Grace Under Pressure

Some months ago before the mid-term elections, my sister has appointed her slate already. She chose her ABC president to succeed her as mayor, and the administrator as the running mate. The resistance of some members of my family surprised me. They say that they are not consulted and they want Daddy to run instead. I have a hard time talking with them during the patronal fiesta since most of us are in the house. My sister is in China at that time. It was hard for me convincing them that, that was the decision of the party and not solely of our sister. At the end of the day, we agreed to wait for Daddy's decision when he returns from the States.

After Daddy heard the news from them, he conceded to our sister's earlier decision. But they never stop persuading him to reconsider, and went further by plotting a mini-coup within our sister's chosen slate. They succeeded in wrestling out the vice mayor and eight councilors to form a breakaway slate with Daddy running as mayor. With 65 days to go before election, we have no other recourse but to yield to their schemes. After all, 'blood is thicker than water' as the famous saying goes.

The House by Casilaran Bay

It was 1992 when we arrived in this bucolic town by Casilaran Bay. I was with my best friend Mega. We never thought that we could stay here for ten long years since we considered ourselves as city dwellers, and the city where we spend our youth is also known as 'the Pittsburgh of the South'. Until now, I'm still here and even opened a mini-grocery in the newly constructed public market. Mega went home to the city in 2002. I was so into rural life that I never felt Mega left me.

A local political family of the town adopted me. My second Daddy was the mayor since martial law years and even served three terms after EDSA revolt of 1986. He was succeeded by my sister thereafter and successfully held the mayoralty for another three terms. Through the years we never fatigued in serving the people.

The town was elected in the 'hall of fame' for excellence in local governance. We were among the few towns to creatively implement the local government code that is integrating area development. The town is fifth class during daddy's first term but he overturned it to 3rd class towards the end of his 2nd term, and is considered as the provincial agri-industrial center. On his 3rd and last term, he facilitated the turnover of an old wharf under the management of the town.

At my sister turn, she converted the old cemetery to a memorial park under local economic management. This at first courted adverse reaction from the people. She was never unfazed and later collected fees for health services that aggravated resentments. Her projects reaped awards nationally and abroad. She was running unopposed on her last bid for the mayoralty. During her last term in office she courted another problem. She wanted a new public market to be constructed on a hill some 500meters away from the center. She reasoned that the old market is prone to floods and the buildings are dilapidated.

The local business is up against her that they sued to restrain her from bulldozing the old market. Another problem is feudal; a private plantation estate is up for grabs between petitioners and ancestral claims of the natives. She is only pushed in the crossfire because she is the local chief executive. As if, she is 'against all odds.'

In the middle of all these, my second family is confronted with yet another problem, the 2007 election.