Ang “salimpusa” ng Bauan

Hindi ko makakalimutan ang sinabi ni Mayor Ryanh Dolor na binigkas nya sa isang mamahayag at inilathala naman nito – na ako ay isang salimpusa. Kasunod ito ng lumabas na pahayag ko sa national tv noong Abril 14-16, 2015 pagkatapos paslangin ang aking kaibigang si Mei Magsino na sa aking tingin, may motibo ang mga Dinastiyang Dimacuha at Dolor sa krimen.  Naitanggi na nila yan sa magkahiwalay na pahayag sa media, kasama nga ang pagkutya sa akin ng punong bayan ng Bauan.

Kung iisipin  at pag-aaralan, at gaya ng madalas sabihin ng matatanda, sa sariling bibig nahuhuli  ang isda. Bakit sinabing isa akong salimpusa? Dahil ba itinuturing ng mga Dolor na isang usaping panloob sa Bauan ang pagpaslang kay Mei? Aba parang may mas malalim na kahulugan!

Ano bang ibig sabihin ng salimpusa? Ayon sa yahoo.com, “Salingpusa (pronounced as salimpusa by others) refers to an individual who is made a member of a group even though he or she does not possess all the requirements for membership. Derived from the words "sali" meaning to join and "pusa" meaning cat. "Pusa" acts here as a placeholder; any other noun could have been used. 

Later on salingpusa may have been Americanized to saling-cat. "Cat" when pronounced by Americans is "ket" so the term became "salingket", or modified later to salingkit.”

Kaya batay dito, masasabing ako ay tumuturing o maaaring may nagtuturing na isang Bauangeno bagama’t hindi taga Bauan.

Kaya hindi ko maiwasan ang magbalik-tanaw: Batang reporter pa man ako, malapit na ako sa mamamayan ng Bauan at San Pascual. Unahin natin ang San Pascual, kung saan naranasan ko ang makipanayam sa mga residente ng Poblacion sa gitna ng dilim noong panahong pinutulan sila ng ilaw ng dating Mayor Mario  Magsaysay dahil kontra sila dito. Sa takot na mag makaalam na may isang reporter sa lugar, nagatyaga kami sa isang madilim na sulok upang pag-usapan ang kanilang hinaing. Matapos ko itong maiulat nang walang binabanggit na pangalan kungdi nagparinig lamang ng mga boses ng taumbayan, galit na galit sa akin ang dating mayor. Sumugod sa himpilan ng radio at nagpa-interview upang ibigay ang kanyang panig.

Sa Bauan naman, hindi ko na masyadong maalala ang isyung pambayan na naging dahilan ng pag-aaway namin ni dating Mayor Pakito Castillo. Ang natatandaan ko, pabalagbag nya akong sinagot sa interview sa opisina nya (noon tanging si Raneo Abu ang konsehal na oposisyon na walang magawa sa matapang na alkalde; kay bilis lumipas ng panahon, si Raneo na ngayon ang naghahari kasama ng mga Dolor!).

Kinabukasan  iniulat ko sa radyo ang pangyayari at ipinakita ang panig ng taumbayan. Galit na galit si Ka Pakito na tumawag at sinagot ako ng live sa radyo na pagalit. Pero sa halip na ako ay maniklop-tuhod, sinagit ko sya na “wag nya akong tatakutin dahil hindi ako taga-Bauan (ibig ko ipasaring na tanging mga taga-Bauan lang ang hindi  kayang tumindig sa kanya). Mahabang kwento, pero natapos sa isang pagkakaibigan namin ni Ka Pakito. Hindi ko makakalimutang  binigyan pa nya ako ng may personal dedication na librong The Mysteries of Taal by Thomas R. Hargrove, na  naglalarawan ng makulay na kasaysayan at kultura ng Bauan, mula pa noong panahong ito ay nasa lugar na ngayon ay nasa ilalim na ng Taal Lake.

Ang pinaka di ko malilimutang pangyayari ay noong maging panauhin ko sa cable TV program ko ng sabay sina Ka Pakito at Mayor Magsaysay. Katindihan noon ng boundary dispute ng dalawang bayan, at dahil abogado at talagang mas mahusay sa diskurso, inilampaso ni Ka Pakito si Magsaysay.

Sa tuwa, humingi ng kopya ng aking programa at ipinalabas sa lahat ng barangay ng Bauan. Kaya maski sa mga lugar na walang serbisyo ng CATV, nakita ang aking programa.

