Highway to Happy

The other day, I read from a news paper that politics in Pampanga was almost in chaos. Mayors did not want to cooperate with their governor and they were planning to file an ordinance that would restrict him from participating in certain provincial matters.

This afternoon, I found myself signing up to witness a forum, and the speaker was no less than Gov. Ed Panlilio- the governor I was earlier referring to.

Last elections, I certainly prayed for his victory. As a matter of fact, I cared more about what was happening in Pampanga than in my own town. His entrance in the political arena was definitely a Cinderella story. He started penniless, with just good intentions and high hopes. Not long after, people started sending donations for his campaign and everyone in his team was mere volunteers. He was running against 2 political giants, and I was so proud that the PampangeÑos finally wanted to end the dirty politics going on in their place.

Fr. Ed Panlilio won and he, temporarily, left his parish to serve in a more challenging world and make more thorny decisions. He, then, became Gov. Ed Panlilio.

Just recently, Gov. Panlilio made an alarming revelation. He confessed that somebody gave his secretary a paper bag with a whopping P500, 000 in cold cash. What would happen next, who would also stand up to tell the truth, we would later read in the papers.

I behaved in my seat and listened to his speech that lasted for nearly an hour. Honestly, there were certain parts when I wasn’t really paying attention to his words. My mind wandered off somewhere, and I couldn’t help but realize:

Our country is in dire need of a handful of politicians like him. Not necessarily as soft- spoken, not necessarily priests, but leaders who possess integrity and moral values.

Our country, in the same weight, needs its entire citizenry to follow his footsteps. Not necessarily become priests, not necessarily run for office, but live with integrity and moral values.

Gov. Ed Panlilio posted a challenge, not just to the present and future politicians, but to each and every one of us. Whenever we point a finger at someone, the other four point to us. So let us stop passing on the balme to others. Let’s start accepting our responsibilities and begin the change in ourselves.

# posted by Liana : 8:34 PM