Unfazed, as yet

A WEAPON of mass distraction is politics.

Look how elections readily take the people away from their day-to-day woes to a wonderland of dreams and a neverland of promises.

Look how the politicos themselves get not only distracted but derailed from their routine of day-to-day administration or week-to-week legislation once the year-long countdown to the next election commenced, and some other pretenders to their posts started making distractions of their own.

So it has come to pass that 1^st District Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin had some change of heart and announced he would make a run for the Angeles City Hall instead of re-seating at the House.

That was one cannon blast of an announcement that shocked and awed the whole first district of Pampanga, its epicentre, aye, point of impact, in Angeles City naturally.

Not so much shocked as surprised though was Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who has been bruited about – until Tarzan’s turn-around – as the most sure-shot, sure-win re-electionist, after Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda.

"I am surprised, just like everybody else in Angeles City and Pampanga," EdPam said of Tarzan ’s swing from the House to city hall.

And promptly rushed home from the US to be by the side of his beloved Miniang who figured in some serious vehicular mess at the NLEx. Taking along millions worth of medical equipment and supplies he got from the World Medical Relief Inc. for the city hospital named after Tarzan’s father, the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center.

Without so much as a kiss and bye-bye to Miniang, EdPam joined the city’s village chiefs at their Lakbay-Aral in Palawan and stood as Mayor Edward Hagedorn’s honoured guest at the Pista Y Ang Cagueban (Feast of the Forest) highlighted by the mass planting of trees participated in by thousands including the Miss Earth beauties. Okay, some distractions for EdPam there, the aesthetic kind, not the political ones.

“Let us not be distracted by the recent political noise. Rather, let us continue working for the good of our people.” So EdPam exhorted the city government employees at the flag-raising rites last Monday, his first day at city hall upon his return.

“There are still a lot of things to do and accomplish. Instead of focusing our attention on the 2013 elections, let us just buckle down to work,” Pamintuan told the city workers.

Tuesday, EdPam joined Governor Pineda, Health Undersecretary Ted Herbosa, and Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla at the inauguration and turn-over of Mother Bless Birthing Clinic (MBBC) at Barangay Cutud.

The MBCC is a long-established “public-private chain project” in  Leyte under the auspices of the Kapansanan ng Kawarayan at Kaurian Foundation Incorporated (KAKAK) and the provincial government, thus Governor Petilla’s presence.

Its coming to Cutud will redound to improved and expanded maternal and child care in the area which is home to Northville 15, where the “homes along d’ riles” were resettled.

Just another day at work. Just another day to serve. Take one day at a time, undistracted from the course he set for the City of Angeles as embodied in his Contract with the Angelenos, the establishment of the renal care center at the RLMMC – the first of its kind in any city hereabouts, and the City College of Angeles, but two of its greatest manifestations of fulfilment.

The invincible Tarzan’s threat notwithstanding, 2013 is still far away to merit any distraction from the way EdPam is running things. Smoothly, if the contented Angeleno may add.

One day at a time, undistracted. There are some million trees to plant yet. Some comprehensive tourism plan for the city to craft. More healthcare programs to institutionalize. More investments to attract.

One day at a time, unperturbed. And the 2012 World Mayor Prize may just come.

Way to go, EdPam.