Political lollipop

BLOGISTA

By Cha Monforte

If a kid asks for candy and you give a lollipop and the kid likes it and asks for more, then in our Filipino culture our quick reaction is to give the kid more. We always find happiness out from our own good doing especially when we give one which easily gives immediate reaction of happiness to whom we are giving. It’s such happiness we feel during Yuletide season that is already smiling to us especially when we go to malls these days. By the Christmas music the mall owners like the Gaisanos are playing to actually drum up sales, we are reminded of the adage, “It’s better to give than to receive”.

So in this season at this early when the political teapot already starts to percolate, not at the city’s posh Miko’s Brew where erstwhile opposing politicians have been recently spotted talking, perhaps already plotting for 2010, we have seen 1^st District Congressman Anton Lagdameo, the pogi husband of beauteous actress Dawn Zulueta, already intruding in the 2^nd district on the pretext of his Barangayanihan program on the hallowed grounds being carved as the own political fiefdom of the Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario.

The jaded observers can easily suspect that when day care workers not from a congressman’s legislative district approach him and he makes accommodation to their requests there’s more on it than what meets the eye. To the jaded observers, this latest Anton’s foray to the Tagum City is already a sign of a possibly creeping but little political subterfuge that could endanger the long political career of a durable politician that Gob. Dolfo is.

But this little foray or, better still, call it as intrusion than little subterfuge to the legislative district that rightly belongs to Cong. Arrel Olano has raised many eyebrows of aspiring politicians,  so they could fly to be able to bite for their political career when they have two equally well-funded and well-oiled slates to choose from in the scenario of the having today’s Davao del Norte finally becoming the political powderkeg battleground of the Floirendos and Del Rosarios. The specter salivates DavNor politicians of lesser mortals.

But Gob. Dolfo remains yet to be a political titan and a player to national corridors of power, and for having still a brotherly right to plead in the name of family, whether by blood or marriage, he has still the ascendancy to rein in mere flickers and scattered splinters from what appears as a political shotgun approach in slaying the entrenched political leadership and influence of the man who once stood side by side with the Banana King and patrician Don Antonio O. Floirendo (AOF) Sr., both as bulwarks of strength, into building up the Fortress Tadeco as one of the biggest banana exporters in the Asia-Pacific region.

It is the banana tycoon and Gob. Dolfo’s mentor, AOF, who converted the swamps of Davao del Norte into one thriving banana plantation, building a community that has now expanded to the municipalities of Carmen, Sto. Tomas and B.E. Dujali, and the City of Panabo. And no one else except that AOF had then been helped on so much by his trusted right hand man and brother-in-law who carries a commoner’s name Dolfo. That, since when former Cong. Tonyboy was still so young.

Cong. Anton, for appearing to serve now like a loose feeder cannon ball of the Floirendos, given also that he’s the one incumbent while Tonyboy, the new political kingpin in District 2 fiefdom, is politically unemployed at the moment, is indeed the most vulnerable politician in the divided clan.

For that, Cong. Anton can be fed to bid to run for a position that requires an uphill battle with the Del Rosarios like the gubernatorial and even the vice gubernatorial post. But either of the position appears to be still no-no to him just yet. It’s not that either of the position is too rustic and provincial for one who has known of the silver spoon from a crème dela crème of the perfumed elite. Sarangani Governor Migs Dominguez having also a flawless complexion like Cong Anton shows it all. But like Kiko Pangilinan- the senator who ran at Grand Menseng from the clutches of the kongko broadcasters to catch the last plane out to be with his Sharon as Gabby has already returned, in Manila showbiz, just to reminisce my past essay, Cong. Anton, too, has the pleasure of knowing the luster and fame, rough and tumble, tsismis of the showbiz world. And such world is near to the refurbished Batasang Pambansa.

If Cong. Anton means that the qualified one for the gubernatorial is his Tito Tonyboy then he’s correct as the latter is the only one in the province having the stature to meet head-on his Tito Dolfo in the political arena. Otherwise, such statement of the nephew, who is the youngest in the row, can be deciphered by jaded observers as the post he is alanganin to run for. Just now yet. “Trabaho muna, mamaya na yan ang politika…darating din yan,” he was recently quoted as saying.

But back to our lollipop story. Tonyboy must be apprised now that his nephew Anton is visibly enjoying serving as a congressman. He’s quite visibly happy in a post Tonyboy had given to him in a silver platter when the former met his term limit as Cong and got aborted of his plan of running for Gob since  his Tito Dolfo beat him to a draw. Really, in our culture, if the kids like lollipops, elders end up happily giving them more. Why take back Anton’s political lollipop, especially that a choice between an old tito and a young nephew can have the folks naturally prefer for the older, the veteran than the neophyte.

But it’s different story if the choice is between titos, an heir by blood and an appendage by marriage. In this case the folks, nay the voters would then have a hard time of choosing. If this is it by 2010, then Cong. Anton retains his political lollipop in his hand and aspiring politicians in both fiefdoms will be happy ever after an awaited news. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, e-mail: ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)

Filed under: antonio floirendo sr, cong. anton lagdameo, tadeco, tonyboy floirendo, antonio floirendo sr, cong antonio lagdameo, tonyboy floirendo

The gameplan

VIEWS

Politics may do Tadeco in. It may break apart this vast plantation that is touted as one of the biggest banana exporters in Southeast Asia. Why not a possibility, when the only thing that is permanent is change. In the first place, politics in our country breaks apart relationships, friendships and families. Look what politics has done to the Osmenas in Cebu, for one. The Osmenas are in the stature of national capitalists than the regional stature of the Floirendos in Davao del Norte.

But there’s still a little threat on Tadeco’s chopping off as seen in its continued legal and physical stranglehold of the leased Dapecol’s land. That little threat hides off as soon as it gets started, although we still don’t really know whether there was that smear job launched by sinister politico elements to threaten the kingpin Don Antonio Sr., his siblings and kins via a CARP intrigue, and either way – fuel more fire in between Gov. Rodolfo Del Rosario and former Cong. Antonio Floirendo Jr., or rekindle valued memories to what the governor, being erstwhile right-hand man and manager of Don Antonio Sr., has done to protect Tadeco most importantly from the rampaging sequestration moves during Cory’s presidency, and by the protective political clout of the governor that envelops the banana empire in the subsequent national administrations up until this day.

But we still don’t buy the idea that the known Dolfo could just initiate and push real land reform program that would chop off an empire that in the first place raised him to become a national figure and political titan in the province starting since three decades ago.

We find that the CARPization issue of Tadeco isn’t a smear job at all. If it did not come from any of the potential ARBs (agrarian reform beneficiaries) coops or entities, or from those long claiming to have titles of Dapecol, it is a preliminary, one portent of things to come from a political gameplan of any among those who want to capture top political posts in Davao del Norte. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: don antonio floirendo sr, tadeco, tony boy floirendo, davao del norte, don antonio floirendo, tadeco, tagum, tonyboy floirendo