Why I Do Not Like Politicians Marching During the Panagbenga Parades

Mr Anthony de Leon, chairman of the Baguio Flower Festival going on this month in the City of Pines, issued a statement to the press recently that the Baguio folk do not like politicians joining the Grand Parades of the Panagbenga, and I lauded him for this bold statement, for what would be considered by many as “bravery” (in the Philippine setting) for expressing the true sentiments of the people, risking the possible displeasure of the powers that be.

He was of course referring to the Panagbenga Grand Parades that everyone is eagerly anticipating this February 28 and March 1, 2009.

But in case the politicians don’t get WHY their presence in the Parades leaves a bad taste in the spectators’ mouths, allow me to explain further:

The residents of the City of Pines and all the participants and all the spectators spend a lot of time, money and effort to make the Panagbenga a success. The children rehearse for months, the parents spend for the costumes and props.

There was  a time in recent history, of course, that the parades were planned for the afternoon to accommodate — guess who? — politicians despite forecasts of rain and really dark skies and the children were made to dance under the rain, with those classic words from our local government officials resonating till now, “The show must go on!”

Visitors travel 240 km from Manila (or in some cases they come from far, far away), spend on transportation, meals and lodging, WALK a kilometer or two to get to the parade route and squeeze themselves into any available space, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the best show that the City of Pines puts on year after year.

Along with the visitors, we residents walk a long ways to watch, risk our personal safety and our belongings by squeezing like sardines among other spectators, knowing full well that there may be bad elements out there taking advantage of the crowds to pick our pockets.

We suffer the sun, and sometimes the rain just to have and give everybody a good time.

POLITICIANS MERELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CROWDS THAT WE WORK SO HARD TO GATHER SO THEY CAN BE SEEN BY A LOT OF PEOPLE, WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT ON THEIR PART.

In 2004, the politicians marched down Session Road on foot, ahead of all the floats, right along with our local government officials and waved to the crowds. Jamby Madrigal rode the back of a pickup and tossed candies to the crowd.

In 2007, another election year the politicians presumably paid a fee to enter the float competition, and rode in the back of a truck, while my old friend Mike Defensor was on horseback (the horse he rode was Santiago, the tallest thoroughbred in Wright Park whom I had sold to a pony boy a few months before the parade so I know this fact and I remember). Chavit Singson threw candies to the crowd.

This is 2009 and the national campaign is a year away. I can imagine the the Presidential wannabes and those running for the Philippine Senate will be wanting to join the parade. After all, they are now all over the television ads and billboards in Manila endorsing products like brandy, detergents and other consumer goods.

But these politicians hardly go to the Panagbenga parades as spectators or as ordinary people. They have to be given special treatment and preference. On non-election years they hardly even visit Baguio City. During the Panagbenga they require special treatment and preference. Why? Because they hold public positions?

Granting for the sake of argument that they paid for a float or sponsored an event, did the politicians do this with their own money or with our taxpayer’s money? We Filipinos have this saying, “Ginigisa sa sariling mantika” (We’re being sauteed — fried, really — in our own oil). Sadly, either through ignorance or apathy, a majority of my countrymen will put up with a lot of this without protest.

The politicians’ floats are always in front (do you think they will agree to be placed in the back?), when the crowd is most eager and interested, and the energy level is high, routinely decked with flowers if just to comply. They do not sponsor floats unless they can get on top of the truck and be seen. They know that the Panagbenga has a wide national tv coverage and only wish to take advantage of this.

They only care about the Panagbenga for the exposure it will give them. Their presence is too cheeky. Their interest only smacks of opportunism.

I resent the way they have been allowed to use the Panagbenga as a part of their campaign, considering the mismanagement the Philippines has suffered under their watch all these decades, considering it is OUR money that they are free to spend on programs that will allow them to stay in power (and mismanage the country) longer.

Do these people even care about Baguio City? Because if they did, then the local government could be prevailed upon by them to do a better job of running the city, or maybe they can enact laws that seek to strengthen Philippine cultural heritage and tourism, or declare some places as heritage sites. Instead they all behave like a small old boy’s club wanting to perpetuate themselves in power forever, not caring if the Philippines is getting better or not (and, come on, we all know it is still the Sick Man of Asia) for all the lip service to economic progress and job creation.

I would be more impressed with a public official who does not fear the crowds, who is a true fan of the Panagbenga, and who is willing to ’suffer’ the way we do for the pleasure of being part of a wonderful event.

So here we are two weeks away from the Grand Parades, and despite tough economic times (not the ordinary citizen’s fault by the way) we are hoping the politicians will heed the sentiments of the people and not insist on being part of the parade –

Your face in the crowds, ok.

Your body atop a truck waving at us, distasteful!

Throwing candies to the crowd, too much of  the feudal ‘poong-maylupa-na-nagtatapon-ng-buto-sa-sakada’ drama.

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