These days, it is easy to get politically disillusioned as it is easy to distrust politicians. The people are bombarded with too many important issues that need addressing. Sometimes, in frustration, one feels it is easier to just become apolitical and simply busy ourselves with personal concerns.
I have heard people say that our situation is hopeless.
We expect our politicians to be our champions. We give them our trust to represent our interests. We vote for them hoping that first and foremost, they will work for the people’s welfare and protect our rights. We bestow them the power to make decisions on condition that they are accountable to us.
We pay politicians’ salaries, including some perks from our hard-earned money. In fact, the Filipino people are these politicians’ bosses.
Yet, we see many politicians subvert our interests. We watch as they “work” for political survival at the expense of what is good for Filipinos. We see the likes of Manny Pacquiao in the senate championing religion instead of people’s rights. We witness politicians make fun of, degrade, and verbally abuse Filipino women. We know of corrupt law enforcers who are first to break laws and commit heinous crimes. Worst, we experience fear for our, and our loved ones’ lives because of all the killings we see daily sanctioned by the president under the guise of “war on drugs.”
While feeling frustrated and hopeless are understandable, I refuse to give in to these feelings. Indeed, things are politically difficult and complicated but there are good politicians out there. There are public servants who deserve the title, and can give us some hope and inspiration to go on in the struggle for principles we believe to be right.
It is in this light that I decided to write about these politicians. While I am sure that there are many others, I will limit myself to those I personally know and worked with. I begin with Albay Representative Edcel Lagman.
Before anyone accuses me of being a paid propagandist, let me categorically state that I am not, and have never been under the employ of Edcel, or any of the politicians that I will write about. My intent is to show people that we can still hope and that there are politicians who remain on the side of the people.
One difficult issue we now face is the impending Congressional approval of the death penalty bill. This is being pushed by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte as clearly articulated during his first State of the Nation Address, and various succeeding statements. The House of Representatives has recently approved the bill on Second Reading through “viva voce” or “palakasan ng sigaw.”
Reading through media reports on this issue, the name Edcel Lagman stands out among those who oppose the bill. Those who know him, myself included, expected this. After all, Representative Lagman is a human rights defender. Opposing the reimposition of the death penalty is a human rights-based position.
Edcel Lagman is a rock star among human rights advocates. He is one of those I know who are truly pro-poor and pro-people.
Lagman’s track record as a lawyer and legislator proves this. Rep. Edcel was first known as a human rights lawyer who assisted poor workers. He still maintains his law firm that lawyers for workers and others in the margins who, otherwise will not be able to afford adequate legal representation.
When he became a legislator, Edcel focused (and still does) on crafting laws that truly benefit the marginalized sectors. Among the laws he authored are: the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program which was also very difficult because it was considered radical at that time; the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act in 2006; the law increasing the Internal Revenue Allotment of local government units; the free secondary education law; the anti-torture and enforced disappearance Act; the compensation for Martial Law victims law; and, the Centenarian Act which provides for a P100,000.00 cash gift for each centenarian from the national government, and which, can be supplemented by LGUs.
Few can match Lagman’s legislative track record. I am grateful to have the opportunity to know him and experience first hand how he puts his principles into action.
I do not remember the first time I met Rep. Lagman but it was during the early days of the advocacy for the passage of the reproductive health bill, now RH law. It was also Lagman who spearheaded the long and tumultuous struggle for the bill’s passage in the HoR.
At first Lagman struck me as “scary.” He has that serious countenance and you just know that he is a no-nonsense man. He strikes people as stern. One friend said, “Si Edcel, mukhang hindi pwedeng biruin.” But, when this man breaks into a smile, his face immediately and completely softens and you just want to hug him. The transformation is such that one forgets that he is “scary.”
I have learned much from Rep. Edcel through the many years of our advocacy for the RH law. To say that he is brilliant is an understatement. Once, while Edcel was defending the RH Bill on the floor against fellow Rep. Raul Daza, I overheard other legislators saying that it was rare to have two highly competent legislators debate against each other and that they missed the days when the House was full of statesmen and women.
Edcel is idealistic but pragmatic at the same time. I remember when we were at a meeting discussing our bottomlines on the bill, he knew that we were against the “giving away” some provisions. He told us, “We cannot have a perfect law. There is no perfect law because lawmaking is a matter of negotiations.” It was difficult to accept but we knew he was right. He has the wisdom brought about by long years of experience.
Edcel is progressive. Just go by the kind of laws he has worked on. Few can be as progressive as he is. When I told him that we want to work on the passage of a divorce law, he said, “I will file the bill” without batting an eyelash. And file the bill he did.
There are good politicians in our midst. The Filipino people have allies in government regardless of party affiliation. We can still hope that somehow, some good things can still happen. Let us not despair. Rather, let us work with politicians who are true to their mandate of public service.
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