A retired banker asked his friends, “Who can make Iloilo City and the Ilonggos happier?” He noted, in the upcoming mayoral race, the city may be facing a situation similar to Bacolod City’s Evelio Leonardia-Monico Puentevella rivalry.

“That rivalry will remain, probably, until death to them part,” he added.

A media man explained, in Iloilo City, it is an encounter between two politicians, one is the incumbent mayor and the other is the city’s representative in Congress, whose wives are sisters.

“This time, they don’t appear to be seeing eye-to-eye anymore,” he pointed out.

A grocery store owner said of the congressman, “He has nowhere to go but to grab mayor’s seat, where he was before.”

“We don’t understand why he does not rest first,” he added. “Anyways, he has been mayor and congressman already; siguro masarap talaga sa politico (maybe it’s nice being a politician).”

“Isn’t the congressman suspended?” an entrepreneur asked.

He also pointed out, “The previous mayor was suspected, that is why the vice mayor became mayor.”

The media man added, “You know, if you have tried politics, you will not give way to others.”

He explained, “Inside that circle there is power, wealth, and business opportunity – who on Earth would want to lose any one of those things?”

The grocer said, “If you have nothing to do on Earth, then you want to be powerful and make barangay leaders kneel before you in order grab more benefits.”

***

This column congratulates last weekend’s Sabores de Visayas Gala dinner, created by Chefs Tibong Jardeleza and Maita Fores.

***

This column greets Ping Jimenea, Tibong Jardelez, Mining Maravilla, Troy Camarista, Rey Gomez, Rene Cortum, Marichel Magalona, Francis Chu, Matin Arandez, and Harold Geronimo./WDJ