It is fiesta month in Laoag
City, and each day is filled with activities initiated by various sectors.
Naturally, politicians are everywhere grazing festivities and making themselves
more visible than usual to the public eye.
It was in a
beauty pageant held a few days ago (I am not, dear karikna, fond of beauty contests but I am fond of my relatives; my
cousin’s daughter tried her luck in that competition) that I noticed how our
city leaders have decided to package themselves.
Politicians
calling themselves father or mother of a town, city, province, or the nation is
not exactly unusual in the Philippines, but my city’s case is interesting.
Chevylle Fariñas, the
first-term mayor, succeeded her husband Michael, who was mayor for nine years
and now the vice mayor. In that pageant, the welcome remarks was delivered by
their daughter Mikee, the new chair of the Association of Barangay Councils and
ex-officio city councilor. In her entire speech, from her customary roll call
of the guests to the end, she repeatedly and proudly referred to the mayor and
vice mayor, as “Mother of the City” and “Father of the City.” I felt both
uncomfortable and saddened listening to that speech. And confused, too...
should we now call this young councilor, Ate
of the City? What about the other city officials? Do we call them Tito and Tita of the City? Who are our ninongs
and ninangs?
Everyone knows
that the young Fariñas is in office not really on her own merits, but because
of her parents’ impressive achievements. The challenge for Mikee then is to
prove that she deserves the position—that she is a good leader who just happens
to be the mayor and vice mayor’s daughter. Surely, she deserves a chance to
prove herself, but that would only be possible if she restrains from treating
public events as family affairs.
During the grand
parade on Feb. 9, the Fariñas couple were also introduced that way by City
Information Officer Monching Formantes. There were over 50 floats in that
parade, but the first vehicle (after the patrol cars, of course), had Mikee
waving to the crowd and to the platform guests led by the mayor and the vice
mayor. And as the young politician passed by the stage, I saw from her parents’
faces what we usually see in parents’ faces during children’s ballet or piano
recitals: they were proud. Proud father and mother of the city. Proud father
and mother of Mikee.
But why do
politicians fondly refer to themselves as parents anyway?
“A democratic political culture indicates leadership
by a public servant and not the father or mother of a local or national
government unit,” posits my friend Ruel Pepa, a passionate philosopher and
culture surgeon now based in Madrid, Spain. He explains that a patriarchal or
matriarchal government unit is obviously feudal, where officials dispense
authority like landlords do over tenants or slaves.
Moreover, this
is a feudal mindset that takes advantage of the high value Filipinos place on
the family, and of the importance of respecting and obeying our elders. This is
“maybe because they know that we dare not question the actions of our
parents... we say that even if they do wrong, they are still our parents,” a
University of the Philippine professor opined on a status I posted on social
media. Add to this our country’s colonial past and neo-colonial present—with
our people having been lorded by foreigners then and our own power elite
today—and this manipulative branding would really work on the vulnerable many.
In a real democracy, we elect public servants whose authority emanates from the
people. Thankfully, we can choose our leaders periodically—we can change them
after their limited term or, worse, kick their butts from their seats on
certain grounds—unlike our real parents whose blood will always run in our
veins.
We elect
officials, not parents. We are not their children. They are not fathers and
mothers of any land. This branding, this packaging—which I call Mother Packer
branding—manifests an immature democracy politicians are all too willing to
exploit.
I argue that a
matriarchal/patriarchal style of running a government unit no longer has a
place in our time and age. More than ever, we must today professionalize
government leadership. Getting rid of political dynasties may be difficult, but
those who have made politics a family career must at least minimize
accentuating their blood relations and maintain a professional tone in their
line of duty.
What are our
alternatives then? I listed a few:
Leaders of the
city/town/ province/nation
Servants of the
city/town/ province/nation
Officials of the
city/town/ province/nation
If they want to
be truthful and candid, traditional politicians may also choose among the
following:
Plunderers of
the city/town/ province/nation
Traitors of the
city/town/ province/nation
Clowns of the
city/town/ province/nation
Note that these
are only initial lists. There surely could be more.
As for me, I am
just a writer. Not the writer of the city/town/ province/nation, but simply a
writer from Laoag—a mother who nurtured me, and to whom I will always be
grateful, and of whom I will always be proud.
As for our
leaders, let us accord them our support and respect. Let us take part in their
worthy programs even as we keep a watchful eye on them, our servants.
Happy fiesta,
Laoag!
***
Postscript: By the bye, a blog visitor by the name Mikee
Fariñas left the following comment on a post I made five years ago. I am
impressed by the visitor's receptiveness to constructive criticism and
willingness to engage in dialogue. I hope she keeps that way, and more so now.
Here is the comment quoted en toto and
verbatim:
“Hi,
read your article and well I appreciate your comments. But then again I hope
you know how it feel like to be a politician. Well I do think that Mrs.Chevylle
and Mayor Michael did what was proper.The fact is when your in public service
You must understand that some people feel bad when they are not recognized and
when your in public service you care about that. The fact is people went there
to watch others where guests. But those that were recognized where those who
has work there asses to make the show possible of course for the entertainment
of the people too. Maybe you could write a better speech for them. You can
approach them or simply text them you know.Since you can “see” from the other
side(the listener).I really think that would be great.:)”
***
herdylayumul.com
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