THIS elected official is reportedly very happy nowadays because his girlfriend is pregnant. He is not hiding his happiness as he voluntarily relayed the information to his close friends. Congratulatory messages are flooding on Facebook. “Congratulations to Sir M @ Maam M for their baby,” some of the messages on FB read. I was even tagged with their photo.
This official has been annulled by his wife a long time ago. He was romantically linked to another lady official, who is now considered as his best friend and to another, an out-of-town politician. His present romance with this girl is what we call “against all odds” because the official’s relatives are against their relationship for unknown reason.
This official has been living with his girlfriend in a rented apartment as he already left their ancestral house because of the opposition of his siblings to their love affair. Well, who we are to question their love affair? It is their life and the people has nothing to do with it for as long as there is no taxpayers’ money involved and the girl will not interfere in the official functions of this controversial official. Walay labot ang lungsod anang ilang naghiguwaos nga pagminahalay. Congratulations! I am happy for you, too, my friend.
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A City Hall department that is in charge in the processing of building permit applications mounted an advisory outside their office that says: “We will not accept gifts.” Good. This department is considered as one of the graft-ridden offices at the City Hall. It has been public knowledge that some personnel of this department extorts money from applicants in exchange for the approval of their building permit applications.
But how true is the information that I gathered that during the recent birthday of the chief of this department, he accepted one lechon from a building permit applicant? Is the lechon not a gift? Or are special occasions, like birthday and Christmas, exempted from their “no gift policy”? Maayo unta ila nang klaruhon. “No gift accepted, except during birthdays and Christmas Day.”
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After the one-year ban for those who lost in the May elections, expect those defeated candidates that are allied with the present administration to be given positions at City Hall. Well, it is the prerogative of the local chief executive who he will appoint. But I hope Mayor Edgardo Labella should be extra careful and prudent enough in appointing and accommodating his defeated political allies. There are some personalities who do not deserve to be given any position at City Hall for I perceived them to be a liabilities, rather than assets.
If Mayor Labella will not be extra careful, these people, if given positions, might stab him in the back. Some of them are now appointed into special boards and councils whose appointments are not covered by the one-year election ban. And they are now using their positions to brag their strong connection with the powers-that-be through the social media.