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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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Jerramiah Healy: Jersey City’s new mayor
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Jerramiah Healy, at the end of the controversy, emerged as the victor to fill the remainder of the late Jersey City Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham.
No doubt, it was a breathtaking relief not only for the new mayor but also for Jersey City residents, following a scurrilous campaign and a week of waiting for the final tally and certification.
At the rotunda of the Brennan Courthouse on Newark Avenue, Healy took his oath of office before the presence of about 200 supporters.
“We only have about six months to accomplish some of the things we talked about,” Healy said, in his inauguration speech. “Until I can get my chosen people in, I'm losing more of those precious days. Time is of the essence.”
That's the reality of it all and the challenge for anybody winning the mayoral post to fill a short term. So for the new mayor to lay out the cards upfront, he alerted effectively the citizenry of what to expect.
What’s also interesting from his statement “some of the things we talked about,” is the admission of the difficulties politicians face when in office. To get elected, politicians usually promise almost anything to get votes.
Nonetheless, to show his seriousness in accomplishing his two priorities — (a) putting more cops on the street and (b) filling potholes — he quickly announced his choice for police chief and donated $1,000 of his own money to start a gun buy-back program.
“I want to get as many guns off the streets of Jersey City as possible. I believe that when the mayor puts $1,000 of his own money in there --- and I'm not a wealthy man ? the corporations will follow suit and we will be well funded, and hopefully we will be able to get a considerably large number of guns off the streets of Jersey City.”
The mayor's plan is right on the dot. If you recall, some years ago the same plan worked out in New York City. But we would like to add that it takes the cooperation of the citizenry as well to support such a plan, which should include an awareness campaign.
The new mayor should also look at uniting Democrats in Hudson County and Jersey City. Simply saying, “I think that was a demonstration that everyone in Hudson County is tired of the fighting,” is not enough. Seeing 11 candidates vying for mayor this past election is just too much.
Next is getting the support of the majority of the council members. For now, it appears that he has only four of the nine council members on side. With a $371 million budget under consideration, he should exert more influence over the process of either amending it or passing the spending plan in its entirety.
But what we are interested in knowing is who the new mayor will support for the vacant at-large council seat. Would he listen to his friend, County Executive Tom DeGise, suggestion? Would the new mayor nominate a Filipino?
True, Mayor Healy has so much on his plate at this time and we understand his priorities. But whatever decisions he makes now will affect the outcome of his administration come May 2005 when a round of election is up.
We congratulate and welcome Jerramiah Healy as Jersey City's new mayor. It is our hope that he accomplishes his plans for the city despite filling in to serve a short, unexpired term of the late Mayor Cunningham.
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NEW YORK --- I don't understand why Angie Cruz, PhD, board member of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), had to ask at their meeting Nov. 17 who's been leaking information to me.
Is she now wearing the shoes of former board member Nelsie Parrado who used to ask the same question? If I were Cruz, I wouldn't want to be in Parrado's shoes; it just leaves a stink out of her supposedly belief in transparency and accountability. Is there something that Cruz wants to hide from the community?
Whether or not it's a slap to her imprudent curiosity, I welcome the board's resolution to invite the public and members of the media to their meetings. Such a gesture will reduce, if not remove, public misgivings of PIDCI as a close organization. What's so secret about it anyway if their work is about the community?
Would Cruz not agree to divulge to the public that Sofie Abad, who was appointed as finance and budget officer, insists that the duly elected corporate treasurer, Dr. Baby Bleza, report to her? I think Abad's stance during the heated discussion with Bleza, which PIDCI President Nimia Lacebal allowed to happen, was just ridiculous.
It doesn't make sense why Abad has to act as if she was the treasurer and for Lacebal to pollute the function that is intended for Bleza. And as I pointed out previously, Lacebal's actions are once again gearing towards the vestiges of the past that divides instead of uniting.
As Consul General Cecilia Rebong pointed out that evening, who attended the meeting briefly together with her staff, the incident could be a transitional problem that needs to be resolved immediately. Otherwise, despite avowing to change the past they mentioned in their campaign speeches, these new directors may end up just like what happened in the last two years: a divided group.
However, I see it differently; I think everyone is on a touch-and-go mode as they feel their way in and in understanding each other's motivation.
What transpired between Bleza and Abad is a manifestation of that observation. It's the old vanguard like Abad versus the neophyte like Bleza.
But so much for the wrangling and grand standing of certain officers, Lacebal needs to trust her people. If she can't trust Gani Puertollano to chair the Independence Ball committee, who else would she trust? Apparently, despite Puertollano volunteering for the event, the madame president is looking for somebody else she could rely on. What gives?
And while the selection of grand marshal was discussed, I have a hunch of who the nominees would be. Prior to the elections, I've heard of some names that were being mentioned: John delos Santos, Nelia Ferrete, Andy Pada, Jr., Linda Pelayo and two others, whose names I don't recall at the moment.
According to PIDCI insiders, nominations will be accepted until December 22, the day when apparently PIDCI will take part in the traditional Simbang Gabi at the Philippine Center. Instead of a Christmas Party that was originally planned and assigned to Puertollano to organize, madame president apparently had scrapped it due to time constraints. Or maybe, she thought Puertollano would not be capable of chairing the event.
Again, I don't know why Lacebal is edging out Puertollano. Is it because she thinks Lolita Compas, who lost to Puertollano, was much more capable than him? Is that the reason why Compas seats beside her at every meeting? If I were Lacebal she should let her vice president prove his salt. There is no sense in provoking someone who has a big heart to serve the community. Or if she believes in Compas, why doesn't she assign her instead?
Even though Cruz is wondering who my sources are in PIDCI, there's no way she can stop anyone from letting the community know what it deserves. She can either turn off her cellular phone or stop the tape recorder from rolling but it won't work.
The walls have ears.
Send comments to rickyxpres@aol.com or visit Website at PinoyOnBoard.com.
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