THE NUMBER 4 is doomed as an unlucky number in Chinese culture. Not so much for the figure’s sharply pointed angles as for its homophony with the word “death” in Chinese. Mandarin or Cantonese, I can’t distinguish.
Long infused with, aye, inured in most things Chinese, from firecrackers to pancit, from ampao to siopao, from Confucius to Mao, we have incorporated even these beliefs – superstitions included – into Filipino life.
See how we go overboard with the celebration of the lunar New Year and our obsession with feng shui.
It comes then as a surprise that Number 4 has now become the magic number in the contest for seats in the Angeles City council.
It was by choice – rather than the absence of it – that Cong. Tarzan Lazatin, put up only four candidates in his council slate – incumbent Atty. Brian Matthew Nepomuceno, veteran journalist and once city-mayor-by-succession Max Sangil, Atty. Nino Enriquez, and the Cong’s hijo Pogi Lazatin.
A storied gamer-of-chance, Cong Tarzan surely sees something there that our usual politico is totally blind to.
At the other end of the party line, there is the PAMI-tastic 4 of incumbents Pamintuan, Edu; Aguas, Jericho; Morales, Maricel; and Indiongco, Alex.
Since bonding themselves into a single bloc right after triumphing in 2010, this quartet has maintained a high-profile presence all around the city with their posters championing just about any and all cause worthy of publicising – from drug-busting to waste management, women’s welfare to child protection and environmental conservation.
Team Lazatin versus PAMI-static 4.
Quick to seize the opportunity when they glimpse one, streetcorner bookies have started calling bets – an even P100 for P100 at this time, but expected to go ‘lo-dyes, even doblado as the campaign progresses.
So whom to play your money on?
Beauty? Go PAMI-static 4 with Mutya crownholder Marang and Isabel Granada – ubiquitous with husband Jericho.
Experience? Team Lazatin with councilor, vice mayor, mayor, government board director Max, hands down.
Legislation? Dead even. The council incumbency of PAMI-tastic 4 shared with Bryan, and Max’s own council tenure.
Know-how? Team Lazatin with Attorneys Bryan and Nino, at least in matters of law, we presume.
Energy? PAMI-tastic has the edge. They are covering more grounds, at the moment. From what we have been hearing, and the facebook posts we are receiving. Think 100 pictures here uploaded per Partido Abe Kapampangan bingo or oath-taking event at the rate of four – there goes the number again – per week.
PR and approachability? Pogi, singly!
Mass appeal? PAMI-tastic with their resident artistas always a hit with the masa. Team Lazatin not far behind though with all those birthday parties they attend in the sitios.
Not too easy, really to bet at this time. The actual campaign period – for local candidates – to start in more than a month yet. And a lot of things can, and will, happen. Like party intramurals, otherwise known as junking.
Here, Cong Tarzan’s wisdom of putting up only four candidates comes to the fore. Only four for ten slots.
The chances of crab mentality seeping in are greatly minimized. The voters are left with more of their own personal choices other than the four being presented to them: “Sampu naman po ang iboboto ninyo, apat lang po ang ipinapakiusap ko.” In gambling culture, the four slots could well be “balato.”
On the other hand, the PAMI-tastic 4’s high-profile run can cause cracks in the Partido ABE council slate, with the remaining six other candidates feeling reduced to second-stringers.
There, junking will most surely obtain.
Anyways, cuatro por cuatro, how have they fared in the surveys?
PAMI-tastic 4 all in: Jericho at Numero Uno with 86 percent; Edu and Alex sharing third-fourth with 63 percent, and Marang, fifth at 60 percent.
Team Lazatin with Bryan at second with 76 percent; Pogi sixth with 55 percent and Max in a tie with former councilor Ares Yabut at tenth with 47 percent.
That was in November yet, but I feel the certainty that all of them are still there in the Magic 10, with only their placements slightly, if even, altered.
Wanna bet?
