Opp. Majority Dads Back Calasiao Mayor’s Programs

 UNLIKE THE POLARIZED LEADERS OF DAGUPAN CITY

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – Despite being dominated by majority of opposition lawmakers, the mayor of this fastest growing first class town in Pangasinan has seen all his programs passed into law by the magnanimous lawmaking body.

Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay credited his constant consultations with the six opposition lawmakers and their vice mayor after they won their mandate in the May 9, 2022 election.

MAYOR, OPP. MAJORITY DADS. Then Vice Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay (extreme right, photo) – who is the present Mayor of the thriving Calasiao town – poses with the lawmakers of the Sangguniang Bayan. Eight out of the ten members of the august body are allied with former Mayor Joseph Bauzon.

Recall the then Councilor Macanlalay and League of the Barangays President Mamilyn “Maya” Caramat won the vice mayorship and the mayorship, respectively, in the May 9, 2022 election while only two of their party mates won a seat in the lawmaking body’s Sangguniang Bayan (SB).

Just like the six councilors, the Presidents of the League of the Barangays and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation who are ex–officio members of the SB came too from the party of former mayor Joseph Bauzon. Bauzon served as two terms or six years chief executive here before the well –oil political machine of Caramat trounced him last year with a margin of 2, 105 votes. Caramat died however due to an illness last January 8, 2023.

 “Tatawagin ko sila dito lalatagan ko sila ng plano. O tapos mag-uusap sila tapos ini-invite nila ako minsan dini-discuss namin iyong sinabi ko. “Mayor, puweding bang ganito?” “Dito na lang natin gawin ilagay ganyan ganyan” o “baka puwede na e priority natin itong project na ito parang ganoon”” Mayor Macanlalay told Northern Watch Newspaper in an interview held at his office here.

The consultation by the mayor with the majority lawmakers is held regularly when the former asked their ideas.

“Hindi naman nakakasama may idea sila o sige ganoon”.

Macanlalay said that this rapport with the opposition dominated legislature started during the helm of Caramat where she gave credence to the authority of the chairmen of the committees in the SB.

“Dahil parang sa chairmanship ng bawat councilor blanket authority ang binigay niya (Caramat) sa vice mayor. Pero iyong blanket authority with respect na nag-usapusap kami”.

The 34 years old Macanlalay attributed his stint as the vice mayor when he regularly interacts with most of the 10 councilors.

“Galing ako diyan kasama ko sila doon. Noong naging vice mayor naman ako I never imposed my will to them”.

The present mayor just cited how successful the May 6 fiesta because of his collaboration with the majority lawmakers. They created a committee to make it more efficient in the entertainment of their constituents.

“Nag-usap kami kung sino gusto magsalita hindi iyong gagawa ka ng tarpaulin mo mag-isa ka lang magsasalita ka sa fiesta ikaw lang ganoon”.

He said the critical cooperation of the present crops of politicians in this 24-village burgeoning town is a far cry to the scar left by their politician parents when they undermined each other just to hold the reign of power here.

The fathers of Macanalalay and Councilor Felipe K. de Vera had been a perennial political rival and nemesis. Former mayors Roy Macanlalay and Celso de Vera had been a long reigning mayor here.

Former Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay – the older brother of the present mayor – and his father Mayor Roy had been routed out in the May 2016 and May 2019 elections by Mayor Joseph Bauzon. Bauzon’s father and Mayor Roy are first cousin.

“Siguro rin sa tingin ko dahil may malalim na sugat ang mga parents namin,” he recalled the feuds of the earlier politicians here who are the parents of the present crop of leaders.

He cited that Mayor Celso de Vera was his godfather (ninong) while he clashed and defeated in the May 9, 2023 election former vice mayor Mahadeva Das Mesina.

“Si vice mayor Mesina kalaban ko noong vice mayor noon siya, konsehal naman namin iyong kapatid niya noon. Iyon ang isang kasama namin sa partido noon”.

Unlike in the acrimonious politics of the nearby Dagupan City, the young Calasiao mayor avoids politicizing his relationship with the other party by lambasting them in public just like what Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez had done to the seven majority councilors of the city. As a result of this polarization, the coastal city had to implement this year a reenacted budget from the last year's appropriation because the budget of Fernandez was chopped off significantly from P1.3 billion to P865 million by the dominant lawmakers. The solons blamed her stubborness not to show to them all the names of her appointed job order workers and their corresponding salaries.

Macanlalay said that undermining the opposition lawmakers before the eye of the public would only prejudice the interest of his landlocked town.