NO to NEPOTISM: Not Related to this HIZON

As far as the members of Lola Sally's Clan know,
we're not related to JOEY,
the HIZON who dreams of becoming Mayor of Manila.



"ANG TINIK SA LALAMUNAN NI ATIENZA"

The Congressman of the 5th District (Malate area)
has spread his "flyer" wings
and has landed his campaign collaterals
in my 3rd District (Sta. Cruz/Binondo).

Joey Hizon shocked ManiLA when he surprisingly beat
the Mayor's son, Kim Atienza,
in the 5th district race
during the 2004 Elections.

Having reached the 3-term limit for the Lower House,
Hizon now has his moist eyes set on Atienza the elder's seat.


Alright, well and good.

I understand that there is a sincere desire to serve here.

Joey Hizon, after all,
is beloved by the citizens of the 5th District,
according to my driver Lino Bocalino,
a resident of San Andres.

Having reached the constitution's self-regulating limit,
he now wants to expand his service
for the whole city of Manila.




"SEXUAL CONGRESS"

What pisses me off is that
out-of-the-blue,
pictures of Mrs. Hizon,
with bleached brown hair and kabuki white make-up,
are now plastered all over the 5th District.

What the hell?

She's now supposed to "inherit"
her husband's seat in Congress?

On what grounds?

Osmosis???




"REFLECTIONS"

With all due respect to my friend Kim,
and to his father, Lito Atienza of Manila,

I can't fathom why,
in similar fashion,
ALI Atienza's picture is plastered all over Manila.

You'd be hard-pressed to pass a couple of city blocks
without seeing Ali's smiling face.


Alright, well and good.

I understand that there is a sincere desire to serve here.


But I can't help feeling that
Ali, albeit with the best of intentions,
is being rammed down our collective throats.

I'm guessing that 95% of Manila had never heard of him
before we started seeing his floral-shirted image,

a practical mirror image of his dad's,
blossom all over Manila around six months ago.

In a few weeks,
he will finally, formally announce his candidacy.




"WHY FIX IT WHEN IT AIN'T BROKE?"

Article 2, Section 26 of the Constitution provides:
“The State shall guarantee equal access
to opportunities for public service,
and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

It's been 20 years and counting,
and the "defining law" has yet to be defined,
and most likely never will be,

given that almost everyone in both the Lower & Upper Houses
of Congress are related to a previous occupant of their seat.



The only way to avoid NEPOTISM?

Just lift the damn term limits.

Give the people who they want.

Not substitutes,
Not replacements.

Not wives,
Not sons.


I'm pretty confident that Mayor Lito,
just like Mayor Jojo Binay of Makati,
would make pretty good poster boys
for the case supporting this argument,

as most of their constituents
would gladly have them as "MAYORS FOR LIFE".


I know
I would.