“Probinsiyanong Intsik”

February 24, 2008

Last Friday morning I had to get up at around 12:45 AM because of a reported fire in one of the establishments in the centro of Naga City. It was raining heavily. When I reached the fire scene, it was apparent that the Naga City firemen and the Volunteer Brigades already had the fire under control. There were at least thirty (30) of them coming from the Chin Po Tong Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Naga White Fire Brigade and the local Fire Department. While most of the residents of the city were asleep, these few brave souls put themselves in harms way to save the properties and lives of people they hardly knew.

I personally know almost all of them. Most of them are second generation Filipino-Chinese (like myself) who have chosen this line of work as their civic duty. Some of them have made their own “fortunes”. But at the fire scene, they are all equals simply following the command of their own Fire Marshall. Although we have honored these volunteer groups as Mayoral Awardees, I believe we can not thank them enough. They have not only invested their resources to procure their own equipments but they have also risked their lives and limbs on the many occasions that these were called for. It might have gone unnoticed. But the torch of service had been passed from the first generation to the next.

When Jun Lozada mentioned that he was just an ordinary “probinsiyanong intsik” who wanted to honor the memory of his father, by doing a good turn for our society, I guess he was speaking for most of us. In our way, in our own places, there is that “spirit of a fire brigade volunteer” — wanting to be of service to others and looking for an avenue to honor the memory of those who brought us to where we are now. As I have often told my Chinese friends, I guess we are fortunate not only to have learned from our parents how to manage our own businesses but also learned the importance of taking part in the “people’s business” as well. We have many Jun Lozadas (virtues, warts and all) in many parts of the country. I believe they do love this country as much as others do. They have their own falings as well as saving graces. But like any other Filipino, they will rise up to the occasion when they need to be counted upon.

Jun Lozada has made us proud! 

Whose back is going to be scratched?

Last Thursday, January 31, 2008, I was requested by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), together with Mayor Madel Gazmen-Alfelor, to attend a forum that tackled the bill of Cong. Anne Hofer which proposed the conversion of capital towns of provinces, with no cities, to cities. In attendance for the House were Cong. Hofer, Cong. “Way Kurat” Zamora and Cong. Ong. The LCP’s position is anchored on the basic issue of equity. In 1988, with only 60 cities and 21% of the population, cities had a 23% share of the IRA. Now, with 120 cities and 37% of the population, cities’ IRA share remain at 23%. As a result of these indiscriminate conversions, the average IRA per capita in cities is now less than that of the municipalities. Congress has addressed the issue on a piecemeal basis. They passed a law prescribing more stringent requirements for conversion. Cong. Hofer’s Bill is proposing another exemption.The mandatory review of the Local Government Code (LGC) which should have been done in 1996 — is long overdue. A comprehensive study should have been conducted that would have prevented these unnecessary controversies. Cities, by the way, contribute the largest to our national income taxes which form the IRA. Cities, in fact, are subsidizing IRA shares of provinces and municipalities. While, the matter of the IRA sharing was the heart of the discussion, what struck me most was when one of the three congressmen said, that the passage of the bill in the House is almost a done deal, following the “I will scratch your back, you scratch mine” tradition in Congress. The new conversion bill might be the fourth amendment to the provisions of the LGC on the creation of cities. But it does not matter whether it’s well thought of or not. . . “I will scratch your back and you scratch mine”.

Ironically, the fate of Speaker Joe de Venecia in his bid to retain the Speakership, likewise, will be decided by the same tradition. Despite claims to the contrary, it will not be decided on a matter of principle. At the end of the day, whether it is Speaker Joe de Venecia again or Cong. Prospero Nograles, the votes will merely reflect the personal interests of the members of the House. Except for the Liberal Party, no one even ventured to at least justify their leanings by alluding to the pursuit of a higher purpose (in the best interest of the Filipino people!) in this political play. The way things are, the new “rainbow coalition” will be composed of members who were part of the failed attempt to dislodge Speaker de Venecia last year, members who hate the guts of Joey de Venecia, members who are presently at the losing end of the perks and members who will just simply follow where the direction of the wind blows. No wonder people are not hopeful! No wonder people are indifferent! Sadly, if Speaker de Venecia is replaced, it will be for the wrong reasons . . . It just so happened that the majority of the members of the House have decided that “scratching a new back will eventually remove the lingering itchiness on theirs”.

That is the House of Representatives for you!