Toti Balderian - Change We Have Seen!

In the Philippines, most people enter politics then flagrantly enrich themselves. Too, some rich folks enter politics to protect their interests or, worse, to make even more money the easy way. Every now and then, a few who made money the old fashion way (They earned it!), enter politics and serve their constituency in the most effective and sincere manner of public service.

I know of such a person. His name is Dr. Rustico Balderian, Mayor of Tabontabon, Leyte. He also goes by his nickname Rusty or Toti. He is not all talk, he walks the talk.

He is both an optometrist and a physician by profession, a very successful businessman by perseverance. He was elected mayor of Tabontabon in May 2007, defeating the incumbent whose family had ruled this 5th class municipality for over 50 years.

Mayor Balderian did not get to where he is by happenstance.

Here’s an excerpt of his inspiring life story (1). After graduating from high school he went to Manila and worked his way through college, taking odd jobs as a factory worker, cigarette and balut vendor, and driver so as to achieve his dream of a good education. By 1975 he became an optometrist and in 1981 he completed his Doctor of Medicine from Manila Central University. He first ventured into the world of business in 1977 as a chicken broiler contract grower.

In 1983 he migrated to the United States to try his luck in the land of milk and honey. He was first hired as a truck driver in Los Angeles, promoted to store cashier and eventually as store manager making a measly $6 an hour.

He left his job sometime in 1984 and with $1,000 in savings started his own landscaping business. At the same time, he was working as a physician assistant in a medical clinic. The following year Dr. Balderian and his wife, a medical technologist, opened a medical laboratory in Los Angeles, a pharmacy in 1993, and a mobile X-ray company in 1996. In the year 2000, they opened the Ryan Imaging Center also in Los Angeles. During all this time, he was also busy in the Philippines, opening a diagnostic center in Tacloban City in 1990 and the Ryan Anthony Hospital in Cainta, Rizal, in 1995.

So what does a man do with all these successes? Give it back by paying forward!

In 2003 Dr. Balderian opened a nursing school in his hometown of Tabontabon, Leyte. Colegio de Sta. Lourdes of Leyte Foundation, Inc. first offered a four-year nursing degree, a medical transcriptionist course and a computer course. Later on it added an entrepreneurial course to teach young folks how to run a business. Colegio de Sta. Lourdes is not an ordinary school. All students are on full scholarship. Yes, everything is free including tuition, laboratory equipment, school supplies, dormitory and uniform! But the concept is not an indolent dole out.

Prospective students may come from any of the towns in the provinces of Region 8 (Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar), not just from the town of Tabontabon, Leyte. Applicants whose parents’ annual income does not exceed 80,000 pesos qualify by passing an entrance examination. Students must maintain an average grade of 2.0 with no grade below 2.5 in a semester.

Add quality instructors to this body of bright and highly motivated students, you get a sure formula for excellence. It’s not surprising then that in 2009 Colegio de Sta. Lourdes made it to the distinguished list of the Top 20 Nursing Schools in the Philippines(2) with a passing rate of 88.55%. Not bad for a newly minted school in rural Tabontabon, Leyte, being grouped with the likes of University of the Philippines-Manila and University of the East Ramon Magsaysay (UERM) Memorial Medical Center.

The only thing that Dr. Balderian asks of the nursing students, as a condition for their scholarship, is that they send $1,000.00 a month to their parents for three consecutive years once they find employment abroad. He knows that these remittances will help drive the local economy.

Young folks interested in becoming entrepreneurs may apply to take the entrepreneurial course by presenting and defending a project before a committee. If they pass, Dr. Balderian finances the project with the students as industrial partners. But there’s a catch. After graduation the student must set up his or her own business instead of seeking employment.

Since becoming mayor of Tabontabon, Dr. Balderian has been successful in promoting environment and livelihood projects in Tabontabon. They have built 3 prototypes of bamboo cars that run on coconut biofuel. They also built bioreactors for use in the town’s solid waste management, including production of organic fertilizers. Others towns have bought their solid waste management equipment. Too, under Mayor Balderian’s leadership, the town has initiated livelihood projects such as making slippers, bags and bricks out of plastic waste and mushroom growing. Mayor Balderian did all these programs within the first couple of years of his term of office. Imagine…

Imagine if all these things he has done for the residents of Tabontabon, he will do for other towns. Well, it’s closer to reality than you think. He is running for the congressional seat of the 2nd district of Leyte. It could be an uphill battle since he’s running against the husband of the incumbent congresswoman, who between husband and wife has represented the 2nd district for the last 18 years.

