THERE are talks that after her nine years stint representing the second congressional district with so much distinction and capped it being the ‘primus inter pares’ in the House of Representatives our very own Gloria Macapagal Arroyo maybe appointed secretary of the Department of Finance. She denied it though. She is in her senior years, yet she moves like a 40 year old. I am not flattering her. I have seen her walk that fast the last time she inspected the construction of a terminal building at the north end of the airport at Clark Freeport.
How many times I heard it from my mother that 'when great wrongs are done, it's rarely possible to undo them.' You may think I am bias because she is a cabalen, but I believe former President Noynoy Aquino was unfair to her for obvious reasons. For almost five years, she was a victim of malediction. And due to a strong persuasion to the courts of any president, she was detained. Up to the present time, many of us wouldn't know what was the real reason or reasons why ex-President Noynoy Aquino 'hated' so much GMA. We can come up some reasons, like the removing of the two Presidential Security Group (PSG) bodyguards of his mom, the late President Cory. But that cannot be the main reason. There must be some more. Maybe the ruling against Hacienda Luisita which happened during GMA's watch. But whatever...
Anyway, many water the under bridge already passed and will still pass and will remain turbid or murky. But the constituents in the second district in particular and the many Kapampangans and countrymen may no longer be interested in those past details. What is important now is that GMA who maybe hopelessly home sick in all those years she was under hospital arrest, was able to bounce back and is still of service to our country. And it’s quality service.
They say she is ‘mataray.’ Yes, I believe she is, depending on a situation. She will instantly become one if you are in government service and failed in what you are expected of you. She’s impatient because she want things to be done, and subscribe to the saying that ‘when you do things, you do it right.’ If you did it wrong, you’ll get a piece of her mind. But to many people who really know her, and ask her bosom friend and Cumareng Governor Lilia ‘Nanay Baby,’ and she will tell you that the former president is such a nice, warm and a generous person. And that’s GMA for you.
Tidbits: Sto. Tomas Mayor John Sambo will face four ‘political giants’ in his re-election bid. His opponent is Gloria ‘Ninang’ Ronquillo wife of former Mayor Romy. Running in tandem with Ninang is Jhong Naguit, the brother of ex-Mayor Lito Naguit. Former mayors Meng Pineda and Lucas Arceo are also behind Nunang’s candidacy...in Porac politics what’s shaping up is a battle royale between Vice Mayor Dexter David and Barangay Captain Jing Capil. At this point David is leading the race. Former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid is also a candidate... Interesting to watch are the mayoral contests in Mabalacat City and Magalang. Christian Halili and Romy Pecson are popular candidates. They are facing the incumbents who are first time re-electionists. In the case of Pecson, he only lost against Malou Lacson by few hundred in 2019, while Garbo only assumed the city hall seat from Mayor Marino ‘Boking’ Morales after a court ruling.