IT’S tsismis time.
There was a time when there was a gathering of priests and the Bishop.
Because they were outside and standing, naturally, they formed a circle and they listened to the Bishop, who had the floor, so to speak.
By the looks of it, it would be safe to assume that all those who formed the circle were priests and the non-priests stayed outside of the circle but within hearing distance.
They had wonderful time swapping stories until the Governor arrived.
Everything stopped because the Governor immediately went to the group and greeted everyone, grabbed their hands and did what he usually do in his barangay sorties – doing the “Amen” thing.
He started with the Bishop, and down the line.
While doing the “Amen” thing, he also said “maayong hapon Padre” at the same time.
Unknown to the Governor, the Driver of the Bishop was also in the circle and the Governor did to him the same thing he did to the priests.
The Driver was embarrassed to the max because he was mistaken as a priest and he thought the Governor would not do such thing if he knew that he was no priest.
* * *
Of course, all this “Amen” thing is just drama, a cheap pakulo sa Governor.
He wanted to show that he belong, that he knew his good manners and that he is a respectful man.
Back when he was not yet a politician, there was no such thing as doing the “Amen” thing.
At that time, there he was, surrounded by his aides and body guards in his sorties and it was not easy to get his attention then.
Kon di ka kaila, di ka tagdon. Unya ang smile hilabihan ka mahal. Mataha ang mga tawo nga moduol kay desente kaayo og porma.
Pero sa dihang naka-decide na nga magpolitika, hilabihan na ka kusog mo-Amen.
Mangab-ot nas mga kamot aron mo-Amen bisan kinsa, bisan di niya kaila.
Mo-Amen gani bisan mas bata pa niya.
And why is that?
Because his “Amen-Amen” is just plastikan. Tinonto lang og dakong binuang.
The “Amen” thing is just for elders, as a sign of respect.
Thus, you don’t do “Amen” to people younger than you. Unless you are doing it for fun, and only for fun, and not all the time.
Pero kining Governor, pasumangil nga lumad kunohay siya so mo-Amen siya sa mga tawo para ipakita kunohay niya nga makamao sab siya sa pamatasan sa maong lugar.
Nangopya kunohay aron ingnon.
Ang problema kay wa lang mamao.
Maoy rason nga mogawas nga pakitang tao lang og di gyod tininuod.
Klarong pamolitika lang.
* * *
Mao pod ni rason ngano nga bisan sa mando sa IATF nga mag-face mask gyod pirmi, labi na kon makigstorya na sa mga tawo ug way physical distancing, di gyod na siya mag-face mask.
Why?
Tuyoon gyod na niya aron makita gyod ang iyang nawong og maka-pamolitika siya kanunay.
Kay matod pa, kon mag-face mask siya unya mata ray makita, lahi may makita sa mga tawo.
Mga mata man sa usa ka tulisan, kawatan og di gyod kasaligan.
Maayo man og makita tanang nawong kay at least, makapakita siya sa iyang peke nga smile plus madungog pod ag iyang drama nga matinahuron kunohay.
* * *
But there is a truism that says, kon matinahuron gyod ka, mogawas gyod na anytime, dili kanang pinugos o napugos lang.
Kining gipakita sa Governor, klaro kaayo nga pamolitika kay di man siya mo-Amen kon way camera o way makakita sa iyang pag-Amen. Kon way mga tawo nga magtan-aw, simbako og mo-Amen.
Kon sa kahoy pa, mora ni siya og Mahogany o Gmelina, mga langyaw ug di gyod lumad.
Di gyod ka kakita og langgam o mga mananap nga mobatog sa Mahogany o Gmelina, di parehas sa Tugas o Acacia.
* * *
I had the chance to talk to a Senator recently.
Actually, he was assessing the situation in the different provinces of the country. When the province was mentioned, naturally, direct reference was made to the Governor.
Ah, kana siya, suskong kurakota nang tawhana na.
The senator said, “mao ra nay akong nadungog nga gobernador nga mangayo na sa iyang komisyon nga 35% bisan wa pa mogawas ang Notice to Proceed (NTP).”
Daghan bitaw kaayo mo-angal ana niya, the senator added, kay hilabihan ra ka ka-corrupt.
Sus, labon sa una, sugo-sugoon lang namo na kon mag-inom mi ni M. Nagpabuotan-buotan ra pod ang tonto kay gusto man kakuha og connect unya gamhanan man to si M adto nga time, the senator said.
* * *
This is also one of the reasons why only very few local contractors are joining the bidding of public works projects.
Kasagaran taga laing probinsiya ang mo-apil ug modaog. Modaog pod sila kay daghan na man sila og pondo, makasukol na man sila sa hilabihan kadako nga pangayo sa Governor.
That is one of the reasons why during the aftermath of Odette, nobody from the ranks of the local contractors volunteered to join the clearing operations. Unlike other provinces where there was a long line of contractor-volunteers, this Governor had none.
* * *
Thus, when the list of top-rated governors in the country was released, the people were not surprised anymore.
Wa na sila matingala nga wa gyod intawon maapil ang maong Governor sa lista. Wa gyod tawon igkita bisan sa iyang panghambog nga daghan kaayo siya og nahimo.
And there is just one reason for that.
Tinuod nga daghan na siya og nahimo. Pero ang iyang nahimo, pulos lang pangurakot mao nga di gyod tawon siya igkita sa lista sa mga gobernador nga maayo og agi.
Kon lista pa tingali sa mga gobernador nga kurakot, tingali mag-una o top 5 ang maong gobernador.