I am convinced that after 18 years the people of the second district are ready for change. But not the kind of change that is merely promised, rather change that we’ve seen someone actually deliver. And Mayor Balderian has been there, done that, implementing change in the municipality of Tabontabon through his principal advocacy in education and livelihood programs.

However, the winds of change may not blow fairly for Dr. Balderian. He is running against a politically and financially well-entrenched veteran politician. But with the help of people who believe in him and what he has done, he has a good chance of winning.

Most overseas Filipinos may not have the means nor the aspiration to do what Dr. Balderian and other trailblazers did. But we can stand up and be counted by supporting people like Dr. Balderian. What can people abroad do to help? Well, you can buy votes for him without taking any money from your pockets. Let the money you send to family and relatives speak for your conviction. Tell your family and ask friends and relatives to vote for Toti Balderian for congressman. If other candidates try to buy their votes, tell them to take the money but vote for change. Vote for Toti Balderian. We all know what most of these traditional politicians who buy votes do once they are in office. Toti Balderian is not a traditional politician.

If you are in Facebook, become a fan of LOVE Balderian for Congress. Yes, love means never having to say you’re sorry. But here, LOVE means Leyteńos Overseas Vote to Elect Balderian for Congress.

Personally, I do not know Dr. Balderian. I have not met him nor spoken to him in person. We have exchanged one email correspondence that I initiated. I just know of him from what I’ve heard and read, of the good things he has done, both as a human being and as mayor of Tabontabon. And based on what I know, I can look my granddaughter in the eyes and say, Simone, there is a man by the name of Rustico Balderian who will never steal from anyone.

I’d like to share with you an interesting experience Dr. Balderian had while making the rounds of the barangays of Barugo. He said he enjoyed going around Barugo especially crossing the bridge to Barangay Balud from Barangay Minuhang (Baluarte Bridge). “I thought I could cross the foot bridge but after the third plank my legs wobbled because of the unsteady and narrow wooden plank. I had to go back and use a banca to cross the river. I told the barangay officials in Balud that I will never forget that wooden bridge. Deep inside me I wanted to tell them that I will make sure to fix that bridge once I get elected. But I did not say it because they might think that I was making a promise just to get their votes. I will just have to do it in case I get lucky,” says the very humble and unassuming businessman, doctor and mayor. Your typical, traditional politician would have quickly made that promise! But, as I said, Dr. Balderian is not a traditional politician.

He does not promise. He delivers!

And oh, I almost forgot to mention one other thing. There is another bridge you have to cross, Dr. Balderian. It has narrower, unsteady wooden planks and is more difficult to cross than the Baluarte Bridge. It is the bridge that will take you from Tabontabon to Congress.

But don’t you worry much. A lot of people believe in you and will help you cross that bridge.
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Notes:
(1)“Doc shares blessings with Leyte youth” – Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 8, 2008
(2)Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) 2009 Board Exam Results, Top 20 Nursing Schools 2009 in the Philippines with 100 – 999 exam takers

Enough Already!

Dear Marlene,

I’m not going to judge you as a mother and on your unconditional love for your son. But please stop it, Marlene, because you’re beginning to look like a nut case, at best. At worst, you’re making Kris Aquino look timid.

If you don’t want trial by publicity, then stop it. Your son is innocent until proven guilty, I agree. So let the wheels of justice grind. Let the courts decide.

You’ve managed to fool some people before your son allegedly shot the hapless Mr. Ebarle, Jr. But let us set the record straight. Gabriela Silang, Teodora Alonzo or Melchora Aquino you are not. Forgive me, Mr. Napoleon Abueva, you’re wrong on this one. Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis, I admire you no end as a woman, mother, entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist but Marlene got you fooled. You said, “The woman is a live wire.” I say, “She may have some loose wires.”

All I know for sure is this. Someone was shot and killed in cold blood because of road rage. Your son is the prime suspect. He fled. You plead on national TV for him to surrender (with a qualified “if you’re guilty”). Twice the authorities went to your house; twice you denied knowing his whereabouts. You also told them that you received an email from him claiming he was in Hawaii. The third and last time they paid a visit, he was found in a secret hiding place inside your house and shot it out with NBI operatives. Fortunately, no one was killed. You professed your unconditional love and that no matter what he did you love him with all your heart and soul, or words to that effect. I understand. You would even take a bullet for him, you said. I say, why did you not? During the shootout, I saw you crawl and run instead, as the footage will bear out.

