EDITORIAL: Ano baya talaga?

The Bicol region needs to actively search for a leader with a potential to land into national prominence, given that Vice President Leni Robredo is about to reach her peak by reason of destiny or choice.

Several other personalities have had a chance to attain prominence, but sad to state they lost steam along the way. The late Senator Raul S. Roco was just a few steps to Malacañang but despite his brilliance and popularity, he is now just being remembered as the “best president who never was.”

There is now a crisis of principle-centered leaders in the region. With the quality of present Bicolano political leaders ,it may take decades to field one of national stature and unless a more dramatic event takes place, Bicolandia deserves to be represented at least in the Senate, if only to have a share of the national wealth.

Long deprived of a fair treatment, Region-V might eventually be outpaced by regions long suffering from stunted growth, particularly those in Mindanao and some other areas within the Visayas Regions .Those who claim to be of Bicolano roots also have not at all matched their posturing with genuine concrete action.

Whether Mrs .Robredo stays longer in politics is a big question mark. The point is she was plunged into the political arena by accident due to the untimely death of the late dearly beloved Jesse Robredo, former local government secretary and multi term mayor of Naga City.

If fate is on her side she may prolong her political career. But as often heard from once presidential timbers, destiny has so much to do in order to be a president.

That is why for those with promising political careers with impressive long staying record, they should be extra responsive to the sentiments of the people within the region they come from.

One of them is Albay Representative Joey Salceda, who on his own initiative is gradually etching his name in national politics. Some even see in him a bright political career, though still with some reservations.

The Albay lawmaker currently heads the powerful House Committee in Ways and Means. In terms of experiences he holds a record almost identical to that of President Duterte in the fields of local governance and legislation

Now however that Salceda is already at a vantage point, he has to be clear and categorical about the issues of significance. He cannot be like a pendulum that swings from one end to another or a butterfly that flies from one rose to another. A few instances are worth citing.

While with Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano in Metro Manila, Salceda batted for the abolition of public biddings for government projects—a stand long advocated by President Duterte. Obviously this is prone to corruption and more importantly, wanting of transparency—the very hallmark of good governance. Absence of transparency paves the way to autocracy that breeds oligarchy.

And then back home with his own people, while the Bicolano legislator defended the lavish expenditure for the last South East Asian Games, he described the Php 50 million worth cauldron as” Imeldific, a term indicative of extravagance which is epitomic of Imelda Marcos, the other half of the conjugal dictatorship, that caused so much hardship to our people who until now cry for justice and crave for truth.