It’s my fault, kasalanan ko, aku ing mikasala, basol ko– It’s funny how we often presume a year to be composed of 4 weeks at 12 months, that is normally how I believe most of us would factor in a year and that just happened to yours truly. As publisher of this paper, when I realized that we were on our 45th issue, we decided to do the usual solicitation for ads/greeting as well as request for messages from the who’s who government officials. We had in fact scheduled this paper’s anniversary issue to be on this 7th of May issue. Fortunately, due to some official communications I had to prepare, I checked on the actual date of our first publication and it turns out that the first issue of this paper was on June 5, 2016. This being the case, technically speaking the 1st anniversary issue of this paper should be by the end of the month or on the first week of June this year, as we will have to move it as such and even allow us more time to make palimos to our esteemed politikos and similar government officials for their paid anniversary greetings.
As I often say, walang gamot sa katangahan. Yours truly being partially guilty of it, but more so the lesson here is never ever make assumptions, plain and simple, as 4 weeks in a month multiplied by 12 months does not make a whole year. My apologies!
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Tarlac City Mayor et.al…. MAKUPAD o DEDMA LANG? – Anong klase ba naman itong mga opisyales natin, partikular dito ay sina Hon. Tarlac City Mayor Cristy Angeles, Hon. Tarlac City Health Officer Ma. Carmela L. Go and Hon. Punong Barangay Rosalinda S. Sanchez? Sila kaya ay masyadong busy sa pamumulitika (panahon na ng pagtatanim for elections 2019) o baka naman ay masyado silang busy sa mga opisyal na gawain nila, o baka naman ay malalaki lamang ang kanilang mga ulo at madali sa kanila ang mang-dedma ng isang liham mula sa kanilang constituents that involves the health and environment of one of the barangays? In fact, may petition pa na naka-attach sa liham na pinadala sa kanila nuong April 20, 2017 or some 2 weeks ago, and as of this date, no action taken whatsoever. O baka naman mahina ang kanilang mga support staff at sila ay hindi nabibigyan ng kaukulang staff assistance? Ano kaya ang kasagutan at posibleng kapaliwanagan sa mga katanungan ko na ito? Katunayan ay, pinaalalahanan pa sila ng may akda ng liham hinggil sa mga probisyon ng RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) at RA 3019 (Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
Ako naman ay nagtataka lamang hinggil sa kanilang non-action. Bagama’t naisip ko na may kasabihan na bad publicity is still publicity kaya posibleng ito ang isang istratehiya nila para makakakalap ng free press and media exposure is through not so good publicity? O baka naman ay gusto nilang madagdagan ng gastos kung saka-sakali ay masasampahan sila ng reklamo sa OMB at sa CSC, etc (kung sabagay ay mga big time naman ang mga ito, kaya sisiw lang ito sa kanila). Sabi nila magastos daw sa OMB at sa CSC, how true? To the concerned officials, what gives?
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Gina Lopez a victim of herself– Don’t’ get me wrong dear readers. I am a fan and supporter of Gina Lopez, the best would-have-been DENR Secretary we ever/never had. Matindi at bigating nilalang si Ma’am Gina Lopez bagama’t sa larangan ng mga higante o elepanteng nagbabangaan, kung hindi ka rin elepante ay maaapakan ka lamang. Lobbying in congress, etc (in our case the CA) is not a new thing. In fact it is an accepted practice in a lot of so-called democratic western countries. Problem is, when your backer (in this case PDigs) let’s you go and does not back you up ‘till kingdom come, kung sabihin ni Misteh Lee “paktay kah nang batah kah, ne”!
That is what happened to Ma’am Gina for in reality the hands of the President are also tied when it comes to such gargantuan players in the mining industry that were going to be left out of business, had Ma’am Gina had her way. No way Jose, not even a scion of the powerful Lopez clan with even a very high approval rating can change a political reality.
In politics, never ever forget the golden rule, “he who has the gold rules.”