SOMEBODY is complaining.
An office in government is a place for official transactions, definitely not for personal or family business transactions.
The source is referring to a mayor whose family regularly goes to the office. This includes the wife, the children, the wife’s friends and the children’s friends too. Quite a huge crowd really.
No problem when this is only on rare or very special occasions.
But when done on regular basis, then this becomes very problematic.
* * *
Why?
For one thing, every second, minute and hour during office hours is accounted for.
This is for official business, never for personal or family business.
And besides, the office staff have their respective works or assignments. They are not permitted to deviate from their responsibilities in order to serve the personal needs of the mayor’s family, unless for some valid reasons. Yes, serving the whims or caprices of the Mayor’s family is definitely not one of them.
The source said initially, they accepted the fact that the mayor’s family was still adjusting to public life.
It’s not everyday that you hear somebody describe you as “the mayor’s wife” or “the son or daughter of the mayor.”
But when the comings and goings became an almost daily routine, then the office staff became alarmed.
Why?
Because they have to scamper for extra chairs, tables and most especially food and drinks. They could no longer focus on their work because of the huge crowd in the office, especially the noise and their usual loud and boisterous discussion.
Worse, the office now has extra eyes and ears, daghan nang manghimantay ug manaway, and their presence, and comments too, have become increasingly annoying.
And worse still, the office now has an extra HR, because the wife now conducts interviews and makes recommendations on who to renew or not. It has come to a point that the office personnel are already confused as to who is their real boss, the mayor or the wife of the mayor?
She also intrudes into another unchartered territory – the office budget.
She wants to include anything that she fancies even when this is not allowed in the budget for food and refreshment.
And worst, she resents it very much when somebody lectures her on anything that she does not understand, like government budgeting procedure.
In her ignorance, she equates government procurement to personal and private expenditure like how she does it with her money.
So the office personnel are now in a conundrum in an almost daily basis.
And the mayor appears unconcerned with the incomings, outgoings and even the nosy attitude of his wife, something that exacerbates the situation.
Paitas among sitwasyon karon, the source said, parehas ni adtong panahon sa una nga gitawag og “conjugal dictatorship.”
* * *
Meanwhile, the son of the politician is busy going around town, making himself visible in practically all occasions.
Anywhere and anytime when there is a huge crowd, one can bet he is there, and another bet, he gets to hold the microphone.
And when he talks, he does not talk about his father-politician or his activities but what he, the son, intends to do when placed in similar situation.
He always has a soft heart kuno to those in need, he wants to help them and make them happy. He is always there for them kuno.
So when discussion with media came, he was casually asked about his plans. And he coyly said he was just testing the political waters.
And he quoted the much-abused quip – let’s cross the bridge when we reach there.
But among close and intimate friends, he is open about his plan to wade into the upcoming barangay elections.
Syaro og di modaog, ilado kaayo ang among pamilya, he said.
Unya ready na ka sa imong pundo para pangampanya, he was asked.
Aw, naa man akong Lolo nga maoy mogasto, syaro og di siya mogasto, he added, nga nagbinuotan baya ko og uban-uban sa akong Papa.
Ahemmmm.
Ang imo diay nga Papa, di ba diay mogasto nimo, he was asked.
Dili oi, ang akong Lolo ra. Bisan gani si Papa kay nagsalig ra pod sa akong Lolo. Di man pod na modaog si Papa kon wa pa gastohi ni Lolo, was the quick reply.
Unya, dili ra moreklamo ang uban nimong mga ig-agaw nga gastohan ka sa imong Lolo unya sila wala, he was asked.
And the Mayor’s son was silent.
