TULAD ng aming entertainment editor dito sa BANDERA (Ervin Santiago), we trace our roots to police beat. That was some time in 1986 shortly after Tita Cory Aquino assumed Presidency.
To this day, we haven’t lost touch with our peers. Kung may pagkakataon din lang, we’d get bonded like old times reliving bygone memories.
Over the week ay nagdiwang ng anibersaryo ang press corps na kinabilangan namin dati, then called Pasay City Reporters’ Association (PCRA) led by now-businessman Angelo Lanuza of Daily Express, a pro-Marcos broadsheet.
ROPC na ngayon ang pangalan ng grupo sa ilalim ng panunungkulan ng aming kaeskuwela sa high school na si James Catapusan (now of Remate), a former seaman whose late father was a columnist of Manila Bulletin.
Our invitation to the event, preceded by a semi-grand reunion held at a Korean resto weeks back, was the current president’s way of saying that despite all these years (at sa kabila rin ng pagkandili sa amin ng mundo ng showbiz) ay bahagi pa rin kami ng kanilang organisasyon.
Held fronting the press office at the lobby of the Pasay City Hall, it was an indoor party: simple yet intimate.
Sa naturang get-together namin nakilala ang dati ring active member ng grupo, si Jun Alano (who held a key editorial post pala, Ervin, sa BANDERA under the old management) who’s now with the Office of the Parañaque City Mayor.
Jun came just as when we left the police beat. Second skin nang maituturing ang kanyang journalistic leanings, definitely a man who knew what he was talking about.
Over booze (Jun is a brandy drinker) ay naitanong namin sa kanya ang pinakamalapit na kunek any showbiz reporter would likely ask since gamay niya ang galaw sa munisipyo (na dati rin naming iniikutan).
Nasa ikalawang termino na ngayon bilang Konsehal si Vandolph, who has one term left before he decides to run for a higher elective post. Naging two-term councilor din pala sa bayan nila sa Batangas si Jun, and that made him the perfect guy to answer our queries.
Unang tanong. Ano ang chances ni Vandolph na ganap na matapos ang kanyang three straight terms as an alderman?
Follow-up question: is there a likelihood na tumakbo sa pagka-Vice Mayor si Vandolph? Here’s what we got for random answers.
Ani Jun, as in any elections naman, generally ay talagang mahalaga ang name recall, “It’s not really what you’re capable of doing unless may napatunayan ka na that your constituents clearly see.”
Sa madaling salita, pangalan pa lang daw ni Vandolph ay malaking bentahe na most especially born to the late Comedy King Dolphy and Alma Moreno, “Pero wala siyang masasabing impressive accomplishments as Councilor.”
Given this as a premise, mukhang may tulog si Vandolph kung balakin man niyang tumakbo sa mas mataas na puwesto. Name recall din daw ang dahilan kung bakit nanalong barangay chairwoman ang misis niya, si Jenny.
Let this not discourage Vandolph from chasing a bigger political dream. Pero dapat magsilbi itong panggising sa kanya to get his act together, tutal ay nanga-ngalahati pa lang siya sa kanyang second term.
At best, Vandolph perhaps should strive to jump out of that name-recall edge thing and focus on his track record.