And you have been hogging the limelight with your posturing and your unbelievably wild conspiracy theories.

In the meantime, another mother is quietly grieving the untimely loss of her only son. She has avoided the glare of publicity with much poise and dignity. (Note: you might want to take this as a teachable moment.) But we can feel her undying and well-deserved unconditional love for her son. Well deserved I say because Renato Ebarle, Jr. probably got some tough love along the way. Did Jason?

Let it play out in court, Marlene, not in the media as if you're promoting yourself and your book. You’ve been hounded by the U.S. Government because of what you wrote in your book, so you claim. And Jason is being framed up as a way of getting back at you. Wow! Well, make sure that his lawyer asks Your Honor to mark it as defense Exhibit G, J or KK. (Sorry, but Sergio Apostol is running for Congress and therefor not available.)

About your book, Warriors of Heaven, is that the one you published yourself? Was it because no respectable publisher would take it? And how many copies did it sell? I’m just curious as to why, whatever it is you wrote, it would be a threat to the U.S. Government, and more importantly, how many read what you wrote.

Lately, you came up with this harebrained concoction of a tale insinuating that your "British bodyguard" is the real gunman. Good plot for your next book maybe but will not likely get your son off the hook. The truth of the matter is, from day one, you have been trying so hard to put the blame on everyone. Everyone except your son. Enough already!

And then you want the U.S. Embassy to take custody of Jason, and protect him as a (U.S.) citizen and soldier who served in Iraq. Last time I checked, the U.S. Embassy in Manila is part and parcel of the U.S. Government. So, Marlene, you want the same folks trying to frame him, for a murder you say he did not commit, to protect him? Hmmm…

Sometimes I think you’re milking the situation for your own media exposure. One of us is sick. Could it be me for thinking it, or could it be you for doing it?

At ang tanong,

“Nanay, ba’t ka nagkaganyan?”

At ang iyong mga mata'y minsan lumuha

Ng iyong pinipilit

'Di ka nagsisisi kahit pa

Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali.

I know the title of this very popular song by Freddie is “Anak.” (1)

Without permission, I’d like to change the title to “Nanay.” Sing it again, Marlene!

Sincerely,

Jesse

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Notes:

(1) The original lyrics of the Freddie Aguilar song "Anak" quoted above goes like this:

At ang tanong,

“Anak, ba’t ka nagkaganyan?”

At ang iyong mga mata'y biglang lumuha

Ng 'di mo napapansin

Nagsisisi at sa isip mo'y

Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali.

Freddie Aguilar, renowed Filipino singer and composer, is the brother of Marlene Aguilar-Pollard.

But For The Tact of Kris!

Jesse Cabanacan

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted during the last week of December 2009 still shows Sen. Noynoy Aquino leading while Sen. Manny Villar, gaining some ground, remains at a not-too-distant second. Aquino was chosen by 44 percent of the respondents, Villar jumped from 27 percent to 33 percent while former President Estrada is still a distant third at 15 percent.

Two candidates who by all accounts with respect to experience, integrity and capability should be elected the next president, namely, former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Sen. Richard Gordon, are at the negligible numbers of 5 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively.

That is the funny part, actually, because as in every Philippine presidential election of late the joke is on us.

So let’s have enough of the funny stuff and focus more on the serious side of things. Allow me, therefore, to dissect the national political landscape the better to reveal the gross anatomy of the 2010 presidential elections.

I have always believed, along with millions of others, that Noynoy Aquino was catapulted to his candidacy because of Tita Cory and/or her death. Likewise, I also believe that if and when he wins and becomes the next President of the Philippines it will be because of his parents’ legacy. (Forgive me if I sound like Dick Gordon or C-5 at taga Manny Villar.)

My wife endlessly teases me of following showbiz news religiously. Well, guilty as charged! Unbeknownst to her, however, is the reason I do. While it appears my interest is in showbiz events and happenings, the real focus is politics. You see, it’s a little known secret in the Philippines that showbiz has a strong influence on politics. Trust me, showbiz events will determine who the next President will be.

As Noynoy is likely to win because of Tita Cory, he will lose the race because of Kris. All in the family, isn’t it? I’ve been sure about this since the day Noynoy declared he would run for President but kept it to myself fearing no one would believe. I would have kept my peace until the latest showbiz cum political development came upon us courtesy of the man of a few words, Mr. James Yap. He, who is much better known as the husband of Kris Aquino and who happens to be a basketball star as well.

