ANGEL THOUGHTS

“The Eleventh Commandment – Value Yourself. The only people who appreciate a doormat are those with dirty shoes! What you learn about yourself will help you to understand others. You are at the center of all your relationships; therefore, you are responsible for your self-esteem, growth, happiness, and fulfillment. You must live as if you are alone and treat others as God’s gifts to you.”

– Dolly Nazareno

It’s the birthday of healer priest Fr. Fernando Suarez today. Let us pray for him, Fr. Jeff Shannon, their healing ministry, and the Companions of the Cross priests who will be based here in the country.

Fr. Suarez will celebrate mass at Monte Maria in Batangas City at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow, and this is open to everyone. It is also Mama Mary’s day today, being a First Saturday, and the traveling statue of Our Lady of Fatima is in Lipa.

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Now, on the other horizon…can we depend on our local officials to provide good governance, transparency, and honesty?

Three examples of excellence at the local government level who were our guests at the Bulong Pulungan at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza showed us that good things are indeed going on under our noses! They were Governor Daisy Fuentes of South Cotobato, Fr. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, and Mayor Freddie Tinga of Taguig City, representing programs that have gained measurable, positive results, empowered its people, and enhanced service delivery. They are three of the ten winners of the prestigious "Galing Pook" awards for 2008 who will be honored in ceremonies at the Malacañang Palace by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 13.

The other awardees as acclaimed by a distinguished board of judges led by Prof. Solita Monsod are Barangay Sanito in Ipil, Zamboanga; Marikina City; Quezon City; San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; and San Fernando City in Pampanga.

Daisy, Freddie, and Ed barely knew one another before our forum, but by the end of our session, they were very comfortable with each other, sharing inputs, strategies, and promises to help where they could and keep in touch.

"Galing Pook" began as a joint initiative of the DILG, the Ford Foundation, and other advocates of good governance from civil society and the academe. Later, a foundation was formed to administer and sustain the awards program. It has been promoting excellence in local governance by citing the best practices and helps in holding up the winners for national recognition and hopefully replication by other LGUs.

All three awardees are "first-timers" in the awards and shared their pride in being chosen to be recognized for their programs. More than the modest cash prize of P 100,000, the three local leaders said they would be more inspired to do their best in their jobs.

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The lone lady awardee in the group at the Bulong Pulungan was petite and gutsy Daisy P. Avance Fuentes of South Cotobato. Her province got the judges’ nod for the successful Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA), which united two governors, from South and North Cotobato, supported by some 20 barangays, several NGOs, civil groups, two mining companies, and four agricultural cooperatives.

The program of the alliance took four years of strategizing, studying, planning, mapping out, and finally getting technical expertise and the people’s cooperation in addressing the urgent problems of flooding in the Allah Valley. Man and nature had nearly destroyed its river systems, and while the rivers irrigated the agricultural lands in the valley, it also brought about massive floods. But now, thanks to the AVLDA, there has been true re-forestration along the river banks to prevent erosion, improve water flow, and minimize siltation. In short, it is hugely successful and certainly sustainable in the long run.

Now, who is Gov. Daisy and how did she accomplish this excellent feat of bringing together the major stakeholders and solving a major headache without much national government help?

Daisy is a law graduate of the Central Philippine University and is married to a farmer, Wilfedo C. Fuentes, with whom she has two sons, Vince and Carl.

"We’re simple people," she declared happily.

She was drafted into politics while practicing her profession by then Gov. Sueno, and she served with distinction when she ran for a seat and won in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Later, she handily won the congressional seat for the second district despite her veteran opponents and served three terms, and was the vice chair of the Committee on Justice in the 9th Congress.

Daisy also has the distinction of being the only lady Deputy Speaker of the House from 1998 to 2001. She has been speaker in international seminars on violence against women and in Harvard on Leaders in Development. She is now the chair of the Center for Legislative Development and Mindanao legislators Association. As governor, she is finishing her third term, focusing on infrastructure development, peace and order (except for the AFP and the PNP, no one is allowed to bear arms in South Cotobato), and streamlining the bureaucracy. Daisy is deceptively simple in appearance and manner of dressing because she is one tough local executive, knows her political A to Zs, and uses the powers of her office firmly for the benefit of her constituents.

She is undaunted by big personalities who might run in her district, confident as she is about her performance to withstand any scrutiny. Although she could use more assistance from the national government, she has done a lot using her own provincial resources.

Daisy has received and survived the slings and arrows from political foes, especially the "big ones," and so commiserated with Gov. Panlilio who is facing a recall election initiated by a known illegal numbers lord in Pampanga.

"Give the new guys a break and time to do their jobs," she declared, referring to Panlilio and Tinga. They will perform very well with the people’s support."

(Tuesday: Mayor Freddie Tinga)