ILOILO City – His pag-ulikid (care) for fellow Antiqueños is what drives Atty. Abdiel Dan Elijah Santillan Fajardo to enter politics.
In an interview over DYFM Bombo Radyo-Iloilo on Thursday, Fajardo spelled out his vision for his home-province, which he hopes to realize by being the “real representative” of the people of Antique in Congress.
“Representante ang ginapili ta. Buot silingon kon ano ang aton baratyagon kag interest kinanglan mapaabot sa congressman kag amo ja ang congressman ang magadahu rigto sa Kongreso,” said Fajardo.
Growing up in Barangay 8, San Jose town, Fajardo recalled how poor the province was when he was still young.
Until now, he said, the province was lagging behind other provinces in terms of progress and development.
“We have to re-evaluate, balik kita sa basics. Nabuligan ayhan naton ang mga basic sectors kaangay sang mga mangungoma kag mga mangingisda para makasarang nga mabuhi sang maayo kag makapadala sang ila mga bata sa eskwelahan?” Fajardo asked.
A former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) national president and chairman of the Board of Governors, he vowed to listen to the people and address their needs.
“Makonsulta kita sa inyo para mabatyagan ta sa puno kon ano gid ang problema. Malibot gid kita. Indi man pwede nga maupdanay lang kita, kinanglan mapungko gid kita, mahambalan ta. Indi lang kita ‘ya mamati kon ano ang ginaduso sang executive department, kinanglan critical ang proseso. Kita ‘ya, kon ma-cooperate or ma-oppose kita, kinanglan gid nga may inputs ang aton mga kasimanwa. Amo gid ‘na ang pinaka-importante,” said Fajardo.
In fact, since he started community immersions and consultations with residents and leaders in Antique, Fajardo learned of their concerns first hand.
“Gina-absorb ta ang tanan. Ginapamangkot ta ang sectors diri kon ano gid ang ila problema – that is the essence sang representation sa democracy. Indi nga kita lang may ideya or maalam, kinanglan kon ano ang aton iduso sa Kongreso amo na ang gusto sang aton pumluyo,” he stressed.
While he admitted that his opponents have big names in politics, Fajardo urged Antiqueños to know them thoroughly.
“Ginahangkat ta ang aton pumoluyo sa Antique nga usisaon ang amon qualifications… Sin-o ayhan ang nagakaangay sa Kongkreso sa amon? Sa amon nga tatlo, ako man lang ang abogado, kag ang obra sa Kongreso amo ‘na ang pagbalay sang layi halin sa umpisa (asta) sa punta,” he added.
Fajardo has two rivals – former congressman Paolo Everardo Javier and Antonio Agapito Legarda Jr., brother of Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda.
Fajardo filed his COC under the Liberal Party. He has few local political teammates, as of press time, but he is open for alliances.
Fajardo was born in March 1971 in San Jose, Antique. His parents were Panay News founder, the late Daniel Gumban Fajardo and Maria Gillesania Santillan who used to be a radio broadcaster at DYFJ owned and operated by the Pagtanac family in San Jose.
The lawyer speaks fluent Kinaray-a, the language of the Antiqueños.
Earlier, Fajardo said he will consider and support the proposal dividing Antique into two districts as long as the province meets the requirements. According to him, this will help give more attention to the needs of the northern and southern parts of the province.
Fajardo, too, will push his father’s advocacy to “decriminalize libel” among media practitioners. This aims to give more voice and courage journalists to speak freely of the truth.
According to Fajardo, the case against the media must only be civil, not criminal./PN
