The Philippine Online Chronicles

Nation, it’s no secret that I love this government, and I know that you do, too. One thing that has recently caught my attention is how the government recognizes merit among their ranks. Isn’t it admirable how this government gives due respect and accord to statesmen of great stature such as Congressman Julio ‘Jules’ Ledesma IV?

The Honorable Ledesma is apparently asking for full pay for his entire salary despite having never shown up for sessions throughout his term, so long as he attends the last two sessions of Congress before election preparations come underway. It warms the heart, knowing that they are righting such a great travesty done to such a selfless, upstanding individual who truly has his pulse on the needs of his people.

Nation, I’m sure you share my sentiments, but I must declare that I believe that Jules Ledesma should get every single cent, and I’ll tell you why.

Jules Ledesma didn’t attend session not because he is a lazy lawmaker, but because he is, and this is my fervent belief, a man of genuine action. He is probably helping out his constituents and this explains why he is not attending sessions at all. This is certainly laudable. Do I know this for a fact? Of course I don’t, but come now. Let’s not allow silly things like the facts get in the way of what our gut tells us.

Think about it: what does his perennial absence from sessions in congress really tell you? Are these absences really a brazen, shameless display of gross negligence by a supposed lawmaker who would rather spend time with his hot wife than do his job? Are these absences a sign that Congressman Ledesma is squandering his mandate by not being present especially at a very crucial point in this country’s political history? Or alternatively, do these absences imply that the good Congressman has far more important things to do than attend session? Things that are so important and undoubtedly for the benefit of the country? Do these absences not tell the unwritten story of a great man who is taking lawmaking to the streets by serving his constituents far more directly than from stuffy session hall in congress?

Surely, any sane man would realize it’s the latter.

Jules Ledesma is setting a precedent that all these other pansy representatives should follow. They’re not “with it” at all, and are wasting the taxpayers’ time and money by doing silly things like attending congress and making laws. Jules Ledesma is undoubtedly somewhere out there right now, taking action and helping out his constituents in a way only he could. It’s not so hard to imagine that he is out on the street on a daily basis, perhaps planting a tree, or paving the road, or even conducting a raid all by his lonesome, all in the service of his district. Now, that is a public servant that everyone should get behind.

It’s such an injustice that he had to go out of his way to go to congress during the Christmas break, only to find that he couldn’t be given the money due him. Thank goodness a man who is just as praiseworthy, House Speaker Prospero Nograles himself, was there to aid him in his plight. That he now has to stop doing his good work for two whole days and attend session instead just to get that which is due him is such a tragedy, indeed.

Nation, in my gut, in the very core of my being, that part of me that needs no facts or logic or explanations but pure intuition, I see that Jules Ledesma is truly the Jules of the lower house. One can only hope that more congressmen would follow suit and render the kind of service this great man has.

Listen to your gut. What does it tell you about Jules Ledesma?

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The views presented in this article are not necessarily shared by those of the POC, or even the author himself.)

Photo from Negros Oriental Tourism Center.