Samakatwid, hind ko masisisi si Ryanh Dolor na sabihing ako ay isang salimpusa dahil WALA NAMAN SYANG ALAM sa kwento ng aking mahabang romance with Bauan. (Speaking of romance, muntik na rin akong maging Bauangeno sapagkat nagka-nobya ako ng taga Lacorrea St. noong araw).

Kaya useless o walang saysay sa akin kung sabihing salimpusa ako. At lalong walang saysay  na takutin ako dahil “nakikiaalam” ako sa Bauan, gaya ng ginagawa ng ilan sa facebook. Sisihin  nyo ang mga nagpapatay kay Mei Magsino kung bakit ako narito ngayon.  Dahil siguro sa isang pahimakas, ginawa nya akong isa  sa mga admin ng pahinang TAGA BAUAN, BATANGAS KA KUNG…, dahil naramdaman nya na may kailangang maiwan at magpatuloy ng kanyang nasimulan – ang KRUSADA  NG PAGBABAGO SA  BAUAN.


Hangga’t nandyan ang dinastiya na kung turingin ang bayan ay kaharian at pag-aari  nila (gaya ng Evil Empire), marami ang susunod sa mga simulain namin ni Mei. Darating at darating ang takdang panahon na lalagutin ng suklam ng taumbayan ang mga buktot na pamunuan.

Huwag nang magtaka na ang salimpusa ay madaling naakit sa tambalang Johnny-Guding, dahil kabaligtaran sila ng mag-amang naghahari-harian sa Bauan sa loob ng 18 taon.

Millennials: what future awaits you under the Dimacuha political dynasty?

This post is dedicated to the millennial voters of Batangas City and other places in similar situation.

For 28 years, the Dimacuhas of Batangas City, headed by patriarch Eduardo, have been in power since 1988. After his first 3 terms as mayor (1988-1998) he was succeeded by son, Angelito "Dondon" Dimacuha (1998–2001), then again Eduardo B. Dimacuha, made a comeback in 2001–2010/ Then wife, Vilma A. Dimacuha succeeded him from 2010-2013, and again Eduardo B. Dimacuha came back since 2013, and now running again for 2016 elections.

Obviously, the Dimacuhas have felt a sense of over confidence and self-entitlement to rule the city, having won all elections since 1988. Emboldened by their staying power, the family has treated the affairs of the City Government as their own, similar to a family business. With the cooperation and conspiracy of the YES KONSEHALES (so-called because they will say yes to anything Dimacuha asks), the tyranny of the majority has ruled the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Treating Batangas City as a family corporation resulted to complacence and even disregard to people’s sensibilities. Impunity reigns where utter disregard to decency, legality and even respect for human rights and life were set aside, albeit systematically.

Dimacuha is very skillful at using his not so secret weapon – the tyranny of the majority (and he is the majority stockholder so to speak). With his YES Konsehales, he has had always his way of getting resolutions and ordinances favorable to him, including unbridled spending and borrowing, making Batangas City as a potentially bankrupt local government in 5 years.

He seems unstoppable - at taking advantage of his position of power and influence. But nature has her way of slowing down the ageing Dimacuha. Nahimatay na nga sa isang flag ceremony, bukod sa halatang halata na ang panghihina ng katawan kaya bihira nang humarap sa tao.

So shameless that even his son-in-law, Marvey Marino, is running for the lone congressional seat!

So the rage of the people starts to manifest in 2013, with the modern technology used as the jumping board, because it is safer for the opposition to be incognito in the face of a fierce dictator. Readers began to search for the truth, shared information using pseudonym and aliases, while the others who get the information pass the stories through whispers and sarcastic jokes.

In 2013, despite running under the opposition and thought to be shooting for the star with uncertainty, the former wife of Dondon Dimacuha, Kristine Balmes ran, and along with another opposition member, won by the hairline. The election results was marred by deception, cheating, manipulation and vote buying. But Dimacuha did not expect his former daughter-in-law to win.

It proved to be the turning point for the opposition,  when about two years ago, a new group formed a page in facebook, called Reject RPT 20 Movement was formed and slowly gathered steam where Kristine Balmes slowly became the rallying point. It was initially composed of ragtag opposition politicians and disillusioned businessmen and laymen.

Issues expanded from the original outcry against the imposition of unreasonable real property taxes, to environmental issues, and developing the informal group as a watchdog of the governance of the city. Members grew dramatically, as the Church has become involved in the issues the group espoused.

