Sangil: Age is only a number

I HAVE said and wrote it many times that politicians are sometimes likened to ring boxers. Like ring fighters, the politicos find it so difficult to hang the political gloves. Look at my 83-year-old Cumpareng Tarzan Lazatin. He is now chairman of oversized Barangay Balibago of Angeles City.

Even before the village polls, many were in disbelief when the announcement came that he will run for barangay captain. Many scratched their heads.

There is always that strong attraction of being a public figure. Look at former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada. After a short stint in Malacanang, he faced former Mayor Alfredo Lim, who is a lot older than Erap. The latest news, he will go for re-election for his final third term next year. Even Malaysia's Mahatir is 92 years old and thrashed Namibia Razak in the recently concluded polls in that country.

Former President and now Second District Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be on her last term, yet I am dead sure she is not entirely closing the door to forthcoming challenges of public service. In my talks sometime ago with her at the Macapagal's Lubao residence, she is definitely not running for governor but hoping she may be in Congress in case the charter change movement will be in place in 2019 and Central Luzon become one of the proposed 18 federated states.

Rare and memorable exceptions of people whose fervent desire really is to serve. Some achieved their goals, others missed the opportunities. I have in mind people like Rafael L. Lazatin, who became governor of Pampanga, and Juanita Lumanlan Nepomuceno, who with distinction served as representative of the first congressional district of the province. Governor Estelito Mendoza carved his niche as one of the best governors Pampanga ever had, aside from being a brilliant lawyer. He is still very much in the practice of law and I guess he must be in his late eighties. There are others but they can't be compared with the first three. There were who shouldn't have been in public service but I'd rather not mention them.

In today's millennial age, there are two outstanding public servants. If I mention their names, I am sure it will meet wholehearted approval from the majority. They are Lilia "Nanay Baby" Pineda, the incumbent governor, and Angeles City Mayor Edgardo "Edpam" Pamintuan. The "Nanay" is the Mother Teresa of the sick people in Pampanga and elsewhere. Pamintuan changed the landscape of Angeles and is the game changer. Even Pamintuan can't be so sure that he will retire permanently from public service. His friends and supporters are egging him to take a potshot on the first congressional district. He once attempted to get elected as congressman of the first district in 1998 vs his former teammate Francis Blue Boy Nepomuceno but the latter prevailed. In my readings, he is most likely in the hustings and give the Lazatins a run for their money To recall, Edpam picked as his running mate Nepomuceno in the 1995 mayoral elections and both won convincingly. I could I forget that when on the same elections I was voted number one among councilors and became mayor of the city by succession when both resigned from city hall.

As early as two years ago, I have been saying that there are still varied response of my picks on who should be political leaders in Pampanga and Angeles City. In the second and forthcoming batches of politicians in Pampanga, they should try harder and serve well in order to be well remembered by their constituencies even when they are no longer in the political arena. I can name some and may elicit approval to some and thumbs down to a few. You just wait readers, I will consult people who their picks are.

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