Interview with Mayor Dong Padilla

By PERCY A. OSTONAL

Michigan, USA

Mayor Dong Padilla ... taking action

THROUGH my brother-in-law, municipal Councilor Caloy Taboada, I was able to secure about an hour interview with Mayor Dong Padilla at the Padilla family's ancestral home in Motherlode, Jose Panganiban, on Feb 2, 2012.

At first, I was not too sure if Mayor Dong Padilla would ever have time to see me.

But after some 15 minutes, he came out of his lair to usher us to a medium-size room.

I introduced myself as "isa sa mga anak na lalaki ni Nana Mena Ostonal". He smiled and gave me a handshake.

"Ano ba ang maipaglilingkod ko sa iyo kuya Percy?" he said.

"Eh Kasi Mayor, una sa lahat, gusto ko po sanang ipaalam sa iyo na meron na tayong pambayang online news na puwedeng magamit ng ating municipal government for news and information sa lahat ng Mambolenos sa buong mundo.

“Doon po sa mga kaukulang projects ninyo na magiging kalutasan pangkabuhayan, enviromental issues at social aspects or anything that has to do with our beloved town ay puwede ninyong mailahad sa akin kung inyong mararapatin.”

And he said: "Okey".

Percy: Ang online news pong ito Mayor ay "free of charge" most probably, alam na ninyo ito by now … ito po ay ang Mambulaoans Worldwide Buzz founded, edited and administered by Mr Alfredo P Hernandez of Parang, Jose Panganiban, JPNHS Batch ’65. I am the one who proposed the creation of online news to him, kaya in essence kaming dalawa ang nasa likod ng project na ito.

Mayor Dong Padilla: Alam ko na may online news and so with Facebook na karamihan doon ay mga "criticism" patungkol sa aking administration, which by all accounts were all biased, unproven and politically-motivated.

That was the reason kung bakit for awhile I did not visit such social media because I got so tired of it.

Honestly, we are so fortunate with so much "brilliant minds" sa ating bayan.

"Meron nga tayong Mamboleno based in Netherlands "who delivers messages sa Facebook" ala-Jose "Maria" Sison trying to build his "own masa" and preaches like a nationalist and sugar-coat his views and ideas against my ways of running our local government.

Hindi rin nawawala iyong mga kapwa kababayan nating pang-gulo na mas mabuti pa sanang tumahimik na lang kesa humalo pa sa dakdakang walang silbi.

Percy: Bukod po sa mga nabanggit ninyo, anong "specific messages" ang ibig ninyong ipaabot sa ating mga kababayang Mambolenos dito sa Pilipinas at gayon din sa mga nasa Foreign lands through MAMBULAOANS WORLDWIDE BUZZ?

Mayor Dong Padilla: Inaanyayahan ko ang sambayanang Mambolenos sa isang  bayanihang pakikiisa at pagtangkilik ng "a bag of cement for a cause" community  project and complete the Jose Panganiban-Larap road the earliest possible time.

Napakalaking bagay ang maibibigay nito sa ating mga kababayan na nasa "outlaying barrios for their "farm-to-market-produce and directly improve their means of livelihood in general.

Easy and accessible roads enable the public increase their economic activities.

Lahat ng social services ay madaling tugunan kapag maayos ang mga kalsada.

Sa ating mga kababayan na may pag-aari, negosyo o kaya'y kahit "Cedula " lang, I am asking them to pay their real estate and property tax, business tax or any other mandated taxes to our municipality.

Supporting our town's population growth sa maliit na gross revenue ay hindi sumasapat.

Ang kultura ng aking Administration ay kaganapan ng pahayag na ito: Alay sa kapwa tao, alay sa Diyos".

Since i took over the mayorship of this town, "wala na po iyong free advertisement ng dating tenant sa ating mga public places, one good example po nito ay ang basketball court natin at the back of the municipal hall.

Before, lahat ng public officials ay listed doon sa basketball board, now it's all gone and  been replaced with writing: “Serbisyong alay sa kapwa tao, alay sa Diyos".

Percy: Sa issue naman po ng mga dumi at basura sa ating mga baybayin o dalampasigan, ano po ang inyong masasabi, pahayag o kalutasang  isinasagawa sa kasalukuyan?

Mayor Dong Padilla: Ang problemang ito'y decades-long na.

Ang totoo niyan, ang mga basura, human waste and all sort of debris sa ating dalampasigan … specially sa barrio of Parang ay hindi lang nagmumula sa Parang itself.

"Recipient lang siya (Parang) ng mga nasabing kapupunan ng dumi, human waste and all sort of debris from the coastal barrios of Jose Panganiban like Osmena, Bagong Bayan, North and South poblacion, plaridel, Calero, Pagasa,Dayhagan,Nakalaya and Salvacion.

Kapag may malakas na bagyo, ang "under current ng dagat sa "mouth' ng Mambulao Bay ay napaka "aggresive" at lahat ng nakabaong debris for years ay natatanggay patungo sa long shoreline ng Parang.

Ang wika ko nga during Jose panganiban Day last February 1, 2012, lahat tayong Mambolenos ay may responsibilidad sa ikalilinis ng ating bayan, sa sarili nating tahanan pasimulan nating muli ang mahigpit na panuntunan "on how each member of the family disposes waste/debris properly with great care of preserving the cleanliness of sea water down below.

 

Currently, the ecological team of the Office of the Mayor is finding ways on how to address such environmental problem effectively the soonest possible time.

Percy: May i know sir if and when do you think you will be using MAMBULAOANS WORLDWIDE BUZZ ONLINE NEWS as your information vehicle for our town and people?

Mayor Dong Padilla:  Within a month ang mga article contributors ko will be ready by then.

Sana nasagot kung lahat ang mga tanong mo ang hopefully, makararating ito sa lahat ng ating mga mamamayang Mambolenos sa lahat ng panig ng mundo.

Thank you and God Bless your trip back to the United States.

Percy: Maraming salamat din po Mayor and God Bless you too, good- bye.