A few good men

There was a time that I wanted to go back to school and take up units in Local Government and Public Administration. I inquired in a number of schools and before I could iron my "skirt," my frenzied schedule got in the way. I love being with people.

I love people. And showbiz, despite what some say that it is flimsy, whimsical, shallow and inane, abounds with wonderful and beautiful people.

Politicians and movie stars, have the same sense of occasion, Bono of the world famous band U2 says. Yes, it is true.

Some politicians are even more showbizy than movie stars. Some are better comedians. Some have wonderful singing voices that can give recording artists a run for their money. I have been thrown into both showbiz and politics.

And who I am today is because showbiz has been very good to me. Politics also came in naturally. My father was a small town politician and my mother is the vice mayor of my hometown Borongan, Eastern Samar. She was a topnotch councilor for three terms until she ran for the vice mayoralty post.

No, she will not seek re-election. Instead, my sister, Mana Fe has decided to run for vice mayor. Mana Fe is matapang as all Waray women are. But her fire in the belly, she got from my mother. Mana Fe could have been an activist with her hard-line views and opinions. But she ended up a nurse.

Local politics is one of the most exciting events "celebrated" in the country. It is also as some would say, madugo.

For others, it is an opportunity to serve this country while others are in it for the power and other fringe benefits. Some promise you the moon. Others belong to the moon.

But there are good men and women in politics. It is grossly unfair to say there are none. I have friends who have chosen public service over private practice.

Valenzuela City Mayor Win Gatchalian could have landed a high paying job in his family owned business, but he chose to be in public service. Three years as a mayor, Win has effectively steered Valenzuela City towards progress.

The Valenzuela Finance Center, a three-story structure which houses such offices as Business Permits and License Office, City Engineers Office, Civil Registrar’s Office and Assessors’ Office, stands majestically on MacArthur Highway.

It has a big taxpayers lounge complete with cable TV, and taxpayers can wait in the comfort of the lounge while finishing their business. It has made paying taxes a breeze.

Win has also given attention to the improvement of roads and sidewalks and has spent P40-M on them. He believes that infrastructure is very important in any city’s development. This year, he is seeing the completion of the P98-M Lingunan-Lawang Bato Vehicular Overpass which crosses the NLEX and will connect the eastern and western parts of the city.

At 33, Win has accomplished a lot. But he says that there is still so much to be done.

"Three years is a short time to effect significant changes that can really be felt by Valenzuelaños," he says.

One of the most promising young politicians is my good friend Mike Defensor. Pablita Garcia, a 75-year-old grandmother of four says that Mike is a good man.

"He is loyal and loyalty is one quality of a good man," she says. Friends of ‘Tol Mike also attest to the fact that he is one person "na hindi nang-iiwan." Mike is one of the best minds in public service. He started at a very young age, being the youngest councilor of Quezon City at 22; the youngest congressman of the 10th Congress at 25, and the youngest cabinet member of the Arroyo Administration at 31.

Defensor is a good leader. And he has dreams for this country that are bigger dreams than his own. He dreams to provide every Filipino a decent house he could call a home.

He wants to decrease the four million backlog in housing units nationwide. Housing has always been the core of Mike’s public service. He co-authored a bill creating the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

He was also Presidential Adviser on Housing and chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). During his tenure, more than 1.5 million Filipino families acquired houses and lots.

Mike’s legislative agenda include health, the environment, education, national unity, employment and livelihood, peace and order, agriculture, and welfare of the OFWs.

On health, Mike will seek for more funding for the LGUs to support the basic health care facilities and services especially for the poor.

For the environment, he will push for sustainable eco-tourism to ensure the preservation of the country’s national tourist attractions. When it comes to education, he wants to enact a bill that will require both public and private schools and colleges to provide a minimum number of scholarships to poor but deserving students. He also has a soft heart for the physically-challenged.

His contribution to public service has been recognized with numerous awards including One of Asia’s Political Leaders of the New Millennium by Asiaweek Magazine; Dangal ng Pilipinas Awardee for Government and Public Service; Most Outstanding Cabinet Secretary — Gawad Paglilingkod, among others.