If elected, I would…

Now that the election results are out, there are laments, disappointments, cheers and merrymaking, congratulations and maybe, blaming and regrets among the followers of candidates who made it and who did not as early as when the votes were canvassed and transmitted, some may already have sensed losing or winning. They would have begun composing their acceptance speeches or conceding with a forced smile and seeming sportsmanship, or protesting if they were not yet convinced they had lost.

Last week, I randomly spoke with leaders of youth groups, senior citizens, women, farmers, workers on the fringes of poverty, teachers, a doctor, employees, and students about what they want the elected officials to do. More than half of the Bicol population is under 30 years old. I approached some of them with an important question: If you were the elected leader of your province, what would you do? 

Among these public officials, the governor is by far the most powerful. Governors are chief executives of their state, compared to a congressman who is merely one of 435 in a legislative body. The governor has the most significant Influence, power, and authority. Is it a coincidence, short of a miracle, that a most shocking win happened in a Bicol province?  An academic, former SUC president, and UP alumnus – a neophyte -  won over dynastic politics that have long reigned in the province.

Sad to say, all six provinces in Bicol—Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Catanduanes—vie for the poorest and most backward, not for the wealthiest and most advanced. The PSA counts them among the country’s most inadequate and/or poorest provinces. According to the Pulse Asia survey in September 2024, job creation and livelihood generation were the focus before the elections. It’s about time for that to CHANGE.

So, if I were governor, I would do the following for my province in Bicol:

Admitting the painful truth that our province has been grappling with poverty and underdevelopment for decades, I would make CHANGE my top priority. Within 30 days of taking office, I would convene with my team to craft a comprehensive development plan. This plan, rooted in a pro-poor and green approach, would be our roadmap to addressing the pressing issues of poverty, underdevelopment, and climate change. Such a plan, with clear directives and timelines, would instill a sense of reassurance and optimism in our community.  

I would utilize the HEAL - Health, Environment for Alternative Livelihood program by the Tabang Bikol Movement to guide its strategic planning and development, which emphasizes that people require good health and a clean environment to promote well-being and become productive workers. The use of plastics, a continuing disastrous practice, must be prohibited, and innovative indigenous packaging must be implemented. Health and Environment to promote wellbeing, the mental health of children and families

Draw up the strategic direction, slogan, and theme: AGRICULTURE, especially FOOD and INDUSTRY; Industrialize, solarize, modernize. Mass housing is not just subdivisions on properly planned land, but also not converted haphazardly from agricultural use. Call for a provincial summit to ensure a comprehensive green development plan guided by experts and green advocates, with 15 key points of attention to address climate change, environmental sustainability, corruption, government accountability, unemployment, and job creation, which will support the development of SEs, MSMEs, and vulnerable communities, propelling every town and every barangay to move forward.

No new buildings and infrastructure shall be built without a Green Go and all required compliances. Under-the-table deals are a No-No and subject to stiff penalties.

Sustainable social enterprises, MSMES, are the key economic drivers and will receive unrestricted support for growth and development. Regular consultations and conferences, as well as meetings with line agencies, NGOs, and sectoral business groups from the civil society sector, will be held alongside social enterprises, encompassing OTOP, manufacturing, and agriculture. Science and technology are required partners, not just for the invitation.

Invite and collaborate with reputable investors to pour financial, technological, and material resources into solving the recurring floods in all disaster-prone communities in my province. I will ensure that, under my watch, no resident of my province will go homeless or suffer from flooded homes and communities because I did not take this matter seriously. Focus on scientific research, encouraging companies to create R&D centers in the province for tourism, business, liveable communities, green zones with friendly parks and spaces for PWDs, families, women, and children. Emphasize the importance of education, science, and technology, founded on the rich culture of Bicol, to foster skills for work and home, ensuring safety at home, in schools, the workplace, and the community at large. Digitize and solarize SEs, MSMEs, and schools wholly and gradually—a digital revolution from the very nerve center of government. We cannot discuss smart cities, ease of business, or even governance reform without high electricity costs and waste.

Inventory of the government workforce, streamlining functions, and budget strategic planning through participatory budgeting and planning. No one should be left behind—including those who did not vote for me—in planning and implementation; that is not only a slogan but real talk. Volunteerism is a virtue; all must be allowed to participate in development and foster peace and growth, without name-tagging and bias. Have anti-flood legislation that allocates a budget to anti-flood measures, and get each LGU’s commitment to contribute yearly to this project.  A Comprehensive solution should be cemented into a law. Providing free access to education requires prioritizing graduation for elementary and high school students, and financial planning is essential at all government levels for good governance and bureaucratic efficiency.  

Security and safety against crime and idleness are essential. Compassion, fairness, and equality must be the cornerstones of a justice system. What the province was not, it will be tomorrow. Gradually, step by step, within my first three-year term of office, there will be visible signs of change in my province: all roads in my province going and coming to our communites must be accessible and well paved; access to water is a target achieved in two years, well planned drainage are top priorities, for people to feel safe and secured, breathing fresh air- educating for the future are focusing on wellbeing, and the things that matter, like how to strengthen positive relationships.

Nepo (nepotism) politics is a Jurassic mindset. Foster more political participation from all, especially the youth, based on merit, not inheritance and wealth. Mga Kamag-anak should be loved, but not placed conveniently in government. It is a position of public trust, not personal. Politics should be considered a profession of public service.

But I am NOT the governor. Will the elected governors, mayors, and senators deliver? If they listen, this can be a guide and reference. The overarching need and demand today is not just for form, but for a change in the quality of life.