MANY are saying that it is too early for Bryan Nepomuceno to call it quits. He is the heir apparent of the Nepomuceno clan. One setback in politics, and that's it? The best is yet to come for Bryan. I believe he can restart his political ambition. His grandparents, Francisco G. Nepomuceno and Juanita Lumanlan who both served with passion and distinction if only alive today, wouldn't allow their handsome and talented apo to withdraw permanently in the political arena. I strongly believe that Bryan maybe temporary down but not permanently out. He may even want to start from the very beginning, on certain level. No I am not preemptive.
Bryan's political career cannot be compared to her Lola Saning and Lolo Quitong's years in public service. Lola Saning was the late Congresswoman Juanita Lumanlan Nepomuceno and Lolo Quitong was the late Francisco Gopez Nepomuceno. Both passed through their respective gauntlets and came out victorious. Bryan served as councilor and vice mayor with distinction. I should know I was a witness to it. He is his own man. For sure, he got some help from his uncle former Congressman and Mayor Francis. From her Auntie Sylvia and of course from her own parents, former Vice Governor Bong and Cecil, who is presently a barangay captain but Bryan has his own abilities.
He was just in his first term when many were predicting that he will be the one to continue the Nepomuceno legacy, in the same manner the Lazatin brothers, Mayor Pogi and Congressman Jonjon are carving their own niches. It is my luck to have met Jonjon, Pogi and Bryan and became friends with them despite our disparity in age. I served in the Angeles City Council with them in different times. Jonjon in 1995 to 1998. Its Pogi and Bryan in 2013 up to 2016. I can read their minds. I learned how they react on situations. Their ethics. Their behaviors. Particularly with Pogi and Bryan. To recall, the three of us including the late lawyer Nino Enriquez were in the council ticket of the late Mayor Carmelo "Tarzan" Lazatin Sr. We hit the campaign trail daily from morning till evening and delivered repeatedly our political speeches. We instantly bond together. Bryan, me and Pogi hurdled that election. The three of us composed the minority and I was elected as the minority leader in the council.
In those three years that we were members of the council, I saw both in Pogi and Bryan their dedication and sincere wishes to serve the Angeles constituency. For three straight years and no fail, the three of us had lunch meetings. We met at the nearby Marquee a Mall and lunched in different restaurants every Tuesday and we were at the session hall before the 2 p.m. roll call. There were floor skirmishes vs the majority led by Councilor Maricel Morales. Bryan and Pogi will shame some of those men and women in the senate and House of Representatives on how they engaged in the floor arguments in a learned and gentleman fashion. Both are eloquent debaters, particularly Pogi who mastered in peeving the other councilors. In some occasions, Vice Mayor Vicky Cabigting after the session will treat us with pizza and pasta. Those were happy moments in my life which I will forever cherish. It saddened me so much when Bryan and Pogi has to face one another in a mayoral race with Alex Caugiran, another very close friend as the third man in the field. (Honestly, I wanted to be in that council race and got invited by the camps but elected not to participate because I wouldn't join any of the group in lieu of the other). More next issue.