Challenges face mayors

Today newly-elected and re-elected public officials officially start their work for the next three years.

We will not go far. For cities and municipalities near Bacolod, we have re-elected mayors in Bacolod, Talisay, and Murcia. And also we have newly elected mayors in Silay, Bago, and Pulupandan. We welcome the reelected mayors, Bacolod's Bing Leonardia, Talisay's Eric Saratan, and Murcia's Sonny Coscolluela.

And also the newly elected mayors, Silay's Oti Montelibano, Bago's Monet Torres, and Pulupandan's Magsie Peña. Leonardia, Saratan, and Coscolluela have been good performers, the main reason why they were re-elected. But they should not be complacent. They must improve on their past records. Or they will be replaced.

Montelibano, Torres, and Peña are new. They must be better than their predecessors or out they also go. I am confident they will perform. They are capable of meeting the challenges.

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Last Friday I was at the inauguration of Mayor Coscolluela in Murcia. This afternoon I will be at Bing's inauguration. Bing will be joined this afternoon by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao who will fly soon to the U.S. for his training in a $5-million fight.

Bing carries a new record into his new term. He got the highest votes in Bacolod's election history of 109,000 plus, more than twice the votes of his nearest rival, ex-Mayor Joy Valdez. And one of the three mayors to ever win re-election, the first two being Ramon Guanzon and Alfredo Montelibano Jr.

He is also building the government center which has been the dream of every mayor the last 40 years, and established a business friendly city that brought in many investors.

Of course, Congressman Monico Puentevella is doing his best too to bring benefits to the city. The last election proved performance is the best ticket to reelection. The next three years will see a contest of performance.

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But talking of new mayors, let me concentrate on Mayor Magsie Peña. He faces the biggest challenge. The Pulupandan port was the only port we had until it deteriorated after the War, driving shipping companies away caused by abusive porters belonging to a powerful labor union.

And the town which was one of the most progressive towns before and immediately after the War, turned out to be a ghost town later. Goods were shipped to Iloilo, then transshipped to Bacolod that cost more to the businessmen.

Negros Navigation was forced to put up a costly wharf jutting out into the sea to allow big ships to dock. And Sammy Palanca reclaimed Bacolod's foreshore areas, also at a big cost, seeing no possibility of Pulupandan not being able to bring back its old glory.

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And here comes Magsie Peña believed to be strong, brave, and with a political will. Many have their hopes Magsie can bring back the old glory of Pulupandan if he wants to.

He has all the reasons. Practically the biggest portion of residential areas in Pulupandan poblacion is owned by the Montillas on the maternal side of Peña. If Pulupandan progresses, his family will benefit.

We hope Magsie puts personal revenge aside and unites the people for the good of Pulupandan. If only he can follow South Africa's Nelson Mandela who was jailed for 28 years. But on winning the presidency, he pardoned all his persecutors and jailers and worked to unite his people. He became a world hero with his Nobel Peace Prize.

Or Sandinista rebel Tomas Borge who, after he was tortured on orders of Nicaragua President Anastacio Somoza and his wife gangraped by the soldiers, poet-writer Tomas Borge wrote a poem on his personal revenge which were to give the students their rights both in school and in the gardens, that his personal revenge was to have a street without beggars and no homeless…

When Mayor Peña does all these, he will come out a bigger hero, not only for Pulupandan but also for Negros Occidental. The chance to be a hero does not come to all easily.

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We were in Pandanon Valley Resort yesterday with the officials of Sunshine Channel led by Marianing Tuvilla and staff and also with the Council of Past Presidents of Negros Press Club.

We have been impressed by the growing popularity of PVR, the best place to unwind on weekends. I like the presence of wild monkeys.

Mrs. Geordella Espino Bernardino, daughter of Alex, who runs the resort told me, the monkeys one time grabbed the bananas of her guests and ran up to the trees. When the guests pointed angry accusing fingers at the monkeys, one elderly monkey threw back a banana to atone for their act.

It shows monkeys are not greedy. They have the graciousness to return, even just only a part, of what they have stolen.*

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