Retro on mayoral races in Angeles City
There’s a common saying referring to elected officials. ‘Three years is too short for an excellent leader, and too long for a lousy one’. Parang kailan lang. When the smoke of the last mayoral race in Angeles City subsided, I got a call from mayorelect Carmelo ‘Pogi’Lazatin. His words: ‘Tata Max I made it’. My reply: Congrats! His retort: ‘Sopan muku. (You help me). I said of course. For the information of my readers, Pogi , Bryan Nepomuceno and I were the minority group in the city council from 2013 to 2016. I was the minority leader and we collaborated in the fiscalization. That was the start when political star of then Councilor Pogi Lazatin shone brightly. I was one of those who was surprised on the depth of his knowledge in governance. Maybe the tutelage of his late father, former Congressman and Mayor Carmelo Sr.aka Tarzan Helped. Give and take I advised him too on sensitive issues.
Mother time flew so fast. The ever winding clock is ticking unstoppable and before you know it candidates will be trooping to the Comelec offices in October this year to file their certificates. Expectedly, triumphant feeling Mayor Pogi will run for re-election. Against whom,they don’t surface yet. But someone is in the radar. Former Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan is holding his card so close to his chest, which I think even his favorite son, former Councilor Edu wouldn’t make a guess at this time. He is being urged by several sectors for him to run in the coming race. It is because there was never in the political history of Angeles when the electorates allowed a mayoral candidate to run by his lonesome.
RETRO: I was a young reporter in 1967 when I was tapped by then Eugenio N. Suarez to quarterback his campaign. Together with his nephew, Manuel Suarez Tayag (He is the eldest son of known author Renato’Katoks’Tayag and spouse Adoracion Henson Suarez. He is now a lawyer-businessman) we hit the campaign trail and Gene Suarez emerged the victor. I witnessed all the succeeding mayoral races. They were all interesting and challenging. The elections in those years were quite dangerous for candidates. Opposing armed groups meddled and there were brutal killings and useless assassinations. Suarez served for one term and was defeated in the next race by Rafael‘Apung Feleng’Lazatin. Then followed Francisco G. Nepomuceno. Next was the controversial Antonio’Bubusok’Abad Santos who won in 1988. He served one term and was trounced by lawyer Edgardo D. Pamintuan. It was in 1998 when Tarzan Lazatin entered the mayoral race. This was after completing his mandated three term in the House of Representatives. Pamintuan was on his second term and was still eligible for a third term. He was quite successful in those six years of local governance but he had surprised us all, his party mates, when suddenly he announced he wanted to relinquish the mayorship and run instead for congress. It created a situation.
Earlier in the 1995 elections, Pamintuan won by a landslide with the Francis Blueboy Nepomuceno as running mate. His ten candidates in the council slate won nine seats. I placed number one.
From Day 1-10, you should take:
1. Morning salt water flush (has to be taken first thing every morning and on an empty stomach)
• 2 teaspoons (not tablespoons) of non-iodized salt
•Full quart of lukewarm water