By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
DONG PADILLA’S Progress Train is rolling down its track with deliberate confidence of reaching its destination – progress.
Although journeying along smoothly, within the structure of this train underneath is a squeaking noise that somehow demands immediate attention if only to keep its momentum constant if not pushing to an accelerated tempo.
After three years of unstoppable mobility, a part or two in this warmed up machine have deteriorated, thus causing this irritating noise.
The only solution is to remove the culprits and replaced with new ones before they could derail the journey.
As expected, the defective parts are of a name brand different from those that made up the entire engine.
In ordinary situation, it would be alright to have a mix of spare parts coming from different makers as long as they functioned smoothly.
But this vehicle is unique and it cannot afford to stop its journey just because there are two parts not working in harmony with the rest.
That’s why they have to be replaced.
The demand for an enhanced performance could not be ignored.
And this has to be taken with urgency.
When the people of Mambulao voted the eight members of the Sangguniang Bayan, they were not sure who would be in and who would be out of the eight-man municipal council.
But they relied heavily on the platform of progress, transparency and graft-free governance laid down by Dong Padilla, who was then running for the office of the mayor.
And they desperately wanted such a program to work, so they voted to the council six of his men, whose number was completed with the election of two “outsiders” from the Liberal Party.
But most important, they made Padilla the new mayor and Ariel (Aye) Non, the new vice-mayor.
Now nearing the end of its three-year development journey with the coming of the local elections in May, the Padilla administration is very intent on having a municipal council that is “pure breed”, unadulterated, or free of any “virus” such as the men from the Liberal Party under the wings of Walim, aka William A Lim, the three-term ex-mayor.
The incumbent Sangguniang Bayan went on smoothly with its unwavering support for Padilla’s development programs, made possible only because there are six men who have been psyched towards making progress in Mambulao a reality for the people.
But over the past three years, there were undercurrents that somehow rocked the administration in the session hall of the municipal council, threatening progress now unfolding for Mambulao – courtesy of the two LP men.
Now gunning for a second three-year term, Padilla and Non are pitching for an “all or nothing” vote for their eight Sangguniang Bayan candidates.
And sources from the Padilla camp hinted that the incumbent mayor will push hard for and “8-0” victory over Walim’s candidates.
As in the 2010 campaign, Padilla will sell in the 45-day campaign that begins on March 30 a platform of “transparency, accountability, good governance, honesty, humility and respect towards constituents, effective social services, working infrastructure projects, concern to everyone and lastly zero tolerance for graft and corruption”.
Such a people-focused platform was not heard from Walim and Co in 2010, especially on transparency and honesty.
In 2010, Dong’s platform tasted very good for the people who have been deprived of development and real progress over the past 60 years.
Today, the same platform will become more palatable and even tastier to every Mambulaoan because much of its components are underway to fulfillment.
The Padilla administration just needed one big break this time – to have a Sangguniang Bayan run by people from the same family – Dong’s political family.
This way, the smooth journey of the Mambulao Progress Train could go on till it reached its destination -- minus the nasty squeaks underneath.
For reaction, email the writer: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and alfredophernandez@y7mail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment