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[av_heading heading=’JUST ANOTHER DAY | Why not Joshua Alim?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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“I AM Iloilo” seems to be pretty quiet these few days, nothing interesting to write about. I guess we’re still having a hangover from Semana Santa.
Former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Mabilog is so passé that he is like “double-knit bellbottom trousers and body-fit shirts” worn with “platform shoes and white belt.”
And speaking of Jed Mabilog, did the former World Mayor No. 5 have his “way of the cross” last Semana Santa? If so, was he “scourged at the pillar” before he joined the procession carrying his cross?
Cong. Jerry Treñas is not really an interesting fellow to write about, quite boring I should say. His picture making rounds of the internet wearing combat boots and camouflage outfit playing “soldier boy” probably says a lot about him.
So why not write about Councilor Joshua Alim of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of “I Am Iloilo” City? He seems interesting.
Is Joshua Alim interesting in the first place? I’ve known him years ago when he was a reporter for Bombo Radyo and moi was the Managing Editor of the now defunct Visayan Monitor. We were both covering city hall and the capitol beats.
He was not the hyper “out to out-scoop you” so typical of the reporters of Bombo Radyo but a mild-mannered almost “Clark Kent” one which endeared him to Joji Tionco of Panay News. She had a “schoolgirl crush” on Joshua then. Hahaha, my apologies Joji.
It was the heyday days of Bombo Radyo and I supposed being associated with the radio station gave Joshua leverage and advantage over other wannabe politicians, not that he is not qualified as he is a lawyer by profession.
This leverage and advantage most probably also contributed a lot in making another colleague Arman Parcon into a member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of “I Am Iloilo “City as he also happens to be a Bombo reporter. Of course, Arman Parcon is another story; this is all about Joshua.
The fact that Joshua and Councilor Plaridel Nava are the only dissenting voices in the Sangguniang Panlungsod of “I Am Iloilo” City is interesting enough although I must say Councilor Nava has a louder and more controversial voice.
Another interesting titbit is that in what seems to be a lull in the political landscape of ‘I Am Iloilo” City both Joshua and Plaridel decided to become performers, not pole dancers or male strippers but singers.
And they were not just your usual videoke singers at “Sandpipers” but they decided to stage a real honest-to-goodness concert complete with an orchestra and costume changes with guest performers.
This led a lot of the so-called political pundits of “I Am Iloilo” City to speculate that this might be a preparation for life after politics for the dynamic duo. Now, whether that is true or not we can only speculate. I did not watch the concert as it was not the music genre I’m into, moi is more into jazz, blues and progressive rock.
Lately something came up that sort of made Joshua more interesting. Here are some excerpts from the April 12 issue of Panay News:
“The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) urged the House of Representatives to investigate Panay Electric Company (PECO), the sole electricity distributor in this city.
“The city council specifically wanted the House to take a look at the following complaints of PECO consumers:
“* unreliable meter readings
“* sudden rise in electric bills
“* arrogant employees
* unexplained charges
“‘Such conditions cause discomfort and inconvenience to consumers, in violation of PECO’s franchise,’ read part of the SP resolution calling for a congressional investigation.
“PECO is a holder of a Certificate of Public Convenience (franchise) granted by Congress to distribute electricity in Iloilo City.
“Congress should revisit PECO’s franchise, said Councilor Joshua Alim, author of the SP resolution.”
Finally, a politician with enough balls to take on a seemingly untouchable monolith lording over the electric power situation of “I Am Iloilo” City. If Joshua continues taking on issues that affect the daily lives of everyman in “I Am Iloilo” City and he does it with sincerity and not just in aid of re-election, that will endear him more to the natives and not just the pretty ladies.
If Joshua plays his political cards properly and with more than enough funding he can be anything he can be; mayor or congressman of “I Am Iloilo.”
Why he can even be the best pole dancer, male stripper or singer. So, there. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
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