Cong. Post Prestigious than Vice Gov'ship

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

During the media men’s fellowship graced by controversial Presidential Adviser and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Administrator and Secretary Raul L. Lambino held recently at Gorio’s in Dagupan City, I asked him if he has a moist eye for a congressional post in the Fourth District of Pangasinan.
He would not run, he told me, but somebody will challenge last term Representative Christopher “Toff” de Venecia in the May 2022 election.
I did not press him who will be the challenger he will be backing but somebody told me it will be his son Vice Governor Mark Lambino.
“Hmm, bata sa bata (battle of young politicians). This will be an ideal derby,” I told myself.
But another media man told me Mark will be running for reelection as tandem of Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III.

BRASS. Pangasinan Fourth District Congressman Christopher "Toff" de Venecia and Pangasinan Vice Governor  Mark Ronald Lambino.

I told him that granted the governor “who was chummy with his vice governor” allowed the tandem I still doubted the real McCoy in the provincial politics former governor Amado Espino, Jr, the father and namesake of the incumbent  provincial chief executive will give his imprimatur to accommodate Lambino who came from the opposition.

“The Espinos will commission former nine years’ term vice governor Ferdie Calimlim. He was already known as loyal supporter of the Espinos and has no governorship ambition,” I said.

If indeed Mark is bent to challenge Toff, the congressional post is more prestigious than the vice governorship where the occupant is only “suweldohan” and a spare tire in case the governor, according to the Local Government Code, “ fills a higher vacant office, refuses to assume office, fails to qualify, dies, is removed from office, voluntarily resigns, or is otherwise permanently incapacitated to discharge the functions of his office”.

According to imoney.ph the vice governor and a city mayor receive P153, 658 (Salary Grade 28), P196, 206 (Salary Grade 30) monthly, respectively.
A congressman (₱295,191 monthly, SL 31) can pocket twenty percent or P200 million of the average annual P1 billion government project or P600 million while a vice governor contends with his P5, 992,662 three years pay that includes his 13th month pay while the mayor enjoyed, sans his three years P6 million pay, with his P 126.6 million kick back in his three years stint if he has an average annual appropriation budget of P500 million.

To further appreciate these pocketing cut brouhahas please read my detailed analysis on my blog entitled: How Mayor, Guv, Solon Steal to Fund Their Election.

The financially formidable Lambino political family should know that the De Venecias (Speaker Joe, former congresswoman Manay Gina, and Congressman Toff) are no pushover. They have to prepare an uphill battle and if successful a Pyrrhic victory.
To the tricycle drivers who sauntered to read this column, a Pyrrhic victory is that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. Someone who wins a Pyrrhic victory has also taken a heavy toll that negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress. 
“Ya, it was about  King Pyrrhus of Epirus  whose army was tragically damaged in defeating the Romans at the Battles of Heraclea and the Asculum hundreds of years ago,” I told broadcaster Harold Barcelona who thought Pyrrhic has something to do with the prurient “tirik”.
Susmariosep, who was that U.S president who quipped after he won his Pyrrhic reelection? "Another victory like this and our money's gone!"

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