PA-RAM-PA-PAM-PAM. Ram-pa-pam-pam. Ram-pa-pam-pam.
The little drummer boy of Gov. Eddie T.Panlilio is at it again. Drumbeating – what else – and trumpeting too for his idol.
Elitist Ateneo de Manila’s Harvey Keh of the exclusivist Kaya Natin! clique had a letter in the Philippine Daily Inquirer titled “Filipinos can do an Obama.” It read in part thus:
“Many Filipinos have begun to lose hope in finding that leader but I think that we have our own little Obamas in our country today such as the likes of Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City and Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela, Gov. Eddie Panlilio of Pampanga, Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija and Gov. Teddy Baguilat, Jr. of Ifugao.
These local government leaders have defied the odds in their respective areas to win against well-entrenched political dynasties.
“Obama was not entirely correct when he said it is only in the United States of America where someone can defy the odds and win.”
“Little Obamas.” I don’t know about all the other political personalities Keh trumpeted about but I do know that Panlilio is NO Obama, little or whatever else. Still – in the spirit of Desiderata, not the least of which is that part about the intellectually challenged having their stories to tell – let us indulge Keh’s fancy.
Comparisons are always odious. That is never truer than to compare the Pampanga Governor to the US President-elect. No, not simply odious. But most odious.
Obama won over what’s-his-name McCain by a landslide. Panlilio won by the length of his nose in a tripartite contest. In a one-on-one, Governor Panlilio would not have come to be.
“Change” was the operative word in the Obama campaign. So Panlilio’s “Good governance” campaign blurb was in a way a call to change too, from the perceptively corrupt system at the capitol. So the similarity merits some common identity?
The US presidential campaign may have been heated, inflamed may be the better word there. But after the elections, Obama reached out to his rival, soothing him with the finest, kindest words. Panlilio – till this time – continues to demonize his political foes.
Obama, for all his audacity, is known to be collegial, to seek out and listen to counsel.
Panlilio is all…well, Dabu?
So, while Obama is still all promise, Panlilio is already promise undelivered.
Obama’s supporters are as yet coagulating around him. Panlilio has been drained of his.
Now, why am I being serious. Let me get back to being fanciful, like Keh.
A dry dream. Keh hailed Panlilio as “Little Obama.” Obversely, we make Obama a “Little Panlilio.” What shall the United States of America have?
“Yours is only a caretaker government” letter to George W.
A request for a “blanket authority” from the US Capitol to enter into any deed of donation, memorandum of agreement, and some such contracts.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign donations trimmed to less than five million in the official report.
Declaring as illegal the use of the Washington Mall as “freedom park” where any issue, even those against the sitting administration, can be articulated.
Unleashing the National Guard to bodily remove protesting former supporters.
Madame Lolita Hizon in Ophra Winfrey crying “I am sorry” for campaigning – and spending millions – for the President
An Atty. Vivian Dabu at the White House. The American people would readily forgive, nay, would even adore Bill Clinton for Monica Lewinsky.
God have mercy on America! God have pity on Harvey!
