Polibiz
By Nelson C. Robles

The rage of Mayor Bungangera

Some public officials are really prone to commit political mistakes in the most unexpected moment and place.

Take the case of Mayor Bungangera who created a scene in the recently held 1st Provincial Education Summit spearheaded by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Iloilo Chapter at the Capitol.

While LMP members interviewed by media were heaping praises on the success of the one-day education conclave, Mayor Bungangera was running berserk with her loud mouth and lambasted the political rival of her husband.

She ranted and raved that the provincial government is playing political favors in the distribution of funds for municipal governments intended to help improve school facilities and augment allowances of public school teachers.

Look who's talking, folks?

In the first place, the occasion was not convened for a political showdown or exchange of heated accusations: it was for the stakeholders of education—Department of Education (Dep-Ed) officials, town officials, school principals and students.

There is a need to arrest the decline in the capacity of our pupils to make themselves abreast of the recent developments on Math, Science and English. There is really an urgent need to improve the quality of our education in the elementary and high school in public schools.

The event was not prepared for finger-pointing, bellyaching, political mudslinging and soap opera.

Mayor Bungangera should have exercised some restraint and ethics. Abi ya siguro sa mga nag-attend sa summit mga sulugu-on sa ila kahari-an. I felt like puking!

A dignified lady lawyer, also a mayor, sitting beside her looks uncomfortable, wishing perhaps to vanish for witnessing the scandalous act of her benefactor's wife. Well, what else is new? It was vintage her, from the strand of her hair down to the tip of her toes.

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Meanwhile, the three controversial radiomen have a lot of explaining to do why they were seen together at around 11 p.m. in a serious huddle with a former congressman, a congresswoman and a town mayor who all belong to one family in a big hotel near the poolside. Did the management know this “secret” meeting?

I thought they are media “crusaders” whose mission is to eradicate graft and corruption in government? If they expose anomalies in government through their diligence and courage, well, we should doff our hats on them.

But if they spew fire and brimstone against the perceived scams in government because a group of politicians from one clan is behind them, then how would you call these men? Mercenaries? Oh my. I hope they were discussing only about the bees, the birds, and the butterflies.

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As expected, the school opening yesterday was chaotic in terms of traffic and last-ditch preparations on the part of school authorities.

So many students, teachers, office employees, private commuters were inconvenienced by the horrendous traffic snarl which stretched from Molo district to Capitol, from Jaro district to the City Proper.

Private and public vehicles were like match boxes and traffic was on a standstill from bumper-to-bumper. If you lose your patience, you will die of stroke and heart attack especially if you have not eaten your breakfast; or had stressed yourself to the limit the night before.

Lesson: In whatever precarious situation, it is always important to remain cool and accept the fact that traffic has become part and parcel of our regular predicament as members of the working class.