Jun Gamboa and Jesse Ortega

The conflict between City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. and UNDOC pesident Jesse Ortega is a good study in governance.

The issue is simple, is Bacolod traffic to be run by the city official, or will it be by the official of the jeepney drivers association?

It appears the city is powerless against jeepney drivers. And the reason has been Jun Gamboa, while being a good fighter like his father, has soft-pedalled. He showed weakness. He should have stood up. He was elected by the people. Ortega was not.

But the worst part was when other councilors initially appeared to have ganged up on him too. I don't know if my perception, based on radio reports, is right.

They should have stood behind Gamboa who is working to correct the transportation system in the city. If they don't, today it's Gamboa, tomorrow it will be they and the whole city officials.

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I don't blame Ortega. As UNDOC president, it is his duty to help UNDOC. If UNDOC drivers can thumb their noses at traffic enforcers, why not?

Ortega can threaten city officials with a strike or what. And some of our officials tremble at the threat by jeepney drivers.

In Metro Manila, they cannot do that to MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando when he makes rerouting plans. In Davao or in Cebu it is the city who runs the traffic.

If there is a jeepney drivers' strike every week, let us welcome that. They make it appear it hurts business, No, it hurts the drivers' pockets first. I have heard of many drivers complaining they lost their income for the day.

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But strikes are evidence of Jesse Ortega's effective leadership. And he can make it appear that jeepney drivers can make the difference in the election. Just like sidewalk vendors.

With Jesse Ortega's leadership, I believe he will make a good city councilor. Then here we expect the jeepney drivers to make him win, even top the election.

I will personally vote for Jesse Ortega as councilor. He has proven to be an effective leader. And as councilor he should head the committee on transportation. No!

People might be afraid, Ortega will make traffic enforcers, including the head of the traffic division of Bacolod police salute jeepney drivers. And they follow him.

Because his boss now is the people, the electorate of Bacolod , Ortega will make jeepney drivers follow traffic rules.

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But before Ortega becomes a councilor, Jun Gamboa must stand up and do his job. The people are behind him. I know, if he is really the son of his father, he's got enough fire in his belly and if it comes out, he surrenders to the jeepney drivers then he will lose his integrity as a fighter for the people.

I support Jun Gamboa.

I am not surprised if some of his fellow officials were reported to be surreptitiously undermining him. He has shown he's got guts. Stand up Jun for what you believe in. Leadership is only for those who deserve it.

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Meanwhile, now that Bacalaodiat is over I would like to congratulate all the organizers for a successful celebration of the Year of the Rat.

During the Year of the Roster I had chicken barbecue for dinner. In the Year of the Pig, I took lechon. In this Year of the Rat, with friends on a Mindanao tour, we had fish for dinner. What else would you want me to do? I slept early.

The Bacalaodiat strengthens further the historic ties between China and the Philippines and a tribute to the legacy in culture China brought tours.

The best in this was on the first day of the Chinese New Year, a “provincianong Intsik” Jun Lozada testified in the Senate and risked his life and all for the sake of the country.

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I don't want to go into historical details of foreigners helping their adopted country in their fight for any cause. Thomas Paine was a British helping the Americans win freedom. Many foreigners helped French revolutionaries.

In his book “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” Ernest Remingway's important character helping the Spanish rebels was an American, Robert Jordan.

And if you recall in the 50s, an American was caught fighting for the Hukbalahaps of Luis Taruc. His name was William Pomeroy. I recall that very clearly.

Many Chinese legacies have become a part of us. In history they were called the people of Hua. Hua Ming is an institution of learning and of wisdom for the Hua.

Hua Kong is the institution for health for the Hua. But now so many non-Hua go to Hua Ming to learn and gain wisdom. And many non-Hua go to Hua Kong to buy medicine for their health. And is it not that overseas Chinese are called Hua Kiao?

Don't forget “pansit” means easy meal.

One of the most often quoted words of Confucius who lived more than 500 years before Christ was “A superior man does not set his mind for or against anything. What is right, he follows.” This was also said by another Chinese scholar Lao Tzu.

Rodolfo Noel Lozada, Jr., the now famous “provincianong Intsik” is a superior man.*

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