Promoting Political JUSTICE instead of Political PATRONAGE

With this ‘Counterparting Scheme,’ Vice Governor Francisco Paylaga Jr. and the members of the Provincial Board, namely Carlou Zafra, Dello Lood, Morpheus Agot, Tito Decina, acted as co-pilots in committing their IRA Share into the so-called “KURAMBOS System,” representing the Provincial Government’s counterpart. The Congressional District under Congresswoman Herminia Ramiro is backing-up with her congressional share also tantamount to the said amount and same with the local LGUs in the second District.  

Philosophical hindsight:
   
The structural mechanics demonstrate a ‘double win situation.’ While distributing the burden of financial responsibilities into the four (4) political units namely the congressional, provincial, and respective city and municipal units, each barangay benefits equally and equitably in their respective capacitation.  

Politically, Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) are often misused as a political leverage, where in some areas, politicians may only release their CDF to some favored or patronized barangays. If not, a commitment is made undertaking the barangay officials to intensify their political machinery for the sponsoring political personality; otherwise, you will never get a share of the cake’s slices.

CDF benefited barangays usually may derive sponsorship from the national or local fund-sourcing for assistance. But one has to learn the painstaking mechanics of political leverage and political commitments.  

Taking same few lessons from these political hindsight, it is nearly impossible to march with resounding cadence for progress are development if these ‘hunch-backing’ practice is still being practiced and patronized by some of our political leaders.

These must be a need for a political surgery, in order to straighten our moral ascendancy and the concern for our society. It is not to be construed that I am bickering a political morality. But the core of the matter is to connect our people to developmental initiative. We have to build a bridge. It is more than the Panguil Bridge that will cross the Panguil Bay, but a bridge that will connect into the hearts of our people, the constituency. 

We can bridge them if we give them potable water to drink, where every time he drinks water, he remembers the man who has contributed his share; for the road having provided, where he can well remember each politician who contributed a share in order to give him accessibility to sell, and his farm to produce agricultural products to augment his family’s income and have a better life. This is where we bridge our people into their hearts.  

After all, Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos is only the rig man who is whipping the horses towards this direction. The Governor has the vision because he was standing tall, but he lets others see what lies ahead. He whips the horses, and shouts “One Dream, One Team!” The rig man controls the helm of the vehicle, for it is much easier to ride a horse in the direction where our Governor is leading us. This is the essence of team building. He is the visionary man, ever imaginative, untiring and persistent in desire has seen a bridge not too far.  

The vision, the mission, and now… the TASK!