“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.”
--Malcolm Forbes
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- The recent game of musical chairs in the Iloilo City Council, where several councilors allied with Mayor Jose “Joe III” Espinosa III lost major committee chairmanships, shouldn’t be considered as an earth-shaking event.
With the advent of election campaign for the May 2019 polls, the discord among Iloilo City aldermen was but natural, and, to some extent, necessary.
When two elephants are feuding their underlings will have to take sides and call for arms.
It’s a Hobson’s Choice.
When the art of political survival is at play, no one is allowed to remain as kibitzers.
This is how democracy works.
It will also dispel the widespread belief or misconception that the City Council is a rubber stamp.
When there’s insurrection in the house, that means freedom of expression and freedom of choice are alive and kicking.
Warring factions indicate diverse viewpoints on various issues, orientations, sentiments, advocacy, and affiliations.
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Whoever will argue that the stripping of important committee chairmanships from key political personalities, otherwise known as “reorganization”, wasn’t tainted with politics, tell him straight in the eyes “it’s baloney.”
Of course politics was heavily involved and the entire brouhaha had prior notices, or at least knowledge, from the major political players.
When someone insist Rep. Jerry P. Treñas and Mayor Joe III had no hand, or had nothing to do with the recent scrimmage in the City Council, let’s retort “tell it to the marines!”
In relinquishing the dimpled positions of majority floor leader and assistant majority floor leader, respectively, Councilors Eduardo Peñaredondo and R Leoni Gerochi should have nothing to worry about.
Elections are seven months away.
When election time comes, people will remember (and will decide whether to vote for them anew based on) their deeds and contributions that helped benefit their constituents, not whether they were ousted or given additional committee chairmanships.
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THE REAL McCOY. Although frequently associated with Darwinism, the phrase "survival of the fittest" was coined by Herbert Spencer, an English sociologist.
It is the process by which organisms that are less well-adapted to their environment tend to perish and better-adapted organisms tend to survive.
In political combat, only those who are fit mentally and emotional will survive.
Onion-skinned characters aspiring for public office can never survive if they win, for they will self-destruct when members of the press, the Fourth Estate, will start to scrutunize them and they begin to feel uncomfortable and, as a result, plant animosity toward the critical press deep inside their hearts.
The press and characters in public office should work hand in hand for the nation building, not as adversaries and mortal enemies.
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INCREDIBLE, AWFUL. There are more bacteria and other harmful microorganisms in the kitchen than in the toilet room, according to health authorities.
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LET’S BE WARY. A child who was sexually and emotionally abused will develop eating disorders like bulimia, minus the countervailing purging behavior, and compulsive overeating, according to David M. Dunkley, a psychiatric researcher and clinical psychologist at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.