ELECTIVE officials of local government units may not say it but their eyes now are obviously on the top prizes in next year’s elections. While the start of politicking has been uneven for them, with some starting to wage it last year or even immediately after they were elected into office in 2013, most of them are apparently obsessed at this stage with positioning. We are starting to hear who will probably run for this or that post.
City or municipal councils controlled by the opposition are also acting up. In Cebu City, it is observable in the systematic effort by Bando Osmena-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) councilors in questioning policies and acts of Mayor Michael Rama. The scheme is to make Rama appear inept as manager. Unfortunately for the Rama camp, BOPK councilors can easily find issues as fodder for this strategy.
Getting livelier by the day is Talisay City where the camp of Mayor Johnny V. de los Reyes has upped the ante, sort of, in its effort to stave off the challenge
not only of the camp of former congressman Eduardo Gullas but also of his party mate, Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante. I don’t know who is advising de los Reyes or if he even has a political adviser at all but I would say its actions have been amateurish.
Politics, as veteran politicians would say, is addition. The “me against the world” strategy that JVR has adopted is thus surprising. The JVR camp is seemingly trying to make as many enemies as possible, including legitimate media practitioners. I agree that there is paranoia there, which could be a by-product of the administrative setup now in place at the Talisay City Hall.
The main issue that has become JVR’s undoing is when he appointed to confidential posts or as job order employees members of his family, his friends and kababayans from Surigao. In short, he has installed a family corporation to run the city. We know the usual weakness of family corporations: the culture of professionalism is difficult to instill there. Families always close ranks around members, even the erring ones.
This, in a way, is a source of paranoia. Once family members close ranks, they also tend to shut themselves up from external ideas and criticisms. They become suspicious of outsiders. The focus is on protecting the family against all odds.
Consider JVR’s appointment of his son John Yre to the important position of city administrator. When accusations of irregular conduct and acts were hurled against him, JVR’s natural tendency was to wrap his arms around his son. John Yre’s critics became the enemies of JVR and his family. In the end, JVR chose his family over party considerations. His relationship with party mates like Villarante became collateral damage.
While running the affairs of City Hall like a family corporation became the source of JVR’s paranoia, the political situation in Talisay worsened it. While Gullas is indeed a formidable opponent, JVR may be overestimating the veteran politician’s strengths.
While the city council has pared some of JVR’s budgetary proposals, it could have done worse but didn’t. While the Gullas camp may have a hand in some of the exposes against the JVR administration, the rest were obvious even to the eyes of ordinary Talisay residents or were unearthed by conscientious reporters. And because the issues were legitimate, this became fodder for the widespread criticisms against JVR’s policies and acts.
But to the eyes of JVR and his family, there is no legitimate criticism against them. Rather, all of these emanate only from the Gullas camp.
(khanwens@gmail.com)