Among Bacolod’s Sanggunian aspirants, re-electionist Archie Baribar definitely deserves reelection. He would have run for a higher position, but unfortunately, the realities of politics did not will it so. Nevertheless, with his reelection, Archie Baribar will continue to invest the Sanggunian, not only with his unyielding integrity, but his brilliant legislative mind.
An opposition-inclined person, he is expected to scrutinize every proposed legislation with the same erudition he had displayed in the past and will not countenance any attempt to steal the people blind. He was virtually the lone voice in an effort to mitigate the graft and corruption under Leonardia’s administration, and whether Thaddy and Monico win City Hall, Archie’s voice will remain the way it was, loud and indignant over attempts to raid the city’s treasury. I have no doubt the people of Bacolod appreciates that and send Archie back to the halls of the Sanggunian. El Cid Familiaran has shown a tendency to straddle the fence, but aside from that, he is a hardworking and competent councilor deserving of the electorate’s renewed trust. And he need not spend millions this time to win like he did the last time. Despite its being the administration, the Liberal Party has not yet recovered from its moribund state since Martial Law. Mar Roxas sadly lacks the commanding leadership of his grandfather, President Manuel Roxas and his father, the late Sen. Gerry Roxas. Gerry, faced with the challenge of the late Benigno Aquino for the aborted presidential election of 1973, simply quipped: “I am not president of the Liberal Party for nothing.” Now, another Aquino wags Mar Roxas’ tail. Gerry Roxas would have raised hell if that were done to him. Like father, unlike son. The dominant Nacionalista Party then, under the incumbent president Sergio Osmeña, Sr., did not deter Manuel Roxas from establishing the Liberal Party and sweeping the elections of 1947. It is unfortunate that death overtook him in his early years in Malacañang, but he left a strong political party until 1953, when then, President Quirino with obvious American intervention who favored Pres. Ramon Magsaysay. The Liberal Party was particularly strong in Negros and even after Magsaysay, rebounding to power with Diosdado Macapagal in 1961. But even out of power decades ago, the Liberal Party in Negros Occidental remained strong due mainly to the financial support of J. Amado Araneta, who owned three sugar mills here. J. Amado was Mar Roxas’ grandfather in his mother’s side. A businessman, in fact one of the biggest in the country, J. Amado Araneta was never anyone’s running dog. Sen. Gerry Roxas continued to lead the Liberal, winning a majority in the Senatorial elections of 1969, until Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. Today, the Liberal Party in Negros Occidental cannot even be described as a decent shell of what it was once. On the provincial level, it does not exist at all, except for the conflicting claims of the Pueys that they are the surviving leaders of the party. In Bacolod City, they have a slate composed of newly minted Liberals, most of them virtual unknowns, it seems they have simply been picked up from the streets. Only one or two with a chance of winning are incumbent councilors who have broken away from Monico Puentevella. In any case, they are also comfortably situated in Palanca’s ticket headed by Renecito Novero. They are more publicly known as the Magnificent Seven rather than as members of a Liberal Party slate. Although magnificence is a word inapplicable to them. This laughable state of the Liberal Party should be placed squarely on the shoulders of Mar Roxas. While inheritor of a glorious name, he has practically wasted away their heritage. His political leadership is anemic, and no proof can be better than that is the state of his party in Negros Occidental. Mar Roxas’ leadership is not only weak but ambivalent, like the character he presents to the nation. No wonder he lost to Jejomar Binay, who critics say looks like a half-Negrito. But Binay has iron in his bones. He defied Marcos. He grew up and fought on the streets of Makati, while Roxas has never fought a single decent battle in his life. Therein lies the difference. BY:ELY DE LOS SANTOS WATCHMEN DAILY JOURNAL
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