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Sunday, December 14, 2003
Martinez: Online
By Ernie Martinez
"LI-FE" In Hibernation
"Can Mayor Benjamin S. Lim and the Fernandezes afford to face each other in costly political battle? Perhaps the better question is whether they can avoid it?"
THE election is still several months away, yet politics seems to be on everyone's lips these days. So typical of our politics-obsessed culture, the hottest topic of the past several months is the loose talk about the looming political battle between Mayor Lim and Usec. Al Fernandez in 2004.
However, to put it strongly, people are debating a topic that Al had personally denied. He has yet to utter something beyond one sentence to confirm or deny the rumors. Al, as always, even sidetracked most local issues when confronted by media men.
He would rather avoid making any comments and prefer to wrap his thoughts by saying he leaves it all to the Vice-Mayor's judgment and competence in answering issues regarding the city government.
This writer is fascinated by Al's silence, no one has a clue what will actually happen next, he continues to keep the public guessing. But in a chance meeting at Dagupena several days ago, this writer asked him if the rumor about his comeback bid is true. His answer was a flat NO! It is nothing but a baseless assumption of some groups, he said.
Some political observers however reasoned that the recent moves of Vice-Mayor Alvin have all Dagupan buzzing and not a few residents are wondering whether he might in fact be showing something else - and none too soon.
One of the factors that have fed the rumor is the unpredictability of Alvin on several occasions that embarrassed the city government by refusing to play the traditional role of a quite partner to the city mayor. Alvin has also disagreed with the city government positions on some important policies.
Some people close to Alvin say "trabaho lang." That his boundless idealism in the performance of his role is the result of standing up for what he believes in.
The fact is, as former PNB Director, Tony Manas said, Benjie and Alvin are just made for each other. They share many traits. They are both smart men, workaholics who can sit up all night discussing the problems of the city or go up on stage singing together their favorite songs.
It's a shame, as people now perceived, they don't seem to get along better. But for all their differences, Lim is sort of a liberal, Alvin, an on-and-off conservative are so unlike of our National Leaders' grandstanding, tearing at each other's throats or stabbing others in the back. The discipline and sobriety of both is remarkable.
Over the coming months, their impeccable behavior will be sorely tested. Lim has to find a way out of the political stalemate they have both created. They cannot continue to co-exist like a divorced couple living under the same roof.
0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
The acronym "LI-FE" as everyone knows refers to the Lim-Fernandez tandem. For the last two years, it is in a state of hibernation. In its inactive status it could come out of its shell in a particularly critical time to respond to the challenge posed by the realities of political convenience.
Some people say that one can only do good after having done well. And for the good of the city, they want the Lim-Fernandez relationship to continue and the LIFE Team to be revived to preserve the existing political order.
It is really very simple. All they have to do is go back to the beginning. Jose Rizal's admonition that those who cannot look back to where they came from will never get where they are going has never resonated with more meaning.
The LIFE Team had an apparently a storm proof partnership in 2001. Yet today the relationship between the two frontrunners seems to be whistling through the void in a kind of free fall with no apparent cause. Probably an unintentional slight here, a gap of understanding there - has been the formless patterns of relationship for the past two years.
What it all adds up to, said some observers, is for both to make up their own minds. But I believe that Mayor Lim being the father of the group had to do the initiative. Convene a meeting of the LIFE Team with no imposition of an agreement, no announcement of a done deal, no threats. Just an invitation to sit down and talk.
The revival of the LIFE Team will definitely decide the outcome of the election in Dagupan City. Surely, there will be no real political competition should Mayor Benjie and Vice-Mayor Alvin decides to run together again.
This is the advantage of having held the office of the Vice-Mayor at an early age. That Alvin being young can afford to wait for his time. As I have said before, Alvin has a good future in politics. With the LIFE Team as the vehicle, he can almost see his own destination and one way of reaching it is to wait for 2007.
You may have all the powers and the money, but if you decide otherwise and fight, both of you will end up financially and morally battered in the end.
(December 14, 2003 issue)
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