Am I anti-Yap, Pro-Tagel or Pro-Benguet?

I attended church today. As I held my child and put her up on my shoulder for her to have a better view of the praise and worship, it made me close my eyes and reflect for a moment. 

Am I being fair? Help me God.

I then promise to state my real intentions, for the enlightenment of our supporters, for the people of Benguet and to our 2 respected leaders. To hopefully unconfuse the already confused.

Am I Anti-Yap?

No. I do respect and acknowledge the initiative and effort of our beloved Congressman Yap for the progress of Benguet. It is not easy for a stranger to win the hearts of people. Congressman Yap did all the ways and means he deemed necessary to win the people of Benguet. I am just a simple iBenguet but may you listen to my sentiment as a Pro-Benguet towards the end of this statement.

Am I Pro-Tagel?

No. I am being political but not partisan. I have promised to be such when I established TCC. That is why we did not solicit from Politicitians for our charity works so that we will not be influenced or attached to them. My postings might in some ways favour VG Tagel’s camp but it was not my intention.

So what do I mean for being a Pro-Benguet?

I simply mean that while I strongly encourage Benguet having a leader amongst its people, I do not disrespect the appointment of Congressman Yap when our own Congressman Fongwan died. I do not discount that he won the mandate from people who voted for him when he ran for his first elected term in 2022. I do not disregard the projects and initiatives he made for the Province of Benguet the scholarships and grants he extended to the sick. I want to simply ask that he may honestly tell the people of Benguet that his time was all coincidentally favoured by the generosity of Duterte’s Build Build Build Program, with him being appointed as the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the House that helped him secure huge funding, that his terms have been compoundedly favoured by the generosity of Raffy Tulfo and ACT-CIS Partylist. May he honestly speak to people of Benguet that it is indeed be difficult for any future Benguet congressman to get the same funds and will be difficult to do what he has done. Not because of the inability of any future congressman but because their circumstances may never be the same. May he honestly speak to people of Benguet that his favoured term of office should not be used to despise past and future congressmen because there circumstances are not on the same playing field. May he speak to people of Benguet that past Congressmen also did their best to serve with the available resources at hand. This will help settle the minds of Benguet people who have the same thinking as me, a pro-Benguet.  We are normal territorial creatures who do not want to be threatened and undermined by a “stranger”. Some humans beings have that kind of trait and so with some Benguet people most especially those who have dreams of leading our own people. I hope you understand that. It is nothing against you, it is just a call of nature, of being iBenguet. May you use this opportunity, to pass your wisdom to our own aspiring leaders. I am sure that this will be a more valuable legacy of yours for Benguet people than the rocknetting projects.

So why don’t I campaign for VG Tagel to be the next Congressman?

While I strongly prefer having our leader amongst our own people of Benguet, I do not want to be a partisan and be attached to a politician. I do believe that VG Tagel have the capability to be a congressman same as Congressman Yap. May this controversy be a challenge to him and our future leaders that the people of Benguet have now seen the difference. You may not be able to surpass what Congressman Yap has done but I am sure that showing the people of Benguet your dedication and commitment to service will win their approval.

What do I want from iBenguets?

While Benguet people have seen differences of the works of Congressman Yap compared to our past congressmen, may they realise that it is unfair for them to dismiss and disregard the effort and hardwork of our own officials. They made hardwork to make Benguet as what it is today. May they realise that if it was Congressman Yap who served during the time of our previous congressmen, he might not be able to do what he has done now. 

I hope and pray, that whoever wins as Congressman of Benguet this election will do their best for the people of Benguet and not for their own political and material interest. That whoever wins will take the lead in creating a law that will establish free healthcare for all Filipinos; that cancer patients will not have to beg for their chemotherapy, kidney disease patients will not have to beg for their dialysis, that all medical and diagnostic procedures are free for all Filipinos without having to go under the mercy of Congressmen and politicians. That all allowances and funds of congressmen and senators are consolidated into one to establish a free social and health care system for Filipinos where it continues from generations to generation without the threat of being discontinued or disrupted by politicians who will win over other politicians.

That our Congressman will lead in drafting a law that will seek to educate farmers and gardeners in the proper use of pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals used in farming. This may pave a way to study the effects of fertilisers and chemicals to the health of consumers, or its relation to the notable kidney disease that have markedly increased within the population. This may also pave a way to help introduce to farmers the technologies and advances in agriculture that will minimise the use of expensive chemicals used in farming. To create an effective law that will protect the livelihood of farmers from the abuses of middle man merchants, smuggling or illegal importation of similar crops produced by Benguet farmers. To create law that will seek to provide welfare or compensation when affected by calamities.

That our Congressman will pave a way to legislate welfare of small scale miners that aims for the protection, or provide alternative for their livelihood.

Again, laws that shall provide permanent benefits to Benguet farmers and miners throughout generations, not from gimmicks of each passing administration.

Filipinos are tired already of Filipino political system where poor people are used by politicians to cling to their power. We can never move for progress if each congressmen and senators are given allowances and funding for projects of their liking. This system is very prone for corruption and abuse. It was created for micro-government among politicians.

I am aware, I am just nothing. Who am I to tell our 2 respected aspirants my thought and my words? I am just saying all this as a pro-Benguet. Iyaman to all who have understood, supported and shared the same sentiment. Likewise, dispensar to all who may I have offended. Happy Palm Sunday and Vote Wisely on May 12. God bless us all.