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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
PASIG CITY (SDN) — A new guy on the block, someone who is a newbie in the political arena, is challenging the long-dominant Ynares Clan in Rizal province of Luzon.
He calls himself “Kuya” JB Pallasigue, with a business background, boosted by a Master of Arts in Political Science from an American university, and a whole lot of life experiences that he believes can come in handy at the House of Representatives, specifically in the First District of Rizal.
Pallasigue is pitted again a member — Mia Ynares — of the powerful and dominant Ynares Clan and two other congressional apirants. The Ynares Clan, along with the Duavit Clan, has been the ruling power in the province, one of the country’s richest provinces. Rizal has four congressional districts.
Apparently, Kuya JB is not intimidated at all, believing in his cause for the people of Rizal, and his record in the community as a successful businessman and with a clean track record.
“I am a blank canvass. I think I am better prepared to take this job (as congressman). My track record would show that I am a good candidate,” Pallasigue asserts at the Kapihan sa Metro East Media Forum being held weekly in this concrete jungle in the National Capital Region (NCR). He was a guest at the media forum on December 4.
He said he is not a politician and does not intend to be eaten by a dirty and rotten political system that consumes even those who were avowedly non-traditional leaders who joined politics.
“Hindi po ako pulitiko. Ako ay public servant. Malaki po ang pagkakaiba nito *I am not a politician. I am a public servant),” Pallasigue points out, adding the two terms — politician and public servant — have a wide difference.
Addressing the people of Rizal through the Kapihan, he said he is asking for three years from the dominant political leaders of the province. “Try me and see the difference.”
He noted the Ynares Clan has been leading Rizal province for more than 54 years which, he indicated, was enough for one family.
“Because I am an Independent candidate, I am not beholden to anyone. I am responsible and beholden to my constituents,” he assures, at the same time that given the opportunity in Congress he will put in place “checks and balances” through House investigations in-aid of legislation.
Kuya JB said every solution must be appropriate for a problem, emphasizing that in looking for a solution, consultations must be made with the citizens. He said this includes asking them about their problems. “Anyone who needs help from the government, give it to them.”
Failures of political leaders: Lack of tertiary hospital, ecozones; Angono and Taytay still not cities
Given the chance, he said he plans to establish close linkages with the citizens of the First District, not only through an annex legislative office in Angono, one of the province’s progressive local government units (LGUs).
“What’s important is the politician is the one coming to the people, not the people approaching the politician,” he says.
Kuya JB raised the possibility of removing a political leader if he or she is not making himself or herself available to the citizens. He likened to a student who is always absent from classes and the solution is to expel the erring student. “Government should be like that.”
“I am not here to destroy. This is not a personality-driven campaign,” he points out, as he gave credits to the Ynares and Duavit Clans for the good things they have done for the province and its population. “Let’s not take it away from them.”
At the same time, he said: “Ang paglilingkod-bayan ay hindi ipinamamana (Service to the nation is not for inheritance). It is not a right. It is earned. “I cannot claim that I am the best, but I can promise that I can do better. Being in public service is not about killing each other.”
Kuya JB said he has been reaching out to the people in the edges of society, one of which he fell into a water when a makeshift bridge he was walking on collapsed.
He said he is all for the good of the First District of Rizal, promising that “a change is coming” through him as he noted the decades of dominance of the Ynares Clan and Duavit Clan in the province.
Like the saying, “walang forever” — meaning, nothing lasts forever. “Kagaya ng tao, nauubusan din ng panahon (Like people, time runs out),” he says, referring to “retirement”. Or perhaps, being excised.
“There are fresh ideas. There are new ideas. New solutions. There are new challenges that require new solutions,” Pallasigue emphasizes.
He hastened to add that it was his province-mates who have been clamoring for him to run for congressman.
“There are many of them saying it is about time for a new face (to lead the First District of Rizal). In my eyes, I have prepared adequately to serve the citizens and contribute (in serving them).”
On the other hand, he said among his plans are the establishment of a tertiary hospital, special ecozones, transforming the rich municipalities of Cainta and Taytay into cities, which seemed to indicate are failures of the present leaders of Rizal.
And he intends to rectify these leadership failures, given a seat in the House of Representatives. (/)