Apparently, Kris showed up at the gate of the house of a female fan of her husband in swanky Valle Verde and confronted fan and fan’s mother about female fan incessantly calling Kris’ husband. Kris denies making a scene or throwing invectives at fan and mother.

The fan’s family has opted to remain silent over the incident. Of course, Kris will not be Kris if she does not relate her own version. This, according to Kris, as reported today (January 15, 2009) in the Manila dailies:

“In my 25 years of being in the public eye, nobody can ever say that it is in my nature na magmura or gumawa ng iskandalo. I didn’t shout or create a commotion.”

(Note to self: About a decade ago when Kris bared soul and all, including “tulo,” to Karina Sanchez and the rest of the Filipino people about her relationship then with Joey Marquez, true, she was just in tears but wasn’t shouting. And her revelation on national TV of a sexually transmitted disease I suppose did not ignite a national commotion over someone’s leaky faucet. Nothing scandalous about the whole thing.)

She goes on. “Mrs. Austria (mother of female fan of James) graciously came to their gate and we had a peaceful conversation.” She said she was “very polite” when she expressed her “discomfort about (female fan’s) actuations” towards her husband.

(Question to self: Have you seen Kris on TV talk condescendingly to people she absolutely has no reason to be mad at?)

“Mrs. Austria said it was all just a misunderstanding. I told her, ‘I’m sorry to be disturbing you, but I just had to come here. It makes me uncomfortable that your daughter is calling my husband,’” Kris Aquino said.

(Note to self: Refer to “Question to self” above.)

“At this time, (female fan) came out. She said James called her up to tell her that I’m on my way, and to just say sorry to me. She said, ‘I don’t know why I should. I’ve done nothing wrong.’”

(Note to self: If someone, whom you know is calling your spouse for romantic reasons, tells you something like this, remember to be as polite and peaceful as Kris when you confront that person.)

Aquino added: “I told her, ‘As a wife I’m telling you that it’s wrong. Why do you have to cry to my husband about your boyfriend leaving you when the guy is not even a friend of James’?’ I said to the mom, ‘Thank you. I hope your daughter would stop calling James,’ and then I left.”

(Note to self: Of course the written word is bereft of any discernible emotional content. So one can only assume that had one witnessed this particular incident, the softest tone of voice and utter politeness in its delivery would have been observed.)

“I told James that when we were still having problems, I didn’t cry about my problems to another guy, more so to a married guy. I said I would talk with her kasi hindi maganda ang ginagawa. Maybe she thought I only exist on TV,” says Kris.

(Note to Kris: Talk to James instead. Note to James: Ignore her calls.)

Kris says that, like her, any wife would do anything to salvage her marriage. “With my experience while I was still pregnant with Baby James (her second son, with Yap), mas gugustuhin ko nang malaman ang totoo for myself. I don’t want to be the last to know.”

(Note to Kris: You go girl! But don’t go ghetto like Elin Woods who smashed Tiger’s face and SUV with a golf club. Anyway, unlike Tiger’s professional implement, the basketball is less effective in inflecting harm to pretty face and causing damage to property.)

So what’s the political topography at this point?

Well, Kris is quite offended that this incident is being used to attack her brother politically, something that is really a “domestic issue that does not even involve him directly.”

See now what I mean about showbiz and politics being intrinsically linked?

Meanwhile, an uncle of female fan refused to comment on the incident when asked, except to say: “I now know who I will not vote for.” Well, that’s only one vote. Except that his name is Gabby Lopez, though not the same Gabby Lopez who is Chairman and CEO of Kris Aquino’s home channel ABS-CBN. But Gabby Lopez anyway, who could hold sway over the votes of millions of Kapamilya. Didn’t I say all in the family?

(Sad note to self: Kris said she will no longer comment on the issue based on the advice of her sisters and brother, Noynoy. If things would have been totally up to Kris, things would continue to be interesting. But don’t hold your breath as yet. If Kris will be Kris, comment she will further.)

Most people don’t realize how certain little incidents that on the surface appear unrelated to a tangential outcome, like this “confrontation at the gate”, have dominant roles in the concealed drama of much bigger things, in this particular case, the next President of the Republic of the Philippines.

If you don’t agree, I’ll let you in on a little secret that I’ve held for a couple of decades. You’d be surprised to find out what really triggered EDSA I. It’s not what you think it is. I’ll give you a few hints: Binondo Central Bank, Fabian Ver, Roberto Ongpin and Edna Camcam.

But that is for another time and space.

