DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – Most people from different walks of life coming from various parts of the province prefer a new brand of leaders who will be able to steadily elevate the status of one of the largest provinces into greater heights.
A local businessman from this city claimed that the next leader of the province should be a firm decision-maker, an anti-corruption advocate and has the heart for the poor so that social services will be able to reach the grassroots level unlike what is currently happening where priorities are for public affairs and not health, agriculture and livelihood.
For a 5-year old farmer leader from Alaminos City, the next leader of Pangasinan must have the love for agriculture even though he does not trace his roots from the province but has the heart to serve in the interest of growth and development and not to be served.
A 60-year old vendor from San Carlos City claimed it is high time that old names in Pangasinan politics should already be replaced by new ones because they were not able to fulfil their promise of economic development that will improve their lives, saying that they are already tired of promises and what people want know are leaders who are able to walk the talk.
“The motto that people from Pangasinan should adopt now is kunin ang pera, iboto ang korsonada. Vote buying is rampant in the province that is why leaders are being induced to corruption, thus, the need for the electorate to change the leaders to new ones with much better image compared to them,” A 49-year old tricycle driver from Mangatarem said.
A fisherfolk leader from San Fabian cited that nothing improved to their living condition for over a decade now amidst the promises of incumbent leaders for improved lives of the people, thus, it is best for the people to try a new brand of leaders who can deliver as what they had been doing during the past several terms in their own district.
Another businessman from Urdaneta City believes that the present administration in Pangasinan already amassed enough money for their families but the overall development of the province is still not felt by the people, thus, it is better for the electorate to try tested and top calibre leaders who have the concrete vision to develop the province and who has the will to utilize the province’s resources to uplift the living condition of the people.
A retired government employee from Asingan claimed nothing significantly changed in the province for over a decade now, thus, passing on the leadership to a member of their family would not mean good for the province because it would be another term of suffering, misuse of resources among others that would again deprive the people of better living condition, thus, it is high time for the people to wake up and bravely vote for a principled leader who was able to prove himself in his own district and now wants to serve the whole province.
An ordinary mechanic from Alcala believes the issue whether or not a leader is a true-bloodied Pangasinan is not important in the selection of a future leader of Pangasinan because even if a leader is a son of the province but he had not been doing well when given a chance to serve, then he should not be given another chance to do so or pass his throne to a family member because the province will surely suffer the consequences of their being non-performing officials.
Most of those interviewed were one in saying that it is high time to give the province a breather from poor leaders and people must elect tried and proven leaders who could elevate the status of the province in the future. By Dexter A. See
