Running with the Bersamins

It was on my birthday in 2021 when one of the Bersamins first called and offered me to run for Mayor. It took me a day to say Yes because while the position never daunted me, I still needed God’s grace. But why would the Bersamins consider a college teacher to govern Bangued? The original plan was that no Bersamin would run in the 2022 elections. They were, in fact, scouting possible leaders to support instead of running. Out of all the people they approached, most were afraid for their lives—except me. With God’s grace, I accepted.

But things have quickly changed when another political family filed for a full slate totally changing the odds of the game. It was then decided that former Board Member Anne Bersamin would run for Mayor instead, and I was offered the position of Vice Mayor as her running mate. To make the story brief, the Bersamins were still forced to run, with Takit for Governor and his niece Chari for Vice Governor.

Despite my family’s political history of supporting the old Paredes-Valera clan—whose patriarch, former Governor Vicsyd, was convicted for masterminding the murder of Bersamin patriarch, former Congressman Chito—I felt I had made the right decision by joining the Bersamins.

First and foremost – I was an academic and an educator before a politician. It requires me of being logical and resolute of the facts. It is required of us to think before we speak. To harness all relevant knowledges before our decisions. I was supposed to run independent as Sangguniang Panlalawigan member for the second district of Abra. I have already prepared my own platform of government that focuses on pieces of legislation that I believed would revitalize the provincial health governance systems like establishing more Inter-Local Health Zones, an improved health governance standards for the provincial and all public hospitals in the province, a modernization blueprint for the provincial hospital, optimized nutrition programs and many more.

When I finally filed my certificate of candidacy (COC) for vice mayor, I had a sit-down with my mayor – Anne.  Unlike many politicians who avoid serious conversations about public issues, the Bersamins were different. Anne, whom I respectfully call “Tita Anne,” eagerly listened and engaged in our discussions. Tita Anne would always bring with her a notebook and a pilot pen jotting down and taking notes like one of my students and would also ask questions. “Where should we start, sir?” she asked. I handed her a copy of the SWS survey detailing the most pressing concerns of the people. We discussed everything from healthcare to education, food security to trade, and even issues of corruption, reforms, infrastructure, and waste management.

At the time, Bangued’s Rural Health Unit (RHU) was located at the foot of Victoria Park—a small hill that made it difficult for seniors and people with disabilities to access. We planned, if we won, to relocate and expand the RHU. We planned, if we won, to relocate and expand the RHU. I proposed creating a “Umili Action Center,” a one-stop hub housing the RHU, police, fire, and disaster response operations. Anne agreed but asked, “Where will we get the budget?” I assured her, “That’s where I come in as your Vice Mayor. As head of the Sanggunian, we hold the power of the purse, and there are plenty of funding sources. You’ll also need a good Budget Officer.”

Weeks later, she debated on it so hard in a Radio debate when her opponent raised the issue of budget. As a good student and a good leader, she is – Tita Anne knew exactly on what page of her notebook to open to make her rebuttal. Months later, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Abra condemning said RHU and the police station beneath it. Almost three years have passed, Bangued RHU is still squatting in an evacuation building near Abra High School.

In one of our campaigns, we have met the squash growers of in Northeast barangays. We were surprised that they were only retrieving the seeds and discarding the rest of it. “Is there anything we can do about it?” Tita Anne asked. And as I was walking towards the farmers working on the scraps of squash, I am already seeing an opportunity. “We are known for Miki; we can actually process the squash into Miki (noodles.)” I replied.

My top platform as vice mayoral candidate was improving the lives of farmers, as I also grew up in a farming community of San Antonio in riverside Bangued. When we visited Macarcaramay, a tobacco-growing barangay, we were surprised to learn from the farmers themselves that they are not receiving much from RA 7171. This law provides that the shares from excise tax of tobacco be returned to tobacco-producing and -growing localities, that includes Abra and especially Bangued. This fund is highly coveted among politicians. Hence, my promise, to craft a participatory budgeting mechanism where farmers can be organized and empowered to join Sanggunian proceedings and decide themselves on where the RA 7171 funds shall proceed. They must have the power to decide where their money should go, right there in the Sanggunian!

These are just some of the highlights, but we covered a lot of issues and promised to deliver more in governance and less of politics. From tax amnesty to businesses, reforming the permits and licensing, letting the PTA decide on Special Education Fund (SEF), free body number for Tricycle drivers, solar-powered irrigations, and many more.

The overview of the matter is – we could have done a lot of things. There was no doubt, between me and Tita Anne and our entire slate that we were prepared and ready. But at the end of the day, election is a democratic process. In Abra, people, money, and goons all factor in. fast forward, Apo Lucas Bersamin was appointed as Executive Secretary. The team may have lost the battle but won the war.

It was one of the greatest honors of my life to run alongside the Bersamins in the 2022 elections. Their belief in my abilities meant a great deal to me.

Now, I hear the Bersamins may attempt a political comeback in alliance with the Bernoses. To the people of Abra, this presents another hopeful chance.

While I have decided, for now, not to run for office in 2025, my lines remain open, and I would always be happy to sit down with them. I wish all Abreños the very best!