbursts.
Imperfections abound in national as well as in local governance but these should not lure us into blind submission to those who intend to perpetuate themselves in power. Elected officials (and even those appointed ones) should always remember and put into practice that constitutional provision that sovereignty resides in the people (us ordinary citizens) and all authority emanates from us. Ergo, the elected officials should act accordingly as public servants and not as monarchs and oligarchs who demand submission by their subjects. But, this is easier said than done, isn't it?
Our elected officials will serve the people? Rarely do we find those who serve their constituents well. Like finding a needle in a haystack, it is hard to find true, dedicated and committed public servants in our government. They are very rare breed now and their kind is vanishing fast.
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I have never seen priests so actively involved in today's issues than the present crop of clergymen who join protest rallies as avidly as their flock. Signs of the times? During the early fifties and even into the late seventies, priests were mainly focused on, and preoccupied with, their church duties and moderate outreach programs. Look at where they are now. Aren't they foregoing their priestly duties in favor of attractive politics? Is there?
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A pitch for local tourism. Over at Barangay Calumpang, Mabalacat, Paradise Ranch Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary is steadily becoming a tourists' attraction with its aviary and flora collections. Operated by Eric Gomez, a Fil Am from California, USA, and the 52-hectare resort provides visitors with a pleasant sight of plants and trees meticulously labeled and a butterfly house filled with various species of, yes, butterflies!
It is still undergoing improvement but nevertheless, local tourists from different places, including Metro Manila are now enjoying the vantage point overlooking Sacobia River and from not so far, the Clark area.
Punong Barangay Jaime Jimenez, together with Kagawad Reynold Sicat and the barangay secretary, accompanied me to the tourist spot and toured me to his barangay including sitios Monicayo, Malupa and Manggahan which I surmised have potentials for fullblown development given the necessary resources -- time, equipment and manpower. Paging, Mayor Boking Morales, the tourism office, the local offices of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. You can make this barangay an ecotourism site and provide livelihood and job opportunities to its residents.
The ridges of Calumpang are similar to those in Tagaytay and I suggested to Kap Jimmy that his could be developed and patterned after the famous ridge city.
Barangay Calumpang, according to Jimmy, has an effective area of about 2,200 hectares although the Municipal Engineer's Office reportedly estimates it at only about 1,200 hectares. The registered population is only 400 but Jimmy claims that the actual population figure is 2,000 so that he wants to solicit the help of the municipal civil registrar and the NSO to rectify the figure recorded by the census team in order to put the correct one in place. Its IRA share is only about P400,000 plus but this will increase if rectifications are made to benefit both the kulot and the unat of Barangay Calumpang. Well, let's get to work then, Punong Barangay Jimmy Jimenez.
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If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Over at the CDC, I believe President Levy P. Laus is doing a fine job, so why the fuss over his rumored replacement? Aren't his (and his team, of course) accomplishments enough to prove his existence at this government-owned and controlled firm? Cannot his ambitious detractors wait for their turn at bat?
Meanwhile, let Levy manage the firm well. Instead of whining, the concerned individuals should help make CDC a very productive organization.
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I say congrats to my good friend Bien Mateo for the successful three-day sale at SM City Pampanga. Also, my kudos go to Mac Salta of Seven Eleven who, I last heard, is planning to put up a branch inside the Philexcel complex. Ditto with Jerry Arenas of Aresun which workers are busy cleaning the likewise busy Astro Park, which typically becomes litter park after promenaders have "conquered" it.
