YOUTH EMPOWERMENT for a New Generation. Simply, YENG.
Not quite simply the core of the campaign for the first congressional district of Pampanga of the term-ending Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao: the premium on Yeng’s youth – as against the septuagenarian incumbent, Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin; the premium on the youth – being the bulk of the electorate.
It is for that reason that Magalang former Mayor Pastor Guiao is being (has been?) dissuaded from running anew.
How will the electorate take on Yeng harping and carping on his opponent’s advanced age when onstage with him is his own senior, senior citizen?
So said Yeng’s strategist, Art Punsalan, engineer both of Yeng’s political victories and the efficiency of collection in the sand quarries.
More than fifty percent chance of beating Tarzan, to be most conservative, said Art of Yeng’s odds in a one-on-one contest.
This prognosis again predicated on youth voting for its own, eschewing the older, much, much older generation.
A viewpoint heartily shared by the politically astute Zaldy Ampatuan of the local media. Notwithstanding Tarzan’s win against the very young Jepoy Nepomuceno in 2007 and Tarzan’s romp in the park against the still-young Ares Yabut in 2010.
No, Yeng is neither Yabut nor Nepomuceno. Not by a long shot.
Even as he has the political pedigree – like Nepomuceno, granted – Yeng has carved a niche of his own, having waged his battles largely on his own, be it on the basketball court or in elections.
Zaldy A insists Yeng will give Tarzan a run for his money – and his machinery, in a one-on-one.
But no one-on-one in the first district seems to be in the offing, with the former congressman, the former city mayor Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno entering the ring.
Can work either way, says Zaldy A unperturbed.
Blueboy may have seen better chances of winning in the district – where he always won, rather than in the city where – as incumbent – he miserably lost to Atty. Edgardo Pamintuan by some 35,000 votes.
No way for Blueboy to win in a rematch with EdPam. Not with the spectacular way the latter has transformed Angeles City. So Zaldy A prejudged Mister Blue.
Yeng’s entry into the fray would break Tarzan’s once solid hold in Magalang. With his base of support in Angeles, plus the inroads he made in Mabalacat in his three terms as representative, Blueboy saw the odds stacked to his favour.
On the other hand, voters in the first district are halved into pro-Tarzan and anti-Tarzan. Were this a pie, the anti-Tarzan slice will have to be further halved between Blueboy and Yeng, leaving the bigger, much bigger share to the incumbent.
Now, that would redound to Tarzan having his cake and eating it too.
So at this early you’re already consigning Yeng to the dustbin of political history?
Not by a long shot, Zaldy A retorts. As they say in Yeng’s world: Bilog ang bola.
Everyone has a chance to win, no matter the odds.
Yeah, that augurs exceedingly well for my candidate in the first district – the never-say-die, never-say-never, Chito Bacani.
