Brian dares Michael to a debate

Vice Mayoralty bet Brian Lim

Vice Mayoralty candidate Michael Fernandez (R)
and Wife City Councilor Mabelyn

BY RUEL CAMBA

 DAGUPAN CITY – Councilor Brian Lim, candidate for vice mayor under the Nacionalista Party here, on Friday challenged his opponent to a debate “any day, any time and any place” rather than soliciting media interviews to discredit fellow candidates “with lies and deception.” Lim, who is running against former councilor Michael Fernandez (Liberal Party) in tandem with his father Mayor Benjamin Lim who is seeking re-election, suggested that the debate should be held in the Pangasinan dialect for the public to better grasp the issues. “Mas mainomay da tayon natalusan nasaray kabaleyan tayo no mansalitad tayo’dPangasinan,” he said in a recent radio interview. ( It’s easier for our people to understand us if we speak in Pangasinan dialect). It is common knowledge that Fernandez and his wife Maybelen, who is seeking re-election as councilor, have difficulty speaking the local dialect.
 The younger Lim declined to answer what he described as black propaganda hurled against the administration of his father. “Nepegkumonya say sakey ya lider o kandidato etagon lad radyo ya manderal nakapara ton kandidato.Aliwa tan yakagagawa,” he said. (A leader or a candidate should not go to radio (stations) and discredit his fellow candidates.)
Lim said that public interest will not be served if candidates engage in negativism, mudslinging and dirty tricks rather than in presenting their platforms and vision that they would pursue if given an opportunity to serve.
 “We are already mature enough to know better. We will not go down to that level (of campaigning),” he said, adding that he would rather focus on those things “yama katulonged saray kabaleyan tayo.” He wondered why it’s easy for some candidates to go to media and accuse fellow candidates with “lies and deception, bale tanggapoy ebidensiya” hoping to impress the voters and enhance their candidacy “Araratan ya kagagawa etanggapo met so epekto to edsaray kabaleyan tayo ta manisiaak ya saray taga Dagupan, they are intelligent, they can decide for themselves no anto ray nepeg dan dengel enla ot lad saray issues. ‘Kato nag tayo masyadon manre-react edsa raypanagpalik dona saray kalaban tayo’d pulitika,” he pointed out. (Those efforts bear no impact on our people, and I believe Dagupeños are intelligent, they can decide for themselves on what they follow especially about issues (that affect them). That’s why we are not inclined to react to the deceits of our political enemies.)
 Too much politics Lim said too much politics is slowing down the city’s capability to address the mounting concerns. He stressed the urgent need for the city’s leaders to work harder, even as he underscored the necessity of teamwork between the legislature and the executive department to speed up progress and development in the city.
 Lim cited previous incidents when the SangguniangPanlungsod headed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez deferred the approval of the annual budget for several months and almost derailed the operation of the city government.
“Can you imagine that because of politics we wasted from four to five months just to have a budget.
Nepeg ikalen tayo iray analiwan kagagawa. We should work together as a team so that we can address the various problems faster,” he said.

 Non-issue

 Lim considers as a non-issue the accusation hurled by their opponents that they are out to promote a political dynasty in the city. “Amin ya kandidato should be given equal rights ya ontaga myaman serbid kabaleyan da.
At the end of the day, saray ombaley so walay pakapanyari ya mapili no siopay manepegyaman serbied sikara.Kumon ta respetuen tayo tan,” he said. (All candidates should be given equal rights to serve their constituents.
 At the end of the day, the people have the power to choose who will rightfully serve them. Let’s respect that (right). Lim cited the father-and-son tandem of Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay who is seeking re-election in tandem with his father, Vice Mayor Roy Macanlalay who is also seeking re-election in Calasiao town.
He said that the Macanlalays stand a big chance of getting re-elected because of their good performance and achievements in pushing for the progress of the municipality.
 A good leader, he said, should be endowed with good character, vision for the city, and most especially political will to make decisions not for a “loud few but for the silent majority.”
Reacting to the claim of his opponent that he (Fernandez) has longer experience in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the younger Lim said he will never make such statements.

 “Ag tayo kumon man-assume, agtayo idayew so sika tayon diliya ibagan siak so manepeg yama nuley bilang vice mayor. Aliwa tan yakagagawa. Iter tayod ombaley so kanepegan ya man pili no siopay labay danman serbid sikara,” he said. (Le’ts not be presumptuous, let’s not be conceited as to say we should be the one serving as vice mayor. That’s unbecoming. Let’s give our people the right to choose who will serve them.) 

Legislative agenda 

Lim said that among his platforms is the computerization or modernization of the operations of the SangguniangPanlungsod (SP) to make the job of the city legislatures easier. He said he will institute a policy of accountability and transparency to raise public trust in the SP, particularly public awareness on the various legislative measures that are already enacted or to be legislated.
Computerization, he said, will enable the public to have easy access to all the ordinances, resolutions and other measures acted upon by the SP. “One of the top priorities is to pass legislation that will improve further the business atmosphere in our city to attract more investors and businesses that will generate more jobs and income opportunities for our people,” he said.
Lim said that even if it affects their family business, they welcome the entry of SM Megamall in Dagupan as this will create more jobs, income and economic opportunities for the city folk.