BATAOIL FOR GOVERNOR ?

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Broadcasters Ruel Camba and Jerry Cambay (who are long been suspected to be half-brother because they are dead ringer who have almost similar surnames too) asked me to join them last Thursday at DWPR as they interviewed Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil (2^nd District, Pangasinan).

Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Pangasinan) strike a
pose with broadcasters Gerry Cambay and Ruel Camba
when he guested recently at DWPR in Dagupan City.

I asked the solon the consequences in case the hated pork barrel would be totally excised from the congressmen and senators.

ME (Me was my Chinese name when I was a tot in China): Sir, alam naman natin na ang mga congressmen at senador ay ang nag i-identify sa mga projects through lump sum fund. With the brouhaha against the PDAF (priority development assistance fund or pork barrel) iyong pag bigay ng lump sum sa mga congressmen gagawin na na line items. Pag ganoon po, hindi ba delikado iyon kasi mga congressmen hindi na nila ipapasa ang mga bills na gusto ng Malacanang dahil tinangalan na sila ng power to identify projects of their whims? Pag ganoon po, baka to the extent impeach nila si Presidente (Benigno Aquino III). What's your take on my observations, congressman?

CONGRESSMAN BATAOIL: Ha, ha, ha advance talaga ang isip mo Mortz. Believe ako sa iyo. 

ME: Malikot lang ang isip ko sir.

 CONGRESSMAN: Itong kaibigan natin he thinks way way way ahead (chuckle).

Bataoil elaborated that all these hullabaloo and uproar on the pork are part of the things Filipinos as a nation has to go through.

“Good point, the people are deeply involved and have attested their desire for change,” he stressed.

He said he is one of those solons who attentively listen to the wishes of the Filipinos for change.

He explained that in the bill for the 2014 General Appropriation Act (GAA) that all allocations anchored to the “pork” or PDAF have been deleted.

He explained that it was even cited on a specific provision of the proposed GAA 2014.

“So what we have to do now? We’ll maximize our oversight functions. Oversight na responsibility namin? Monitor the implementation of these projects on the GAA. For that matter all other projects which will be implemented by implementing agencies iyan ay commitment ko as your congressman,” he stressed.

When asked if he would run as governor of the 44-town 4 -city humongous province in 2016:

 He said presently he is preoccupied and focus on his work at his congressional district to give the best he can for his constituents.

“If we are really meant (for the governorship) doors will be opened. (That post) is God’s greater destiny,” he said.

POLITICAL EQUATIONS: A political spectator said that in 2016 in case Bataoil throws his hat for the gubernatorial derby the political and governmental landscapes there would be the following: 

Either Rep. Kimi Cojuangco (5^th District, Pangasinan), Rep. Conrad Estrella (Abono Party), Vice Governor Ferdinand Calimlim, or "Provincial Liga ng Barangay President"  Amado "Pogi" Espino III join the gubernatorial fray. Exiting governor Amado T. Espino runs in the 4^th Congressional District by challenging the “hegemony” of the de Venecias in exciting congressional tussles since Ali fought Foreman, er, since former Dagupan City Mayor Benjie S. Lim challenged former Speaker Jose de Venecia in 2007. Espino versus either Gina or Jose de Venecia would dichotomize  the loyalty of the five mayors in the district. The spectator further said that in 2016 former Alaminos City mayor Hernani Braganza returns in the political firmament as cabinet secretary in lieu of Secretary Mar Roxas who would throw his hat for the presidency or settles as undersecretary, and 2^nd District Engineering Office Elpidio "Pidiong" Paragas of the Department of Public Works and Highway would be the regional director of the Department of Public Works & Highway while media men RJ Jimenez, Atong Remogat, Harold Barcelona,  and Ronel de Vera would no longer frequent Lingayen, Pangasinan but spend most of their media hours in San Fernando City, La Union brainstorming how to solve the problems of the world.

Have I miss somebody on these political equations in 2016? Post your message in the here-under box of my blog. 

 (You can read my selected thought-provoking columns athttp://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com. and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)