by: Rufo-Tigs Tidalgo
"Many other lonely battles ensued in the council and by sheer
tyranny in numbers, the adversaries always got the upper hand."
Lawrence Fortun
August 5, 2009
Majority rule is not always right. This democratic instrument supposedly for
equitable fairness is often thwarted into a conspiracy to profit for self gain.
It is the vulnerable weakness in the system that is too difficult to correct
when abused.
It can be manipulated quite easily by merely a small group of people that are
in cahoots to pre-arranged intention. It is common in small governing councils
where members are in the pocket of the big boss upstairs. This is the usual
result of tainted electoral process where votes are tendered to highest bid.
Nothing is perfect and obviously this procedure is not. The painful part is the
thought that we have no choice but to abide. We are aware that to eliminate it
creates a situation much worst than what it already implied. It fuels
autocratism where tyrants and despots reign in its place. History is full of it
and we are not that far away to look back to what has been.
This method however is not entirely flawed. It is still acceptably viable when
elected officials are seriously on the ball towards the well being of people.
The question is that in actuality, we hardly can find one who is fundamentally
serious enough to do the right thing.
In our local city council where the opposition has only one true member, the
whole minority is a single solitary voice deemed only as annoyance. It commands
neither authority nor courtesy to be listened regardless. It is indeed a lonely
road. To be ostracized from peers is hard enough to take. Some made it to the
council before but decided not to re-elect. It is an exclusive fun club on
people of the same stripe and hell to bear on those that are not. The oddball
has no place to roam. Majority rule becomes a vicious political instrument to
control and dictate. It's a nasty game in city hall where opposition is a
disease to keep away from.
In a dynasty, power is only handed down to bloodline. It is not wise to
relinquish command completely to anyone. It may have dire consequences on
wrongdoings from previous administration. This leaves no option for successor
to lose election. It is survival by itself that to grab the edge of the sword
to remain powerful is consequently understandable.
Lawrence Fortun, like his father before is facing surmountable odds. His vision
for goodness will not see the light of day by standing alone. It is a waste of
effort in a place where shout of incorrectness hardly finds an ear. A lone
candlelight of thoughtfulness can not illuminate the darkness on pretended
ignorance. The sound of wilful silence on matters that affects health and
welfare to citizenry is deafening for it ignores at will the lives and
wellbeing of people.
Mayapay dream is pitiably ruined and HB 3037 adds insult to injury. Taguibo is
poisoning the drinking water and many more woes and worries that Saguniang
Panglunsod fails to react. Butuan City Council needs overhaul. It is
ineffective for most members are somehow acting as programmed automatons owned
by high influence. It has to change or better...be changed.
But it's easier said than done. The "how to" is not easy to come by as lawful
avenue on this matter is already corrupted. It's difficult but not impossible.
Consider the fact that P200 won against P500 during the last city election.
Voters defied traditional logic. It happened because electorates maybe were
getting smarter that money alone was not the only factor to think about. This
could be a peculiar start to a new redeeming attitude worth exploring.
Lawrence should take the lead. He has to look for allies from credible
prospects that are in congruency with his thinking. He has to unify the
opposition and field a slate of dedicated individuals. The council is the
policy and law making body. It is in here where changes are made.
He should stay away and apart from the battle of political titans. What they
have is a diabolical contest as to who could spit the farthest. Public service
is a far distant thought. Let them fight and hopefully from it would eventually
weary them down. There's no point choosing between the corrupt and the crooked.
Lawrence is a breath of fresh air; a new alternative with a promise of hope.
Decades did come to pass and all was the same. There's no need to tell the
story. We know it all. Maybe, this time around, a poor guy from left field with
a bag-full of ideas could bring us what we need. Yes, a neophyte he is, but
remember that it was from the mouth of babe where people knew that the emperor
wore no clothes.
What is there to lose?
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