HASHTAGS BREW
By Cha Monforte
City Mayor Rey “Cee O” Uy will surely be destined to a good place in the history of Tagum City. It is he who engineered dramatic and massive developments that physically changed the city in the last decade and part of this decade until June 30, 2013. Yes, his son, senior Councilor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy lost in the last polls to Vice Mayor Allan Rellon. But he never lost to Rellon. Maybe he’ll come back by 2016. That’s for Mayor-elect Rellon to prepare for.
Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon (second from left) and Vice Mayor
Geterito “Boyet” Gementiza (second from right) proclaimed
Cee O is still so much a force to reckon with even if he would be out of the political scene for the next three years (only). Reasons: The mayor just made great accomplishments while being a mayor and Tagumenyo voters have always shifting electoral outlook. They voted again Councilor Tristan Royce “Bong” Aala in 2010 polls after they didn’t like what the councilor did in deserting his 2007 mandate in staying in Japan to work there. He had his good reason justified by winning in the opposition along with now Vice Mayor-elect Geterito “Boyet” Gementiza in 2010 polls.
This also happened last election, when Tagumenyos gave a new mandate to now Councilor-elect Agripino “Jun” Coquilla after they didn’t like what he did in not informing the city council and the public that he was already employed as designated provincial engineer in Comval Capitol before his 2007 term would end. Coquilla ran but lost for city councilor in the 2010 polls. Last May 13 Tagumenyo voters forgave him. Congrats to him!
Rellon’s winning is already done. We’ll leave the issues hurled at him and to Oyo behind for good, to move on. Time to work and prepare for the future, for 2016. Mayor Cee O made true his pronouncement that he would not do ala Duterte (or ala Dongkoy Emano of CDO; both came back as mayor after a term as vice mayor): run for other post like for city vice mayor. Cee O prefers to plant trees for greener environment and likes to be invited by plain folks in their breakfasts while he is a plain civilian. He has word of honor. He doesn’t like ribbon cutting ceremonies to open his great projects that transformed the city into a premier class in this part of the country, great services that touched many lives. He doesn’t like rendering SOCAs (State of the City Address). SOCA, SOMA and SOPA are venues that only to titillate incumbents’ bragging rights.
He’s a hands-on leader. In the last two years, during non-working holidays, we always caught him at the City Motorpool in his slippers and shorts, supervising his pet project of transforming seized hot logs into tens of thousands of school chairs, desks and tables that were donated to many needy schools including those in various parts of the country. He’s a multi-awardee mayor.
For all Cee O’s great feats including the festivals, entertainment, peace and laurels which he brought for the Tagumenyos to be happy, he will surely be remembered as the one mayor who made a difference. Maybe, it’s only that his own leadership was not translated as an adjunct, a co equal, a continuum to Oyo as perceived by the electorate. He was not misunderstood, his critics did; Cee O was understood by the Tagumenyos in the way they gave him mandate one after another term until his present third and last term. But it’s still fair to him. He often has his dictum, he would “rather be misunderstood for doing something than be understood for doing nothing”.
It’s Cee O’s own brand of leadership that the Tagumenyos understand and want. Verily, Cee O is a 2016 tough force to reckon with.
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We still have to savor what brand of leadership can Mayor-elect Rellon show and give to Tagumenyos. He did say in my interview with him in December 2010 that the “unique leadership styles” of his three bosses- ex-Mayor, Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr, ex-Mayor and ex-Gov. Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza and Mayor Cee O- whom he had worked with influenced his own leadership style.
To him, Baby is a “stateman for good governance and transparency, a chief executive so careful and conscious to make decision especially when it comes relating with government’s money and policies. Yayong “is a down-to-earth makamasa politician, a typical one that the people like.” “And Mayor Uy “has a strong political and an output-oriented mayor who uses his powers and government resources to accomplish something even if at times he chooses an unpopular option… He’s a tough mayor”.
Then, let us see how Rellon’s mixed leadership style can make much more difference to Tagum City.
TAGS & HASHES: Congrats to newly reelected 1st District Board Member Dr. Fred De Veyra for winning as independent candidate against the well-oiled administration machinery. He’s a serious congressional contender by 2016…. That is also true to newly reelected Board Member Alan Dujali in the 2nd district of Davao del Norte as Cong. Anton Lagdameo is now entering his third and last term …. By 2016, it’s Rellon vs. Cee O vs. Baby for mayor in Tagum City, maybe, but there’s this possible Cee O-Nickel Suaybaguio tandem vs Rellon-Gementiza…. and there’s also this Anton vs. Baby vs. Cee O vs AGR for gov by 2016… In this case, there’s this Baby vs. De Veyra vs Raffy del Rosario in 1st District congressional race come far 2016…. Comval’s 2016 electoral scenario is quite complicated among LP/Uswag Comval partymates: now elected Vice Gov. Way Kurat vs. Tyron Uy vs. Cong. Bobong Amatong. And we’re in for another political guessing game. (for reactions, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or post in his Facebook timeline, Cha Monforte)
CHA MONFORTE REPORTING 