ILIGAN City ― "Suddenly, in the infinite meadows of heaven blossomed the lovely stars and the forget-me-nots of the angels."
I remember this quote during my high school dates but with a difference. The quote says: "Suddenly, in the infinite meadows by the roadside, blossomed the colorful tarpaulins and the forget me not of the politicians."
I almost laughed to myself. Because it's almost like a "mushroomic" story, that they bloom after a night of rain and thunder and lightning, the mushrooms bloom in the morning. And the people seeing them enjoy them. That is if you like them. Either by eating them or by the sight.
Now, there was this new tarp that read: "Abby Better." This I saw while riding on a jeepney on my way from the house to the city's center. Maybe, the first word meant Abigail. But is there a family name that is "Better."? Hmm, maybe it is the first letter that matters so much? What national politician has a family beginning with "B"? Well, I think that's "guessable.'
By and by, as the jeepney went forward, another tarp bloomed, By the roadside of course. It enjoined folks here to "get registered at the Comelec" if it was necessary, of course. And the name of a "Buboy Mijares" was there along with that of Jemar Vera Cruz, the former priest who had to shed off his clothes for politics. And wait. Was Mijares the one who wrote "Conjugal Dictatorship"? With the book costing his disappearance from the face of this earth? That is, during that regime that lasted for a few decades by you all know who.
No, I remember now. This Mijares fellow was the one who caught a robber in a big store here, several years ago, climbing in a wall while about to do some robbing but was gunned down. This Mijares guy and so he became a local hero with his name coming up every election season. Yet he did not do some running for a position. Until now? That is for mayor with the other name for Vice?
So I asked myself what happened to the "formidable' team of the red.
And then, as the jeepney went forward, another tarp blossomed. That of a Manalo guy. Who is the leader of the INC? This doesn't mean "Incorporated." But "Iglesia ni Cristo." We know what that term means in the matter of elections. Beside the face of this Manalo guy is that of Roy Ga. Something about the anniversary of the church.
Another was the tarp of the INC guy and this time with Cong. Celso Regencia, the "red" team leader. Was this a "projection" that theirs, the "red" team, I mean, is the one that is being endorsed by this guy and the followers?
Yet, not to be "outtarped' was the: "blue" team of incumbent mayor Frederick Siao. With the smiling face of Sen. Imee Marcos. Imee is "blue'? No, she is "blue" at the same time "red" too,
And there's the tarp of PNP Rolando Anduyan, with his "Kargador" word. As in "Kargador sa Iligan." Along with the name of wifey, was that Cheryl? I remember he has a sibling, a barangay captain of Tibanga barangay here. He was reported to be suspended first, in connection with the SAP ayuda at the height of the Covid 19. And then kicked out of the job per reports, because he had abrogated the job of the barangay treasurer. His hand was raised by Regencia, saying the "blue" team, with glee. But wifey Soshima ran for the post of chair of that barangay chair. And won handily.
But why is the brother this Anduyan guy running too as mayor vs. the "red" team who has Roy Ga as its frontrunner for the said position? And this Vera Cruz guy too, why is he running for Vice Mayor along with Mijares? Had this political "love affair" with the Regencia guy then, turned sour?
And then I heard some talks that there's this talk about some tarps congratulating this golden boy Carlos Yulo by some face that's very much bigger than this Olympian that has excited the whole nation in the wake of the Paris Olympics. I have yet to see that.
What I saw though as the jeep went on was some Ferris wheel in front of a shuttered radio station with all kinds of overgrown grass surrounding it. Until recently. For it was cleaned up, with the wheels placed in its surroundings.
Yet, along with the wheels which marked the fiesta of such barangay was this new tarp. Which said: "Sagot ko kayong lahat. Itaga n'yo ito sa bato!"
There was a face too of the 'Bato' Senator.
Oh my! Somebody in the jeep gasped, along with mine.
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