CITY of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago aka EdSa will finally finish his three terms as mayor. He will be out in mid-year 2022. Where he’s heading, only he knows. Maybe his family knows or some friends. His life is one for the books. From an employee of a bottling company, he served San Fernando in different capacity-councilor, vice mayor and finally mayor. A checkered political career. He must be mighty proud when in his re-election bid for a second term he by his lonesome and run unopposed.
In his third attempt, he faced a lady whose life’s background is like his. She doesn’t belong to the elites of the city. The residence was not in a gated subdivision. The place she grew up in is not in an upscale area but in a community where what we know today as "home along the riles."
The life story of Vilma Caluag, now the incumbent village chairman of the oversized Barangay Dolores, is still an ascending story. She was the mayoral contestant who gave a small scare to Edwin in the last mayoral race. She polled fifty-five thousand votes, not really a small figure to sneeze about. Many Fernandinos then thought they will have their first lady mayor. Now I think she in, in October when the Commission on Elections will start receiving certificates of candidacy.
Let me retell the story I wrote about the Caluags with some updates. One afternoon, I was just about to leave the coffee shop in one of those malls in the City of San Fernando when, viola, here comes former Barangay Captain Melchor Caluag alias Boy Tiktok with several village officials in tow. My chance came suddenly to get a feel of the political situation of the capitol town. "I firmly believe that the San Fernando constituency will feel and experience a dramatic change for the better once my wife Vilma will be elected mayor." He described his wife to be a determined, persevering and hands-on individual who wouldn’t mind walking an extra mile to achieve her desired goal.
"Mr.Max, (that’s how Melchor always addresses me) our family is no longer wanting for more. Me, Vilma and our seven children (Nicole is the most popular and have millions of followers on Facebook), the three are professionals and we should be contented in life." And you may want to ask why Vilma would still venture into higher politics. And he answered his own question. "She is her own person!"
"The archetype of the woman runs deep in the human psyche." That’s somehow Vilma can be described. She doesn’t run away from any challenge wherein she firmly believes she can attain that goal. She is packed with perseverance and determination. Despite the difficulties faced by her family, she was able to finish her college schooling with an AB in Literature at Assumption University. She was already married to Melchor when she ascended the school stage during the graduation rites to get her diploma.
Retro: Melchor and Vilma were boyfriend/girlfriend even in their early years growing up in Looban in Barangay Dolores. Despite the speech slur of Melchor, Vilma was deeply in love with the fellow that when he asked her for marriage, she didn’t hesitate and gave her sweetest yes. She was 19 years old and Melchor was 21. Though Melchor started working then with the late Mario Garcia who operated a numbers game, he started saving for a growing family and when he left his earlier job, he teamed up with Vilma and started in 1998 a distribution company, distributing Unilever products. Eventually, due to hard works and luck was in their side they put up the Melvi Building, one of the first tall edifices along the Jose Abad Santos (JASA) road just a stone throw from the busy intersection of the city. And it houses St. Nicholas College, the school which they founded in 2003.
Then came the Kings Royale Hotel just at the boundary of the City of San Fernando and Bacolor town. Then the now Mother of Calcutta Medical Center which was built in 2005. Vilma was very much involved in all these projects. According to Melchor, Vilma was the dominant figure in all these family ventures. She was making sure that plans, as drawn, are followed. And like most businesses where many problems arise and are spinning out of control, she confronted all calmly and methodically. And Melchor believes that with the wife's experience, she is more than capable of handling it.
The Caluags are like two kites racing against strong wind, and are flying high. Like a colorful vinta with much wind in their sails and even against a rough sea, Melchor believes the love of his life Vilma will prevail, not in 2019. Maybe in 2022.