LOOKING UP TO A HERO. City of San Fernando Mayor and comebacking Sen. Jamby Madrigal in silent contemplation before the monument of the national hero Jose Abad Santos after laying wreath in observance of 71st anniversary of the chief justice’s martyrdom. Madrigal is a great grandniece of the Kapampangan hero.
Photo by Bong Lacson
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – “Victory is the cause.”
Thus defined Mayor Oscar “Oca” Rodriguez the driving force of his run for the third district congressional seat of Pampanga.
“Without victory, the cause is lost. All that we have struggled for, all that we have achieved in the field of good governance would lose their very meaning,” Rodriguez said at the sidelines of the observance of the 71st anniversary of the martyrdom of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos at the Heroes Hall here.
“Straight and smooth,” political observers here said of Rodriguez’s road to victory.
“Oca embodies the tuwid na daan not only because of his being with Liberal Party of President Aquino, but moreso with his advocacy of good governance,” said Jose Reyes, a retired teacher.
“With Gov. (Lilia) Pineda openly, and strongly endorsing Oca in all her public meetings, his road to victory has been paved,” he added.
Even as Rodriguez expressed “appreciation” for the endorsement of the governor, he lamented that “there were some in the party who raised it as an issue (against me).”
“As I have said again and again, the political situation in the third district is abnormal, in the sense that even those who are not with LP are supporting my bid back to Congress,” Rodriguez said.
“When we go house-to-house, what do we seek? The votes. Now, these people are giving me votes, should I decline them simply because they are not with the party?” Rodriguez furthered.
“The end of elections is victory,” Rodriguez said, “from there in turn rises service to our people.”
“I heard that the governor is endorsing me, not because she does not like the other guy, but that she believes I can help and do more in fast tracking the development of the province because of my closeness to the President and the Cabinet,” said Rodriguez.
In her campaign sorties even outside the third district, Pineda’s speeches have invariably included her endorsement of Rodriguez for his major role in “moving” the national government to release large funds for Pampanga.
Pineda credited Rodriguez for the “immediate release” of P29 million for the repair of the breached tail dike that caused widespread floodings in the towns of Minalin and Sto. Tomas and this city at the height of the southwest monsoon rains last year.
The P120-million fund needed to restore the setback levee in Cupang, Arayat was also the fruit of the intervention of Rodriguez, according to the governor.
Works on the rechanneling of the Gugu Creek – as a flood-mitigating measure coupled with the repair of the tail dike – are set to start with the approval of P560 million for the project, said Pineda, “also through the intervention of (Rodriguez).”
“What we need for a congressman is one who can help in the release of large funds. Mayor Oca Rodriguez is that congressman,” said Pineda in her campaign pitch.
