Special Report: Samsam looks back at first 100 days

Even before he could warm his seat in Congress, neophyte Congressman Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas has filed nine bills, paved roads, and provided free medical assistance to hundreds of his constituents in Cebu’s First District.

Gullas admits it’s not a walk in the park working alongside experienced politicians in the House of Representatives, but he says he enjoys every moment.

“I’m enjoying it. I don’t know why reluctant ko since 2001 (when first asked to run for public office). Right now, I'm having fun especially if makita nimo nga nakatabang ka, and you know when you’re doing something right. It’s a different feeling…very rewarding (I’m enjoying it. I don’t know why I have been reluctant to run since 2001. Right now, I’m having fun especially when I see that I have helped someone and I know that I'm doing something right. It’s a different feeling… very rewarding), he says.

His work has been cut out for him since he won in the May 2013 polls.

He spends his Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday in the House of Representatives in Manila where he also sits as assistant majority leader. The next three days of the week, from Thursday to Saturday, are spent for visits to the six local government units in the First District – Talisay City, Minglanilla, City of Naga, Carcar City, San Fernando and Sibonga.

On Sundays, he attends special occasions such as baptisms and weddings of his constituents.

His new responsibilities have eaten up most of his family time – his love life not spared – but he says proper time management is the key. Likewise, what fuels him during a hectic week, he says, are the simplest things such as the “thank you’s” he receives from those who have benefitted from his medical assistance project. One time a woman took the time to see him at his office at the University of the Visayas to personally thank him for ensuring she could undergo dialysis for free. That gesture of appreciation, he says, touched him.

“I know I have a huge responsibility, but I’m willing to take it. If you're not having fun it's like doing a household chore you don't want to do. I’m glad I’m having fun doing this,” he said.

Then again, it can be said that it's still the tip of the iceberg for the 28-year-old lawmaker.

He said the remainder of his three-year term would be a steep climb, as he would now have to look for other sources of funds to continue his projects following the abolition of the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

“We have so many projects to be implemented but og way PDAF maglisud gyud ta. (We have so many projects to be implemented but it will be difficult to implement them without the PDAF),” he says.

“Ang mahitabo, personal money nalang gyud. It’s going to be very difficult but we have to manage. (What’s going to happen is we will be forced to use our personal money. It’s going to be very difficult but we have to manage),” he adds.

Still, he assured that PDAF or no PDAF, he is bent on ensuring that his constituents’ votes won’t go down the drain.

Samsam says he is also lucky to have a mentor and predecessor like his grandfather, former Congressman Eduardo Gullas, who has already established a network of connections. He says his grandfather's long stint in Congress has paved the way for him to be recognized, which, in turn, has made it easier for him to seek assistance easily from certain government offices.

Output

At present, 16 road projects have been implemented in Talisay City alone. Hundreds of indigent residents in the First District have also availed of the Gullas Medical Assistance.

Gullas says he will find ways to get the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to continue helping students in the district get scholarships for college.

Meanwhile, he is set to meet with officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to discuss a new project that will provide additional business knowhow to self-employed workers like farmers, vendors and tricycle drivers; as well as seed money that would enable them to start up a business that would augment their income.

“Dole outs are okay, but maybe seed money for certain businesses. I’m hoping to work with DOLE in giving livelihood seminars to tricycle drivers, vendors and farmers, and seed money, so they can start their own businesses,” he says.

This, he believes, would give recipients more confidence to look after themselves and not to rely much on government.

He explains that he wears two main hats as a congressman – as a legislator on the Congress floor and as a worker who goes to the ground, look at real situations, and implements projects.

“We make bills, pero wa kaayo na’y gamit ka’y ig tindog nimo sa stage para magpatabang nila, pangitaan gyud ka sa imong nahimo. (We make bills but they won’t be of use unless you have done something in the grassroots level. When you stand on stage and ask for the people's help, they will ask you what you have done),” he says.

So far, Gullas has filed nine bills, all of which were approved on first reading and have been referred to different committees in the Lower House.  These include:

1.    House Bill (HB) 1336 seeks to give additional incentives to barangay captains, councilors, secretary, treasurers, tanods and members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa and all barangay employees;

2.    HB 1337 which seeks to reclassify as alienable and disposable public land and declaring certain parcels of lands of the public domain in the City of Naga, as agricultural land open for disposition for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial or other productive purposes;

3.    HB 1338 which seeks for the establishment of the Cebu Light Rail Transport System for operation in Cebu City and Metro Cebu;

4.    HB 1339 or a bill which seeks for the use of English as the medium of instruction in all schools;

5.    HB 1340 a bill declaring the City of Carcar as the cultural heritage zone;

6.    HB 134, a bill establishing the Talisay Sports Academy and Training Center in the City of Talisay;

7.    HB 1342 or a bill converting the Talisay City District Hospital into Talisay General and Specialty Hospital, thereby increasing its bed capacity from 10 to 100 and at the same time upgrading its service facilities and professional health care;

8.    HB 2092 or a bill increasing the salary grade of public school teachers from 11 to 15; and

9.    HB 2093 or a bill which seeks for the construction of a fish port in Minglanilla

Samsam understands he has big shoes to fill and a name to protect in the First District but he chooses to use the pressure to his advantage - that is, to use it as a "motivation to do better."

A "good relationship" with local government officials in the district, from mayors down to barangay captains, has also made the job easier. Samsam admits: "I cannot do it alone."

With more work to do and more than enough time to establish a name for himself, Samsam says he would want to be remembered simply as a leader "nga dali maduol, dali mahangyo and one for the people (who can be approached easily, who can be talked to easily, and who is one with the people)." — /JMO (FREEMAN)