Monday, February 07, 2011 02:45:42 PM
I DEDICATE this opinion to the younger generation of Zamboanga-Chinese men businessmen in Zamboanga City. Our grandfathers came to Zamboanga to seek greener pasture. Now, we are enjoying the businesses that our grandfathers nurtured for us. They taught us that without the hardworking Zamboanguenos who worked for us, our businesses will not reach this far. In return, let us defend the ordinary Zamboanguenos from our fellow businessmen who plan to register Zamcelco with CDA and dictate the power rates soon.
The self-styled spokesman of the self claimed multi-sectoral group Boboy Valerio’s manner of answering interviews over the radio only shows that he is not aware of the long term plan of the business group. I say business group because the multisectoral group as what they call themselves does not really represent a genuine multisectoral body or majority of Zamboanga residents because they do not even have genuine representation of grass root organizations like the Urban Poor, Drivers Association and other peasant organizations.
Valerio is not aware of the long term game plan of the Zambo business group because when these business leaders meet to discuss sensitive information about registering with CDA, Valerio is not invited in the meeting. The business group has been meeting several times without Valerio especially if the meeting’s agenda is to study the possible take over of Zamcelco’s business operations. In other words, Valerio does not have enough information of the business sector’s long term game plan.
In the early 1990s, I remember the local business bloc lobbied the city council and the Agan Administration to block the entry of Robinsons and SM Malls. The business bloc succeeded and it took another decade for Robinsons and SM to start negotiating with Zamboanga City. The game plan of the business sector was to protect their local businesses from Manila-based malls coming to Zamboanga and this is the reason why we do not enjoy the famous malls like what other neighboring cities do. Most members of the business sector criticizing the state of Zamcelco are succeeding generation sons of business sector leaders who blocked the entry of these famous malls.
To my confusion, there are 3 politicians who are aware of the business sector’s long term plan but we keep on wondering why these local leaders are hesitant to come out in the open? Mayor Celso Lobregat, Councilor Rey Candido and Councilor Jimmy Cabato are very much aware of the business sector’s intention but they seem to be silent on this matter.
My father migrated from China to Zamboanga in the 1930s to seek greener pastures and as we grew up in Zamboanga, we love the people especially with hundreds of Zamboangueno workers who worked for my father’s business. Because of the Zamboanguenos who worked for our business, our father was able to send us to an exclusive school, finished our studies and gave us little capital to start our business.
I love Zamboanga and at the moment, we are enjoying Zamcelco low power rates. I have businesses in Davao and Cagayan de Oro and their power rates are just too high for my medium-sized business compared to Zamcelco. If Zamcelco will be registered with CDA, businessmen are allowed to buy big shares in the cooperative, take over the board and dictate the price of power rates.
The business could have field candidates to run as elected board member of Zamcelco but they know they have lesser chances because they do not have any affiliations with the voting populace who are mostly poor. So they negotiate with NEA to have a business sector’s representative in the Board. Only in Zamcelco you can find a board member (of Chinese descent?) is appointed by NEA without going through an election process. This is a big blow to the true registered member-consumers of Zamcelco. An insult to struggling Zamboanguenos.
The business sector especially those of Chinese descent in Zamboanga have practically controlled the economy in Guardia Nacional. They also control some of the local media. A few years ago and also nine months ago, they have controlled local politics by raising at least P 10 million for their favored political candidates. Their next move? Probably, if Zamboanguenos are caught flatfooted, they will control the households of Zamboanguenos through electricity (and water district could be next? We’ll see).
This is not propaganda but a possible eye opener for true Zamboanguenos to unite against local business mafia trying to control Guardia Nacional, City Hall, Media, City Council and now Zamcelco.
Just like any organization, everyone wants reform. The assignment of a new project supervisor in Zamcelco has already eradicated almost all lapses in Zamcelco. How come with the good performance that the new Project Supervisor, the business sector groups continue to tarnish the image of Zamcelco and to the point of filing criminal charges. Why don’t they file criminal charges against their colleagues who allegedly do not pay the minimum wage to illiterate ordinary Zamboanguenos working for them? Why don’t they file adultery to their colleagues?
Again we go back to the old Chinese mafia slogan,” Sirain natin sila para tayo negosyo.”
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20110207014542
