Pacete: Reading the political lips

POLITICS in the Philippines is always uncertainty. The political lips may not have a sound but their communique could always be read. Hypothesis is a guessing game but there are good political players who could give their “best guess” if the “price is right”.

The “Die Hard Duterte Group” (DHDG) is pushing “hard and fast” charter change and federalism. This may sound easier but one brilliant Filipino with the astuteness of Plato should be on stage to enlighten us. We are now certain of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this year. The 2019 election could be possible if there are no “political highway robbers”. That is another uncertainty.

In our province, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. is the chairman of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). Majority of the Negros politicians have taken the challenge and made themselves members of the ruling party. In politics, we call it survival strategy. Our Grand Old Man, as chairman, may have a “consultative power” or a “discretionary power” in the selection of a guy who would run as governor under the PDP-Laban.

We all know that we have two strong local political parties in Negros Occidental. With the leadership of the Grand Old Man, the two political parties may come into a compromised “win-win agreement”. President Digong may not want to consider Negros Occidental a “political open province” in 2019. He will always opt for unity so that there will be strong support for his national political agenda.

Negrosanons expect that one congressman will run for senator. Negros has no senator for several decades. This Negros candidate for senator is expected to win because he is inside the PDP-Laban official ticket. He is positively endorsed by the Negros leaders (Oriental and Occidental) and he is being backed-up by the Visayas block. He has good logistics and can afford to campaign any time in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. He only needs good luck.

The unified Negros politicians with the Grand Old Man can have a governor coming from one local party and the vice governor could possibly come from another local party. If we want to preserve Negros, let us not expect for the “Clash of the Titans”. Negros “hacenderos” and business tycoons will always give their “charitable donation” to the winning team. I hope our liberated workers, free thinkers, freedom worshippers, independent farmers, and organized educators could also come up with candidates who can fight for the cause.

I hope that the Grand Old Man and his council can also advise candidates for town and city mayors to come up with a better formula to avoid “much spending”, “much shouting” and “filing of cases” in the Ombudsman. We pray for a no-bloody-election in towns and cities. No one among them believes that he or she could lose an election.

Bacolod City could be an exciting political laboratory. Mayor Bing in his “red corner” rests in his “comfort zone” believing that Bacolod is the most livable city. His cases in the Ombudsman are gradually going down ... one after the other. Vice Mayor El Cid simply goes with the “red tide” seeing no big waves ahead. He is more comfortable than comfortable. Congressman Greg has endeared himself to Bacolod folks with his more Department of Public Works and Highways projects and links with the “reds”.

The “Red Shirts” also know that politics is uncertain. There will always be politicians who believe that if Mayor Bing and Cong. Greg can do better ... they can do best. Politics is always like that, full of wishful thinking. Some believe that P6 million from Bredco is too small. If that politician becomes mayor, he has his way of letting Bredco pay a bigger million of pesos. Many believe he can do that because of his “proper connection” and someone said so.

If the fight for mayoralty of Bacolod is “one-on-one”, then, we will see action. We will see the reaction of barangay captains, Chinese community, Indian community, Muslim community, academic community, vendors’ community, and the flying voters. Money speaks. Money counts. Money makes officials. Bredco is a good source of money. What is left is the “nod” from President Digong.

There will be more changes to come that could be read from the “political lips”. The “old guards” and the “new players” are expected to throw their hats also in the political arena. The drug lords and the gambling lords are just waiting for their candidates. We all know that the Good Lord will always protect our province, towns and cities. Politicians should pray because the devils also pray. Voters should pray hard to avoid monetary temptation. Can they?*

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