THE year 2020 is a bad year for many. Aside from the pandemic, the strong howlers that visited us left a trail of destruction. Thank God there are only a few days left of the year and soon it will be the Christmas season and then a new year. Welcome, 2021!
Everyone is looking forward that the vaccine will be made available and will end the pandemic. Hopefully, the Duterte government will have the funds to purchase it and hoping that the many thieves in this administration will not pocket it this time the way they robbed billions during this crisis. It is widely known. (Remember how they overpriced purchases like the PPEs, overpayments to selected hospitals by the PhilHealth, corruption at the Department of Health, the missing billions of the supposedly ayuda for the poor, etc).
In the meanwhile, as I predicted in my Tuesday article, in January next year the election will heat up for sure. Those elected in 2019 barely warmed their seats. Three years is exceedingly short. The next year is the assembling of party leaders and the composition of the slate. By October the filing and shortly thereafter the hustings. Tackled in the last item was the Lazatin-Nepomuceno age-old rivalry.
However, in some places in Pampanga and elsewhere political dynasties are very much alive and kicking, so to speak. To recall, I wrote. In Mabalacat, the Moraleses headed by their patriarch Marino aka Boking run as vice mayor in the last elections and was beaten by his nephew Geld Aquino. Was it the ending of Boking’s political career? Mayor Cris Garbo is performing very well in his first term. He is now well entrenched. Seemingly he is invulnerable at this point of his political career.
In my hometown of Porac, Mayor Jing Capil is performing well. The health of his constituents is his primary concern. Aside from that, since he took office the progress in the town is growing by leaps and bounds. There are now big players in the town. Factories are being established and the town is investor-friendly. There’s an expected three-cornered fight featuring Capil vs Councilors Mike Tapang and Maynard Lapid.
In Guagua, Mayor Dante Torres will complete his third term and another Torres, Provincial Board Member Tonton in all likelihood will be the tenant in the municipio come 2022.
It is a guessing game in Bacolor if Jomar Hizon will stage a comeback after his defeat in the hands of the well-liked Governor Dennis’ Delta’ Pineda. ‘I’m ready’, quipped Mayor Diman Datu.
Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque like Mabalacat Mayor Cris Garbo may run unopposed. Maglanque already has the backing of the political big guns in Pampanga. This is aside from his excellent performance in handling the pandemic crisis.
Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson is expecting another interesting mayoral race against the Lacsons. Former Mayor Malou Lacson is already suiting up for a comeback.
I have to get more information on the behavior of politicians in Macabebe and Masantol.
Not in Apalit though. Mayor Jun Tetangco is unbeatable in that town.