May 9, 2009. A meeting was held between Among Ed Panlilio and the various groups networking with Philippines for Righteous Governance. The presidential candidate mentioned that he is willing to be subjected to scrutiny by the public once the primaries are conducted, wherein all the presidentiables will be asked to debate or discuss in public their positions on various issues and problems facing the country.
Present were convenors, Brother Carmelo Go, Patrick Pantaleon, Vic Barrios of the Global Filipino Nation, Samuel Ferrer of PAX, Lanie Aquino, Cita Dinglasan, brothers Mano and Lingoy Alcuaz, Atty. V. Dabu legal staff of Among Ed, and Ricky Xavier of HOPE, among others.
Vic and Ricky expounded on the concept of primaries, drawing from the experiences in the United States and how these will be implemented in the final selection of the presidential and other official candidates that the various governance movements, shall endorse to the nation. Meanwhile, Lingoy mentioned that the term "third force" had been used even as early as Manglapus time in Philippine politics but it did not take off.
The afternoon proved to be fruitful in terms of knowing the positive response of Among Ed Panlilio to clamor for his candidacy to the highest post of the land. Cita mentioned that in the US, where she is currently based, the Filipino-Americans have mentioned him as the best possible contender for the post although he had not yet given his final assent to the urgings to run.
But last Lenten season, Among Ed mentioned that he had a retreat and after three days he came up with the decision that if God wants him to be a candidate then he will have to accept it.
He also mentioned that under his governance, the quarrying fees more than multiplied compared to the previous administrations. Then two of the people working under his administration have been cited by an awards-giving body for excellent services, the very first time that the local government had ever received in its many years of existence.
He rued the many problems he had had to face in running a bureaucracy that is steeped in corruption, where 60% commission is the standard rule in public projects but which he had whittled down. Hence, if a public road used to cost P1 Million to be paved, it now only costs P400,000.00. Atty. Dabu also said that the public works engineers are now made to account for their being employed– reporting on what they had done to justify their salaries. “Whereas before they were used to working at 10% efficiency only, now because of us, they have to work at least 75% and we can’t dismiss them if they don’t because they have security of tenure.”
Mano Alcuaz of PRG mentioned that comparing local and national governance is not in order because so long as a president is democratic, relying on capable people to run the administration, then the people can be assured of good governance.
The meeting was observed by writer, Nina from the Inquirer, while the GMA tv group came a little earlier to shoot a few footages of Among Ed.
Report filed by Emma S. Orozco
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