THE last political exercise I just participated on was a win for me. Well I lost against seasoned politicians and went head on with the incumbent and two other former congressmen. In the last 30 years, I just known four others and went on against three of them.
The last I had was when I went against the remaining one. So I can say I went on against them all. But I lost against them all.
While that is the case I would want to say along this adventure I had, there were indeed a lot of wins. Definitely not the political win. Best of all was the win with my family. It was very easy for me this time to talk with them. The support was fast and swift. I would have expected that it be difficult. It wasn't. Even with that of Joy and my kids. Win.
For the first time in six elections that I had gone through, this is first for me to get support from the university. I was actually allowed to speak to the employees and faculty. I was so happy to meet up with some colleagues of mine from way back when, and meeting a lot of new ones. They were either the grandchildren or children of those I really knew. The next generation. I knew their lolo or lola, mom or dad and auntie or uncle. Win.
After nine years, it was a win for me to meet up with my City Administrator Atty. Peter Fianza who stood by me for five years when I was in the Mayor's Office. A very hard working family man who was very effective in helping me run the affairs of the city. And it was always at ease with him. Never any issues or problems with him, ever cool and calm. A three term councilor at that. Win.
Another was having to be alongside the most hardworking man I knew. An engineer from Mapua Institute, Tonyboy. Our families have known each other from various endeavors. Banking is one of them. They, with Rosario and Agoo Rural Bank, us with the Itogon and Sagada Rural Bank. The Jaycees and Apaches too. Oh and his youngest sister is married to a Bautista. My Manong Tonyboy is most efficient when asked to deal with officials of all the barangays. Never a problem too when he sees to it for me. Win.
Win it was for Atty. Fred Bagbagen our senior in our group. The most experienced too. I had had the opportunity to work with him as the chairman for education of the City Council. Like I did when I was councilor, we understood what was needed. An ally in the school board. It also so happens he sits as chairman of the City Museum together with my sister and Tonyboy's brother. He was also proclaimed as the 10th member of the City Council. Congratulations.
Another ally was found in Robin Coteng, ever since he worked well with me as he was the Barangay Chairman of San Vicente where I had placed some amount of assistance from my Calamity Funds for the school there plus some help from the university too. It definitely was a win when I got to connect back with the nutrition workers and action officers of the barangay who all seem to remember me. In fact they had mentioned that I was the only mayor who had been the most generous to them. Win.
Our rose and muse was a very brave woman who supported her family as a single mom. She spent eight years as the Public Information Officer for the United Nations based in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes. Au Alambra was a professor at Philippine Military Academy and worked also in Malacanang as the writer of Ate Glo. Just being with her and her brothers was a win as they were always there to lend a helping hand to anyone.
Win it definitely was for me especially when my Ninong and Mayor Domogan acknowledged that my legislative agenda regarding waste management for the city was a good idea. Imagine that I had not even been to Congress and yet my thoughts made some sense, mine was very simple, to amend provisions on the Clean Air Act just for waste management and Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Solid Waste Management Act. Getting him to my side and calling me "apo" during a debate and forum was a win in my books.
Win it was when I was found by photo journalists Andy and Jj to be taking down my own tarps and posting it online. Last I had seen it, it had almost reached 27k likes and reactions and close to 17k shares. It was also found on Reddit by a friend. It was also a win because just before the elections on Monday, I had the opportunity to contact a group of women from Itogon and Ucab who had lost all livelihood after Typhoon Ompong and the closure of the pocket mines. I wanted them to have some livelihood and this was for them to make bags out of the tarpaulin I used for my campaign. Win.
Win was it for my UB team with Engineer Bernz, Sir Medz, Architect Jovits, Doc Ian and Brothers Ton and Greg who tirelessly worked with me to bring everyone closer to me and made thing so much easier between me and the university. The winners for me were the boys in the kitchen that prepared the best meals and the guys that printed my eco bags. My best friend Jay thought I was a winner from day 1.
Sure sir.
With all the good meals among us with the team, a win it was every time as we would join in the Zumba in the different barangays and losing weight. Always a win. The healthiest I have been on any campaign. What amazed me even more was that I slept very well and that's unusual. Win.
Definitely the biggest winner was me, I had been able to come and visit places I haven't been to for some time since I was the Mayor. It was at this time I was able to visit barangays where I had the chance to help and assist with various projects during my incumbency and as father to the city. I too had met so many along the way. Mostly Senior Citizens and former Barangay Kapitans who now take part in the Lupon Tagapamahala which I created from being a scholar of the United Nations. I made a handbook for it and now the DILG continues to use my handbook around the country, my baby. Win.
A win it will be for the bank where I work, the newspaper as I come back to it and continue writing my stories, the school that we started with Joy and the foundation that I help in. My staff are all happy I am back with them. I will take charge in family business again as the new president anticipating too a new building and more business.
A round of golf with Jay, Tonyboy and Fred capped the day with free round of beers after a siren had stopped us from finishing our game, and sharing stories until we hit the sauna and showers, still a win for me.
I just survived Election Day and went out for breakfast with my son who had come from Manila to vote here. Along the way I was met with generous greetings being a loser at that. All greetings I had received was that I was still very young. I am 50 and seemingly every Juan still sees me as the young boy that ran the city. The youngest mayor in fact. That is the winner. Thanks for the Win.