On his own

UP UNTIL he became the mayoralty candidate in the last elections, Edwin Santiago was regarded as furthest from being “mayorable.”

As a matter of political course, he was relegated to the “best vice mayor, never mayor” league of Mabalacat City’s Pros Lagman, Angeles City’s Ric Zalamea, Bacolor’s Diman Datu, and the City of San Fernando’s now dearly lamented Tiger Lagman , indeed the very face that imaged that fellowship of almost-but-not-quite-hizzoners.

That, despite – mayhaps, because of – EdSa’s masterful handling of the city council that merited not one but two recognitions as the Philippines’ best for component cities.

Why, even EdSa’s proclamation as official candidate of the Liberal Party for the capital’s mayorship did not go to his credit but to Oscar S. Rodriguez’s, his perceived patron, acknowledged mentor, recognized benefactor. And actual predecessor.        

It was the charismatic Oca – four-term representative of the 3^rd District and three-term city mayor, runner-up in the World Mayor Award 2005, the avatar of good governance – too that was deemed to have taken the cudgel for EdSa, to have borne the burden of battle against the comebacking Dr. Rey B. Aquino, and carrying the fight to total victory.

With EdSa less a hard-fighting combatant than the biggest, if not luckiest, beneficiary there.  

Indeed, even EdSa’s election campaign collateral of tsinelas was denigrated as an admission of his unfitness to fill Oca’s shoes, deemed much, much too large for him.

And now, it’s been over 100 days since the inaugural of the Honorable Edwin Santiago as mayor of the City of San Fernando.

What Oca wrought, EdSa made naught. So it’s been observed. So it is said.

The Magsilbi Tamu Brass Band 919 that regaled the city with those spirit-lifting  serenatas and foot-stomping pop concerts under the baton of Prof. Edwin Lumanog was unceremoniously disbanded.

The Teatro Fernandino, another staple in the city’s cultural fare that brought the heroism of local and national patriots to dramatic reconstruction had its final curtain call too, sans any farewell performance.

Both going the way of job-order workers, contracted during Oca’s term.

Aye, the new administration was at its very embryonic stage when word went out that it was to survive on near-empty city coffers. Impacting in its predecessor some uncharacteristic not-so-good governance ways.        

Gainsays from the maculated Oca – unmet with the slightest whimper, unresponded with the quietest whispers from the otherwise noisy council – put that issue of misappropriated/missing funds to rest.

Buried – hopefully forever – by EdSa himself in his Report to the City on his first 100 days, thus: "Sa kabuuang budget ng 2013 na P1.236 billion, ang projected income natin sa buong taon ay aabot lamang ng P986 million. P569 million ng programang nakapaloob dito ay naipatupad na. Tinatayang P417 million ang perang pwede pang gamitin hanggang katapusan ng taon. At dahil dito, tayo’y naghigpit ng sinturon upang maipagpatuloy ang serbisyong dapat ilaan para sa mga Fernandino. At ang mga bago nating istratehiya ukol sa paglalaan ng pondo ay nagbunga na!" 

I can almost see the incredulous look in the erudite Jun Sula’s face: Tighten the belt on a full stomach? That is some story Sun-Star Pampanga’s resident wit needs to retell, in his inimitable, trenchant way.   

Anyways, the publicly perceived inertia that befell city hall upon EdSa’s assumption he readily explained thus: "Ang unang 100 araw ng isang alkalde ay siyang magsisilbing panahon kung saan tayo ay masusing nagpa-plano para sa direksyong nais nating tahakin. Dito natin ginugugol ang ating oras para i-prioritize ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga mamamayan. Sa loob ng 100 araw, pinag-iisipang mabuti kung paano pa natin mas mapapaganda at mapauunlad ang buhay ng mga Fernandino,"        

Whence cometh aborning: Fernandino First: Fernandino ing Mumuna, Fernandino ing Manimuna!" complete with its own official anthem. Pushing to the archives, if not the dustbin, Magsilbi Tamu of the past nine years. Leading not a few into thinking of EdSa symbolically breaking his fetters to Oca and becoming his own man.

Indeed, Fernandino First even upping Magsilbi Tamu’s 8-Point Agenda if not in rhyme at least in number – all 12, to wit:

Sapat na pangkabuhayan sa mga Fernandino tungo sa maunlad na pamumuhay. 

Malinis na kapaligiran, Fernandinong maka-kalikasan.

Epektibong programang pangkalusugan, produktibong mamamayan.

Edukasyon para sa lahat, tulay sa pag-angat.

Katiwasayan sa seguridad ng mamamayan, mapayapang pamayanan.

Pagsulong ng e-governance, tungo sa tapat at malinis na pamamahala.

Pagkaing sapat ay tiyakin, kasaganaan ay kamtin.

Kalinga at pag-aaruga, ilaan sa nakatatanda.

Responsableng mamamayan, kaagapay sa mabuting pamamahala.

Paghubog sa pagkatao, pundasyon ng marangal na Fernandino.

Pagyabungin ang industriya at kalakalan tungo sa pang-ekonomiyang kaunlaran ng bayan.

Local na turismo’y paunlarin, kulturang Fernandino’y linangin at mahalin.        

Livelihood. Environmental protection. Health. Education. Peace and order. Good governance. Food security. Care for the elderly. Active citizen participation in governance. Values formation. Industrial development. Tourism. Heritage preservation.

EdSa’s promised pot at the end of the rainbow. His first 100 days, he reported, really not bereft of actual accomplishments, like the 1,547 Fernandinos gaining employment; the P229-million Jobstart grant from Canada and Asian Development Bank; more livelihood trainings and the planned Productivity Center at Northville 14; a total of 12,021 tree seedlings planted; and 61 materials recovery facilities in the city’s 35 barangays.

"Sa 100 araw na nagdaan, marami na rin tayong nagawa. Ngunit sa aking palagay, ang pinakamahalagang nakamit natin sa nakalipas na tatlong buwan ay ang pagbibigay ng direksyon na ating tatahakin. Tulad nga ng parati kong sinasabi, charity begins at home. Ibig sabihin, unahin muna ang iyong komunidad bago ang iba, nang sa ganoon ay matulungan mo silang umunlad upang manguna. Ngayon, malinaw na para sa ating lahat ang direksyong nais nating tahakin para sa San Fernando – iyon ang Fernandino First. Ang 12-point agenda natin ang siyang magiging gabay upang maghatid ng serbisyo sa mga Fernandinos. More than our first 100 days, this is what we will do after our 100 days.”

Without Oca. EdSa on his own. City governance, of his own.

The Fernandino is watching, hoping. Keeping his fingers crossed.