I RECENTLY wrote a letter to the Sangguniang Bayan of Mabalacat. I recommended some ordinances on free enterprise, fair commerce, public safety and order. To be more specific about it, the measures included ordinances that would require big businesses and private subdivisions to install closed-circuit television cameras, regulation of tiangges or ukay-ukays, regulation of tricycles as school services, among others.
Sadly, I have not heard from any SB member particularly its presiding officer and vice mayor Noel Castro since having the letter received by the SB secretariat last July 15. I have addressed the letter to "The Honorable SB Members" deliberately at the thought that one of them may at least try to contact me in return as they knew how to reach me. Some of them have my numbers and even if they did not, I am not hard to reach.
I ended up disappointed. Not even a text message to Castro and a missed call too prompted him to call me back. I only got to hear from him when I called him once again last Thursday.
I really do not know if the SB takes recommendations or suggestions from concerned citizens seriously. What I know is that I wrote to them with high hopes that my suggestions would be considered to effect some changes through local legislation. What I know too is that during campaign period not too long ago, they all spoke of good governance, reforms, orderliness and all the blah blah blahs for a vote.
By the way I also deliberately did not write to them as a journalist nor as a columnist of this paper as I thought I am a taxpayer too in my town. Well, if someone like me that is somehow endowed with the power of the pen is ignored, what more of other ordinary citizens?
The letter -- as I have thought to make it official (finally) -- was a culmination of months-long talks with some of the current SB members. What really displeases me is that the measures, especially the recommendation against encroachments on roadways and sidewalks, have been proposed several months ago.
I remember meeting some of them especially the so called apat na sikat then (Councilors Christian Halili, Benny Jocson, Eddie Soto and now vice mayor Noel Castro) way before the May 2010 elections and have discussed with them more than once. They promised to either come up with new ordinances or to look up for existing local laws to that contained the recommendations in the SB archives. Regrettably again and probably just like all other promises that were said during the campaign, I heard nothing from them. Thus, my writing them a letter that also requested the SB of copies of any existing ordinances if indeed there are any that have been adopted in the past.
So, there you go my Cabalens in Mabalacat. I am not pre-judging anyone of them here but the mere fact that some concerns seem to fall in deaf ears or are ignored give me no other option but to make public how our current SB members put esteem on some things, some people.
I could have written about all these during the campaign period where some of them could have been damned to no end. But I chose not to. In fact, I even made some of them look good in my previous articles at the pain of being branded to be playing favorites.
Now that the smoke has cleared and politicking is behind us, would the honorable members of the SB please tell the people of Mabalacat how things really are in the town and how they intend to push this town forward?
Either you take the offense or take the challenge. Your move.
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I recently visited Chevrolet Pampanga along Jose Abad Santos Avenue (formerly GSO Road) at the City of San Fernando.
I just could not help it but be attracted by the new car in the Chevy line -- the Chevrolet Cruze, a new sporty and all-terrain sedan. This one is a real beauty, a macho car that delivers both the power and the comfort needed in a car.
The Cruze has great looks and the luxury of a 4-door sedan. It comes in four variants that are offered in brilliant colors like red, blue, and grey.
Talk about Chevy will not be complete without mentioning their more famous lines of trucks, SUVs and cars. For one, the new Captiva -- a now seven seater SUV -- is a superb alternative to gas guzzlers, with all the driving power and comfort.
Chevy Pampanga has the high end units of course, including the Camaro (that sporty car in Transformer movie named Bumble Bee, just to relate) and Suburban. For interested parties, you can always reach its friendly staff headed by Nitz Razon at 045-963-3333.
If I must tell you too, customer service at Chevy too is excellent -- the same efficiency and effectiveness that the Laus Group of Companies would always emphasize in its various attached enterprises. I am a regular customer of Chevy Pampanga in the last six years and I could only come out always satisfied in each of my visit there.
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Congratulations to our niece Lalaine Chriselle Tulabut-Collada who is to be wed with fiancé Solomon. "Lala" to all of us, will walk the aisle August 8 in simple ceremonies at the Cathedral of the King in Mandaluyong. We were told that this is the first time that a wedding would be incorporated in the Mass of the Cathedral. The youngest in the brood of four of my sister Louella and brother in law Chito, Lala -- who is an aspiring writer -- can now write a new chapter in her life.
With the wedding, I want to welcome back to the Philippines her Kuya Lemuel and wife Grace and kids Sam and Alexa who came home from Dallas, Texas. Nice to have you back here even for just a visit Lem.