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Monday, May 31, 2010

the truth in politics....a tuts' eyeview ( 2004 and 2007 elections )

after my lecturing stint for one school year 2002-2003 at fernandez colleges in baliuag, i had the opportunity to enter the world of politics and i must say i had the most exhilirating, astonishing and enormous experience of it.

it was my colleague and one of my best friend jing geronimo who was instrumental in my entry to the political arena and this was the story: naghost si jing ng isang wedding, naging co-host nya si kuya randy reyes, nagtanung si kuya randy kay jing kung may ma-refer sya na applicant for office staff kasi magtayo ng political office for the incoming election, ako ang nirefer ni jing, i was interviewed by kuya randy at their house in sto. cristo baliuag, ayun nagustuhan naman ako...and that was the start..

it was as early as november of 2003 when we started the political cum public relations office at makinabang, baliuag, bulacan for the 2004 presidential election. we started from scratch... from scouting a good office location, from the furnitures, office equipment and supplies, hiring staff from the intellectual positions to a not so intellectual positions, we have done it all till we had a normal and smooth office operation.

i had so many bosses in this office, manager lito tengco, the founder, mentor, advisor of the whole team and mostly the financier i guess, to note that he is one of the famous tengco's of baliuag transit corporation. then there is kuya mic tuazon, kuya randy reyes and kuya clem.

kuya mic was in-charge of the marketing.. talking to clients, kuya randy was assigned to do the program implemetation...the artistic director, kuya clem is the brainchild of all the campaign strategies, he sets the underlying principle, lays the foundation...the rationale of the team. now as i look back, i do not know how i have manage to deal with these superiors, you have to have the emotional strength, physical potency, spiritual guidance and the complete intellect...and please add in the value of patience as well...

we have three major clients during the 2004 presidential election namely: romy estrella, running for mayoralty post of baliuag, pedro pancho, vying for a congressional seat on the second district of bulacan and our most sensationalized client at that time, the late raymond pagdanganan, only son of obet and susan pagdanganan who runs for vice-governor of bulacan.

there are ugly truths and equally good looking truths in the world of politics, and this entry tries to recall the experience of that wonderful saga, a chronicle that is worth remembering...

meeting new friends and acquaintances...i think this was the best lovely truth about politics, most of my friends at this day and age are from. i have kuya randy who became my friend and mentor and now i call him diko, there is rico who at first i thought was snobbish would become my very best friend, ally and a brother, there is kuya mic whom i have traced to be a family relative, kuya clem, whom i have maintained also a close connection even after the elections, there's manager lito tengco who i admire so much for his ability to mingle with us in spite his stature, there is ate edna, who's words are sharp but a very true ate and friend. i also met at that time ate joy riel, the executive secretary of then secretary of tourism obet pagdanganan. ate joy was always accommodating and friendly, she did not abuse her privilege, she listens and she brings "joy" to the team, there is marcos, whose sociability manage him to become a close-in of raymond pagdanganan during the campaign. mam susan pagdanganan, wife of secretary obet and mother to raymond, a very down to earth lady who embodies true social and public service selflessly, very prim, approachable and up to this day i looked up to her as a mother. and also to mention that i met my first girlfriend.....

tanda ko pa nang pumanaw si raymond, nakipila kami sa mga taong nais sulyapan ang kanyang mga labi, and when it was our turn to take a peep to the coffin and extend our condolences to mam susan, i was surprised that he recognized us at dali-dali kaming nagyakap, lumuluha si mam susan na para bang bumalik sa kanyang ala-ala kung paano namin tinulungan at minahal si raymond nung sya ay kumandidato. mula noon mas lalo ko syang hinangaan at tiningala, isang tunay na ehemplo ng pagiging isang ina.

there were a lot of friends i have garnered during this time and even though i have not mention their names in this entry, they are in my thought and in my heart...

politics is all about money..and that is an ugly truth. katotohanan na ang isang pulitiko ay hindi mananalo kung wala itong pera, katotohanan na ang mga botante hindi ka iboboto kung wala kang nakasobre, katotohanan na ang eleksyon ay para lang sa may koneksyon at may pera, katotohanan na ang pulitiko ay walang kakayahang kumandidato kung wala itong pondo....katotohanan na kapag eleksyon salapi ang nangingibabaw....nakapanlulumong katotohanan..

i still remember the time. a weekday in office, the security guard called me and handed me a delivery receipt, i looked at the paper and i was in awe.... a million peso worth of san miguel food products donated to raymond pagdanganan through his father obet pagdanganan. corned beef of different flavors, luncheon meat, pork and beans and the famous "maling". the warehouse was full of it and there was a second batch coming...donations during election is overflowing in cash and in kinds.

2007 senatorial elections also paved the way for me to work for ambrosio "boy" cruz of guiguinto, bulacan, who at that time was running for a congressional seat in the second district of bulacan. it made me wander, boy cruz already has the wealth and the riches of life but i have always asked myself, does he really need to enter politics given that he has the fortunes of the world? and after the election i have realized, it is his destiny to serve the people.

politics is the season of poverty abuse.... another ugly truth. maraming pilipino ang inaabuso ang kahirapan sa panahon ng halalan, mahirap daw sila kaya kailangan nila ng tulong. kaya ginagawang hanapbuhay ang panghihingi sa pulitiko, dinarayo ang mga headquarters, kanya-kanyang paraan, kanya-kanyang dahilan. pampagawa ng poso, pambili ng gamot ng apo, pampa opera ng sakit, pambubong ng bahay at ultimo pambayad ng kuryente. it always made me feel pity and angry at the same time, it taught how to differentiate a lie from a genuine appeal and more than anything else it made me realize how lucky i am...

it was 3 days before the election, the fight is so tight and close. i was asked by kuya clem to go down the barrio and distribute the magic envelopes. i was like a teacher doing roll call of each name on the list, i nearly fainted..i was mobbed by the people, each of them taking a good grasp and reach of not me, but the magic envelope.

in our efforts to make our candidate known, we have exerted our efforts to penetrate the single barrio of the province to the purok (zone) level. from the mountains and hills of san jose del monte and norzagaray and to the islands of pamarawan in malolos. it was a once in a lifetime experience...it was a humbling experience. yes, politics is adventurous but at the same time dangerous.

there were a lot of stories to tell and there were also a lot to forget, amidst it all i have learned so many wonderful things, it was an eye-opener. it has taught me to become sociable, appreciate camaraderie, it has made me a responsible individual.

while it is true that its financially rewarding to work in the political arena, i am rewarded with the most valuable and important compensation....i gained FRIENDS.


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