Realizing it was not enough to criticize or make public discourse over pressing issues, the group decided to turn itself into a loose and informal political group and launched the candidacy of Kristine Balmes for Mayor, Carlito Bisa for congressman, and others. Matter of fact, it has a complete slate of candidates for Councilors.

People looked at 2013 elections as the best way to repudiate the Dimacuhas. Unfortunately, he managed to buy most voters and manipulate even the results. Joe Tolentino had no money to contest the manipulations. And so the unfortunate extension of the dynasty until now.

This 2016, all the odds are against the visibly ailing Dimacuha who can no longer afford to bear the rigors of the campaign. Second, while he has the largess of a campaign kitty and an arsenal to mobilize a private army, they may not be enough to match the discontent, hate and contempt of the people of Batangas City. Neither his traditional parochial distribution of money and goods, charged to the city fund, can placate the anger of so many Batanguenos he has skillfully  manipulated all these years.

65% of voters are young people, aged 18-34. Majority of them are the so-called millennials or born between the years 1980 - 2000. These are the young ones who have access to the information age, and while seemingly carefree, they know what is going on. These are the same generation who will look forward and ask themselves WHAT WILL BE THEIR FUTURE IF OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE ONLY IN THE HANDS OF THE FEW?

TAYO GUMAGAWA NG BUHAY AT KINABUKASAN NATIN SA BANSANG ITO - repost from May 13, 2013

REPOST: Eddie Dimacuha’s ex daughter-in-law – Kristine G. Balmes Part 3

first posted on MAy 28, 2013...

For 25 years, the Dimacuhas of Batangas City, headed by patriarch Eduardo, have been in power since 1988. After his first 3 terms as mayor, Eduardo was replaced by son, Dondon. Then he made a comeback and was Mayor again for 9 years. In 2010, after completing yet another 9-years or 3-terms, he was replaced by wife, Vilma, the incumbent. This elections year 2013, he is running again to reclaim his old post as mayor.

The first political challenge to Dimacuha happened in 1998 (erroneously mentioned as 1997 earlier), after his mandatory third term. His son, Angelito or Dondon, was first councilor, and he wanted to make sure the latter would succeed him so a comeback would be easier. The elder Dimacuha enlisted the support of practically all the viable influential families in the city, and gave some of them a place in his slate. To his surprise, a relatively unknown young lady candidate from the Gonda-Balmes clan, Kristine Balmes, emerged as top councilor. Of course, that can pose a threat to his comeback. But the young Balmes was soon swooned to her feet and fell in love with Dondon. They later married, bore a daughter, and eventually separated. She is now running under Liberal Party, an opposition to Dimacuha, to reclaim her council seat.

Kristine Balmes, a beautiful and young promising leader topped the council elections under Reporma, party of then Batangueno presidential bet Rene de Villa. Dondon Dimacuha won, as neophyte mayor that city hall was actually being run by his father, Eduardo, who had his own office space inside the Planning Office, but accessible via backdoor from the mayor’s office.

Many saw a political future for Kristine then. She could be the next vice mayor or even mayor. Her becoming a vice mayor would be a nightmare to the Dimacuhas because they could never be sure if she would bow to their wishes. So there must be another way.

Dondon courted Kristine, and the rest is history. They separated later after siring a daughter who is with Kristine. Last news about Dondon is that he settled somewhere abroad, remarried and has a new child.

It could have been just another love story, but it also undermined Kristine’s political career, albeit halted her momentum, and forced to be a quiet observer for a time.

Then in 2010, she resurfaced, not as a candidate, but as deputy provincial campaign manager for the then struggling Liberal Party of Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas in Batangas (struggling because they were in opposition to the hated administration of strongwoman Gloria Arroyo). As history would have it, Noynoy won as President.

Kristine could have asked for any job that could propel her to popularity, but she did not. Instead she quietly assisted presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada in social development work as Batangas Coordinator of the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation.

Now comes elections 2013, and with all her strong presidential connections, Kristine could have asked to run as vice mayor at the very least. Why not when she had been a top councilor already? But she did not. She must have imbibed the humility of her late grandfather, former Board Member Ding Gonda. Instead, she opted to make another run in the City Council.

