RECENTLY, I had the opportunity to visit once more one of my favorite gastronomic paradise in Manila, the Asian Taste inside Seascape.
And lo and behold, I was shocked.
Mingaw na man kaayo.
Even the live band that played in the center of the open-air restaurant played for only 1 hour and was gone.
The reason – nobody was around to listen to their songs. While before, the area was bedecked with crowds of hungry eaters, munching their favorite cooked and un-cooked seafoods.
But now, they’re gone.
Even inside Asian Taste, the crowd of eaters that used to adorn the place, was also gone.
Gamay na lang ang nangaon.
When I asked the owner Johnny Mendoza about the sparse atmosphere, his answer was quick.
Nawala na kasi ang POGO, he said.
* * *
Hearing that, I was reminded right away of the situation of some favorite eating sites in Cebu and Mandaue.
Nawagtang sab ang mga grupo sa mga bisita nga mangaon ug mag-inom. Also because of the absence of POGO customers.
In the case of Seascape, hilabihang mingawa ang lugar, diha ray pipila ka buok nga nangaon, like our 2 groups of 5 and 4, respectively. To maximize time and minimize expenses, I scheduled two successive dinner-meetings in Asian Taste recently.
If those eateries are paying monthly rents and spending the usual operational expenses, and there are only very few customers, then for sure they have no other choice but to close shop.
And if they do that, that would mean their workers become jobless, their suppliers would lose their income and the owners of the business will have to endure another losing venture.
No business means all economic activities will also stop.
All I’m saying is that this is the price we pay for ending POGO.
Whether or not stopping POGO is good, that is another issue altogether.
* * *
Up to now, we have not heard of any name to fill up the top slots in the province in Art Yap’s group.
In fact, from what I’ve heard, a politician, who claimed he is not running anymore because one, financial woes and two, his wife will not allow it, is moving heaven and earth to recruit a medical practitioner to be their standard bearer in the province with BM Benjie Arcamo as her running-mate.
Mind you, this is not just your casual recruitment ha.
Imagine, the politiko explained for more than 3 hours why his group was recruiting the medical practitioner. Yes, there was an abundance of historical facts, election figures, family connections, potentials when elected and very bright opportunity to win kuno, ahem.
Why?
Because they control the 1st district kuno, they have 5 mayors in the 2nd district and 7 mayors in the 3rd district.
That, plus the political machinery of the candidate and it becomes a sure victory.
Agehhh.
Sayona sa mathematics oi.
* * *
Some tidbits of their conversation.
Nganong napildi man inyong grupo sa miaging piniliay nga kamo man unta ang naglingkod unya gabaha pod inyong kwarta?
Nadaot mi sa isyo mao nga napildi mi. Daghang mituo sa ilang intriga namo, daghang nailad nila mao na nga napildi mi, was the explanation.
Of course, the politiko did not say that majority of the Boholanos did not believe in their pakulo and many Boholanos were just waiting for the right time to strike back on the insult peddled by the Insik.
And what was that?
Pera-pera lang yan kay nawong og kwarta ang mga taga-Bohol, this was the brutal assessment of the Insik.
In fact, he was so sure of himself and so sure of his victory too that when asked every time he visited Manila during the campaign period, his answer was always uniform – it’s all over but the counting.
No chance kuno nga mapildi siya kay in-place na kuno tanan ang iyang preparation, his rejoinder.
And many of his listeners believed him because he is a billionaire in his own right, with an equally rich family.
Never mind if he is also known all over as corrupt and also known to pay retainer fee to keep his criminal and administrative in deep slumber all the time.
Anyway, back to the recruitment issue.
There was no discussion yet on the campaign budget that their group intends to put up to ensure victory.
Adto na seguro na sa second meeting, if any.
* * *
Well, the way I see it, morag nihit na gyod tingali kaayo ang political horizon sa grupo kay wala man gyod silay klaro nga line-up.
Daghan siya nga gi-mention nga ila kunohay nga mga mayor o lungsod but from my personal knowledge, these mayors belong to the Aumentado group.
Klaro kaayo nga nangilad lang ang politiko.
I don’t know though if the one they are intending to recruit is aware of this.
* * *
We will discuss the vice governatorial slate.
So far, two names have surfaced, Nick Besas for Gov Aris Aumentado and Benjie Arcamo for whoever runs against Aris.
Methinks Nick Besas has the edge.
Why?
Because he has Aris Aumentado as incumbent governor by his side. Needless to say, that is one very big advantage already because he can also enjoy the campaign perks of Aris as sitting governor.
Because his daughter is the incumbent congressman of the 3rd district, who during the campaign down to the election period, is the sitting congressman of the district. Just like in the case of Aris, Nick Besas can also enjoy the campaign perks of his daughter.
Because the sitting congressman of the 2nd district is the wife of Gov Aris, Cong. Vanvan Aumentado. Just like in the case of Aris and Alexie, Nick Besas can also enjoy the campaign perks of Vanvan Aumentado.
Now, compare that to that of Benjie Arcamo. And it is very clear that Arcamo is denied of the 3 “becauses.”
Let’s talk of money. There is no definite figure of course but I am willing to bet that Nick Besas still enjoys an edge because he is prepared, and he can already count on the machinery of his daughter in the 3rd and that of Cong Vanvan in the 2nd. This will translate into savings for campaign funds in the 2nd and 3rd and he can devote his resources in the 1st. Arcamo is denied of these perks.
Grand total – I believe Nick Besas is winnable in the vice gubernatorial race in 2025.