All In A Day

Jesse Cabanacan

Only two weeks into the New Year and within a span of a day we find attention-grabbing headlines that likely validate our blight of “living in interesting times.”(1) That day, January 13, 2010, could be a portent of things to come for the rest of the year. There were four events heralded that day in our beloved Philippines that could affect most aspects of our lives.

Mental health of government workers. Apparently, a survey commissioned by the Department of Health and conducted in 2007 shows that about a third (30%) of government workers has mental health problems. Why this was revealed only now, I don’t know. Probably they assumed this was common knowledge, so no rush therefore to reveal the results. The most common mental disorder was depression and anxiety disorder, this according to the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA).

My question is, were they mental cases prior to being hired by government or did they suffer the disorder as a result of their jobs?

“We think that people are just normal, but they are actually harboring mental health problems,” said a certain Dr. Edgardo Tolentino Jr. of the PPA.

Perhaps this explains some of the things they do!

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Supreme Courts restrains COMELEC regarding Ang Ladlad. As most of you know, Ang Ladlad is a gay and lesbian organization seeking accreditation from the Commission on Elections as a party-list organization to run in the coming May 2010 elections. The COMELEC denied accreditation based on its conclusion that the group was “espousing doctrines contrary to public morals.” In short, our highly educated and morally upright election commissioners equated homosexuality to immorality.

Since when has the COMELEC been the arbiter of morality? And when will these smart folks come out of the Dark Ages? The smartest of them all declared matter-of-factly that gays cannot be considered marginalized since there are already many homosexuals in Congress. To which I say let’s have a head count!

But let’s go along with the COMELEC’s logic. Homosexuality is immoral. Immorality disqualifies someone from running for public office. Therefore, Ang Ladlad cannot be accredited to run and be voted as a party-list organization in the May 2010 elections. Hello! So how many corrupt and womanizing incumbent candidates for congressman, governor and mayor have the COMELEC disqualified based on immorality? And didn’t they approve the certificate of candidacy of one self-confessed polygamous former president?

Actually, this could be explained. Please refer to survey finding on government workers.

Naturally, Ang Ladlad appealed to the Supreme Court which restrained the COMELEC from implementing its decision to deny accreditation and ordered it to include the name of the group in the ballot printing. It doesn’t mean though that Ang Ladlad can now run as a party-list group. The Supreme Court has yet to decide on that. But it’s comforting to know that, at least for now and for this particular issue, most members of the highest court seem to be within the 70% group of sane government employees.

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One in 4 Filipino families hungry. Unrelated to the aforementioned survey that revealed the insanity of a significant number of government workers, a recent poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that 24% of Filipino families said they are hungry. That’s 4.4 million hungry families. Well, this is proof positive that the Philippines is a rich country pretending to be poor, again.

If you disagree, just look at the profligacy of the Ampatuans, with their stable of armored black Suburbans and their reprehensively numerous mansions. Such ostentatious display leads one to believe there is an abundance of oil in Maguindanao. (And with an army and police at their beck and call, they can annihilate 60 defenseless souls at a snap of a finger!)

Add to that the incredibly huge amounts (yes, in mind-boggling millions of dollars) that high-profile Filipino politicians bet at every Manny Pacquiao fight. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so says the city’s tagline. If my mother and all of her 87 years only knew, she would in all humility ask, “Where to get?”

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Marriage Contract Expiration Date. Another aspiring party-list organization, the feminist 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso or 1-ABAA is advocating in its political platform an expiration date on the marriage contract. Probably an idea copied from a glamorous German politician by the name of Gabrielle Pauli, the group is proposing that a marriage contract, just like a driver’s license or passport, should expire after a pre-determined date, in this case the group is pushing for 10 years. At expiration date, the couple will have the option to either extend or renew the marriage or do nothing and just let it expire. Wow!

I may be a little slow at times but I ain’t stupid. I, therefore, have no opinion on this issue whatsoever, except to say that I love my wife dearly and will never let that love expire.

Interesting that the group’s president, a certain Margie Tajon, when asked if she is or has been married, replied in the negative and added that her marital status was somehow irrelevant to the issue at hand.

And the ever vocal Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, an expert in Canon Law and Chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal (I didn’t know such a thing was in existence), dismisses the proposal as “some kind of desperate approach to right a wrong by something wrong.”

Two separate positions each at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum. And from persons who have neither been there nor done that!

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Note:
(1) “May you live in interesting times” is supposedly the English translation of a Chinese proverb and curse.