In her campaign, she avoids being linked, or say anything about the Dimacuhas. Pressed to comment why she did not run under her ex-biyenan, she would politely say that she never was politically affiliated with the Dimacuhas in the first place, and that she is committed to the Aquinos (considering the connections).

Such is the humility of the person. She must have been through a lot, and probably know about the Dimacuhas more than anyone, but she would rather be herself again – the idealistic Kristine Gonda Balmes, committed to true public service. 

-to be continued-

REPOST: Eddie Dimacuha and his City of Batangas

first posted on April 26, 2013...

For 25 years, the Dimacuhas of Batangas City, headed by patriarch Eduardo, have been in power since 1988. After his first 3 terms as mayor, Eduardo was replaced by son, Dondon. Then he made a comeback and was Mayor again for 9 years. In 2010, after completing yet another 9-years or 3-terms, he was replaced by wife, Vilma, the incumbent. This elections year 2013, he is running again to reclaim his old post as mayor.

I came to Batangas City in 1986, as a first year college student in Lyceum , and have since witnessed the transformation of Batangas City. But this transformation is not necessarily attributable to strongman Eduardo Dimacuha, because luck was on his side. Under President Cory Aquino, local governments were strengthened and given more autonomy, especially in raising and managing their own revenues, plus the fact that cities such as Batangas City enjoys a sizeable share in the national government’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). And Batangas is so blessed to have so many big business locators that the city’s income from real property and local business taxes alone are more than enough to propel the city to greater heights, probably ten-fold that what it has achieved under the Dimacuhas if fiscal and development management were done correctly, instead of fattening one’s own business interests.

Eduardo or Eddie Dimacuha is a very charismatic leader, and if you are in good graces with him, you will not find difficulty seeking practically any help from him. He is easy to talk with, and hardly says no or deny anyone a favor or two.

But while he shows off a very amiable personality, a lot of people are also aware of his hideous reputation – a large clan from both sides of the Berberabe and Dimacuha families who are reputed to have the capability to exact revenge by all means; a huge business network in port, hauling, gas dealership, real property and other businesses; and alleged arsenal of firepower that include both able men and arms. And he has vast network in the police, military and even port authorities.

The first political challenge to Dimacuha happened in 1997, after his mandatory third term. His son, Angelito or Dondon, was first councilor, and he wanted to make sure the latter would succeed him so a comeback would be easier. The elder Dimacuha enlisted the support of practically all the viable influential families in the city, and gave some of them a place in his slate. To his surprise, a relatively unknown young lady candidate from the Gonda-Balmes clan, Kristine Balmes, emerged as top councilor. Of course, that can pose a threat to his comeback. But the young Balmes was soon swooned to her feet and fell in love with Dondon. They later married, bore a daughter, and eventually separated. She is now running under Liberal Party, an opposition to Dimacuha, to reclaim her council seat. (More of this later).

So for the past 20 years, Dimacuha looked like invincible, and no one dared to challenge him, until his former Vice Mayor Florencio de Loyola, with the support of another formidable family, the Chavezes, made an attempt in 2007 to unseat him. But not only luck was on Dimacuha’s side; so were the people wary of a weak successor in de Loyola, whom they fear could be manipulated by his running mate, Councilor Wawing Chavez. Besides, Dimacuha has made sure he had practically 95% of the kapitans on his side, and elections then could be easily manipulated, either by controlling the barangay leaders and teachers managing the elections, or switching the ballots. Without the support of barangay leaders, plus the physical terrain and distance of many barangays from the urban center, who could have dared to spill the beans of cheating and electoral fraud during those times?

So the comeback for the elder Dimacuha in 2000 was a walk in the park, so to speak. And many thought that since Dondon has since lived in oblivion abroad, Dimacuha would retire at the end of his term. But that is not in the plan, so he made his wife Vilma to run as barangay captain and handily defeated a performing kapitana whos roots are from Romblon. Then Vilma became the kapitana of all kapitans or President of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) making her a member of the City Council, giving her a lot of leeway to be involved in city affairs other than being first lady. So she became mayor herself in 2010 replacing the husband who just finished his second third term in office.

Now visibly old and ailing, Dimacuha is making yet another comeback. His former ally, although he had won many times as an independent candidate, Jose or Joe Tolentino, the incumbent vice mayor is challenging Dimacuha for mayorship.

                                           Eduardo and Vilma Dimacuha at the Comelec, 2013

Will he win again or will there be a dramatic leadership change in Batangas City? That will be my next topic. 
-to be continued -