After the losing

ONE CAMPAIGN promise of incoming Pampanga 1^st District Rep. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao has already been delivered. By outgoing Pampanga 1^st District Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin.

House Bill No. 4450 – seeking the conversion of the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) in Magalang town into a state university – has been signed into law on Monday by President BS Aquino as Republic Act 10605 – with the former PAC now known as the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU).

It was Lazatin that authored the House bill which Congress approved on March 23, 2011. The counterpart bill in the Senate was authored by Senator Edgardo Angara.

As a state university, PSAU will be given academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the pursuit of undergraduate and graduate courses in agriculture – but of course, and also in arts and sciences, teacher education, industrial technology and engineering, information technology, business management and accountancy, tourism, health services and other courses within its areas of specialization and according to its capabilities.

Its state U charter also mandates PSAU to “undertake research, extension services and production activities while providing progressive leadership in its areas of specializations, in support of the development of the Province of Pampanga.”

"Isa itong napakasarap na tagumpay hindi lamang para sa aking mga kababayan sa unang distrito kundi sa ating buong probinsiya dahil tunay na pakikinabangan ito ng ating mga kababayan. Ito rin ay napakagandang programa na maiiwan at maibabahagi ko." So was Lazatin quoted as saying in some press release.

The conversion of PAC into PSAU was a vindication for Lazatin who was suspected by some sectors as having dilly-dallied on, if not altogether hostile to, the bill saying it will impact adversely on schools his family owns or has some connections with.    

“…napakagandang programa na maiiwan at maibabahagi ko." A beautiful, lasting legacy of the 27 years Lazatin dedicated public service there indeed. Made with greater lustre coming as it did in the wake of Lazatin’s loss in what could be his last political battle last May.

Come to think of it, in a span of over a week, two Lazatin bills were signed by the President into laws – this PAC conversion, and Republic Act 10582 – creating six additional branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Angeles City. 
It was only last January 29 that Lazatin filed the bill requesting for the creation of the courts, which on that very day was  referred to the Committee on Rules, a Committee Report was made, and then calendared for reading.

And went on a smooth sailing that in five months was enacted into a law. No mean feat for legislative work there. But Lazatin is no Tarzan if not for this.

Lazatin unbeatable as congressman. Among the many things I wrote here last year about the man. Finding ready affirmation if only in these two Lazatin bills becoming laws.

O ba’t kasi enya mu tinagal congressman pasibayu? Why didn’t he just seek re-election?

Yeah, John Greenleaf Whittier is damned right: "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been’.”

Yeah, the people of the first district have not shaken off their sadness over the loss of their champion.