I HOPE the story is taken out of context but let us indulge just the same.
A story is told about a board member who became the acting vice governor because the vice governor became the acting governor, all by operation of law, and not really by election.
So they went on their way, with the vice governor now serving as acting governor while the board member is now serving as acting vice governor.
No problem so far.
The transition should have been smooth and seamless because prior to that, there was a meeting presided by the governor.
During that meeting, it was agreed, as suggested by the governor, that there will be no personnel changes that will be made because the temporary hiatus is only for 6 months. After 6 months, the governor was expected to take back his seat in the capitol.
Because the hiatus was only temporary, not permanent, it was decided that such personnel changes was pointless and impractical because one, if ever, they were handpicked by the governor and two, there will be adverse effects when new personnel are drafted into service because they will have to be reoriented first and the period of adjustment is hell.
So that was the agreement.
* * *
But as soon as she gets her first baptismal as acting vice governor that fateful Monday morning, things changed drastically in her mental faculty.
She forgot the previous agreement.
She wanted to make personnel changes right in her office because accordingly, she is now the sitting vice governor and presiding officer of the sanggunian and therefore, entitled to all the perks and trimmings of the office.
First on her agenda was to have her own chief of staff, her own office as befitting a vice governor, and all other office trimmings.
She probably thought that now that she is the acting vice governor, she could have her cake and eat it too.
Naturally, that plan triggered a tsunami of violent reactions, surprises and a ton-load of tsismis.
How could she do that when there was prior agreement? Was it too hard for her to honor the agreement and respect the wishes of the governor?
* * *
The acting governor himself has no plans of making personnel changes in the office of the governor because for one, there was an agreement and two, the hiatus was only for 6 months and after that, he was expected to return to being the vice governor.
So the new personnel plan of the acting vice governor was like a volcanic eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, it spewed sulfuric diatribes and acidic libak against her.
Naunsa man na siya nga aduna man untay sabot nga walay pulihay, di na gyod siya kaagwanta, kinahanglan gyod siya nga magpaila dayon nga dili siya kasaligan nga ikasabot, came the libak.
Ingon ana na gyod siya ka dali malimot sa hangyo sa gobernador, dili na lang gyod siya motahod sa gobernador nga unta 6 ra man ka bulan nga ma-wala ang gobernador, came another.
* * *
Well, I hope I am wrong but this is my diagnosis.
She must have thought that the agreement was just that, a mere agreement and no binding effect and she can just forget and ignore it. She must have thought that as acting vice governor, she can do what she wants and what she wishes to do just like a real and true vice governor can.
A team player would definitely not do that.
If she ever considered herself to be a reliable, and trustworthy, ally of the governor, then by all means, she should stand by his side and support him during the hiatus of 6 months. But if she plans to make decisions based on her personal, not party, considerations, and completely ignoring the request of the governor, then by all means, she is now showing her true political colors, and her avowed support to the governor is now gone with the wind.
If she cannot support the governor, especially now when it is badly needed, is she still deserving of the corresponding support from the governor comes the 2025 elections?
Ngutana lang.
* * *
The true measure of a real friend is revealed during times of adversity. Dunay mga tawo nga motabang sa ilang mga amigo, unconditionally, when most needed, wa nay daghan estorya pa, tabang dayon.
Mao nay tinuod nga amigo.
Pero duna sab uban nga imbes motabang, motalikod na hinuon panahon nga gikinahanglan kini, amigo lang sa kalipay pero dili na amigo kon anaa na sa kasakit.
Angay likayan kini.
