'Abang' and the week that was

THE INQUIRER editorial on San Fernando Mayor Sabas "Abang" Mabulo's bid against Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo, Jr. dominated last week's airwaves as well as the front and opinion pages of local papers.

For all indication, Mabulo's longshot candidacy is tapping into a powerful emotional wellspring that defies conventional thinking: whether it is powerful enough to overturn the wishes of Camarines Sur's political gods, all the way to Malacañang, remains to be seen.

For instance, Johnny Escandor's piece that appeared in today's issue of the Inquirer already came out in page 2 of Bicol Mail (again, still unavailable online); but the editors decided to put in the front page Atty. Stephen Sergio's piece entitled "Mayor Mabulo: A Don Quixote or a David against Goliath?"

Sergio started by quoting the Inquirer editorial, especially the three compelling reasons why Dato should not run unopposed, and added a fourth:

Dato Arroyo, and this has never been publicly denied, came to enrol at the Ateneo de Naga because he was "kicked in" from the Ateneo de Manila: that is to say, he did not meet the requisite academic standards there so he was given a chance to enroll in other Ateneo schools.

Sergio ended by pointing out Bikol's tradition of going against the grain when the occasion demands: together with Cavite, it is the only province that Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo won against Manuel L. Quezon; Juan Triviño's giant-killing ways against then incumbent Gov. Jose del Gallego and President Quirino's LP machinery; only to get a dose of his own medicine when he, and the NP machinery that he built as incumbent, was upset by the much-maligned Apolonio Maleniza onboard his solitary honky-tonk jeep; and when Camarines Sur gave Cory Aquino the biggest majority proportionwise during the 1986 snap polls.

He ended with this (prophetic?) gem:

Even now I can hear the battlecry: "Get the cash, but vote Sabas." Or in the language of the long-suffering Bicolano masses of the first district: An cuarta sa bulsa, an voto ki Mabulo."

Expectedly, the Bicol Mail editorial endorsed Abang, not only as the better choice but "as true defender of participative democracy and the people's right of suffrage that we Bicolanos must nurture." Retired judge Fronying Maristela said Abang is more than equal to the task of representing the first district in Congress. Bikol Reporter's op-ed says: "Dapat gabos may kalaban" (there must always be an opponent) under a democratic system and hails Abang for his principled politics.

Bicol Mail also bannered Supreme Court's decision to void the Comelec ruling unseating incumbent Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal in favor of losing bet Michael Imperial, paving the way for a return bout in that city by Mayon. Saint John Hospital is in trouble after its medical director resigned, the latest among a rash of resignations that hit the medical institution.

Vox Bikol says the region will get a total of P8 billion in calamity fund, which will be exempted from the election ban. Its editorial worries it will end up as calamitous "discretionary funds" that will aid in the reelection of incumbent officials.

In the punditocracy, Bicol Mail's Sandy Vargas writes from his own experience with, and rues political patronage thumping meritocracy at the Camarines Sur State Agricultural College, causing demoralization and division of ranks. Vox Bikol's Bernadette Gavino-Gumba focuses on Masbate in what promises to be her own series on poverty in the Bikol provinces. Bikol Blogger Rizaldy Manrique recounts a successful poetry-reading session at University of Nueva Caceres called "Ratsada 2007: Sarong Hapon nin Rawit-Dawit" -- featuring translated classics as well as original Bikolano pieces by the best bards of Bikolandia. Abdon Balde, Jr. meanwhile writes a naughty poem about a fighting cock that has seen better days.

In bloglandia, Gibbs Cadiz takes on Bill Shimizu's EDSA recollection, and launches into the first part of his "yellow fever" affliction. Bill, on the other hand, traces a poignant love story that explains why he is "Made in Japan." Part 3 of of Dave Oliva's not-really-Ragnarok Fantasia is already up. Irvin Sto. Tomas compares the ongoing Senate race and Season 2 of the Pinoy Big Brother and finds both to be wanting. Kristian Cordero's new poems here and here shows why he is Bikol's leading poet today. And Donald Bercasio recounts a most interesting encounter with historian Danilo Gerona.