"Ninong"

Pinoy politicians have a common mind frame: They ask only one question.

What’s in it for them?

My soon to be “ninong” is the best example. He thinks of building roads but thinks twice if many people would be able know that he build it. If you tell him that it’s important to build that road because it would propel development in the locality, he would definitely agree, and promises only one thing: UNCERTAINTY.

I don’t blame him. He has been around for years in Philippine Congress. And “to be with the sharks, you have to be a shark” lest you risk being an outcast or a "prey". He comes from a family of politicians, and grew-up learning all the “tricks-of-the trade” from his father, who was a City Mayor. He has aged and learned a lot, from his experiences that he too now, has his own very unique “tricks”. So who says, old dogs can’t learn new tricks.

He is an avid story teller and would probably tell you narratives about his family—most often the parallelism between how he was raised and how he raised his kids. Yet, then again he is telling you that because he assumes that it sells. He is telling you that because he assumes, his “story” is a good example. But if you listen along his lines, you would clearly see that he knows “just that”, believes it to be “righteously correct” and frequently makes “off-beat” assumptions. Although, I think, sometimes he intends just to do so, perhaps to gauge people whom he met for the first time. Well come to think of it: Was it not that Erap purposively invented his brand of “Carabao English” just to sell himself to the “elite-hating” masa?

He is a very convincing person. Not that he convinced me of his “tricks”, but his logic tends to twist beliefs more so often to the amusement of his guests. He is very keen on what you say and tends to validate things very quickly. He would astutely assess, if you are a good constituent who can move “numbers” or whether you could likely spread “a good word” for him.

You would wonder that while he lives in Manila, he gets to become a congressman somewhere in Mindanao. He traces his roots very well; he speaks the local language and associates himself with local leaders. He will serve as “ninong” to just about anyone who would come to him. I think, in his mind its an investment, he might not probably benefit from that but certainly, somebody whom he wants always “does”.

At the end of the day, you would think and probably thank him---for a favor perhaps. Most people do that and I did it too. At least to show gratitude but deep inside me, I felt “Nadah”. Perhaps it was mutual, if he has his interests…So do I