“Lone Ranger” makes history in city politics

CRITICAL REPORTING
by: ELY P. DEJARESCO

After his unprecedented victory as the youngest city vice mayor of Dumaguete, local politics will never be the same again. Riding solo like a lone ranger on board his silver multicab, virtually selling his cause for clean and determined governance, from house to house, from the slums to the executive offices of the city’s 68,000 voters, Alan Gel Cordova, 43, is a young father to a daughter, a striving lawyer, university teacher, a city councilor and a graduate of the world’s top military school West Point in Virginia, U.S.A.

No political party would take him because he will never be a push over fellow. He has a firm vision and direction of how to possibly steer the city back on its feet in matters of peace and security; and economic recovery. No traditional politician would buy his independent stand. They say he was not a team-player. No, he was a born leader, and the present batch felt he might become a threat.

When I visited Alan Gel in his military training school in West Point in 1988, and being in his senior year, I already saw in him a potential as a leader,(in the military I thought) in the way he gives firm commands to his American junior officers and cadets at the West Point. Small wonder, 22 years later, after getting out from the RP military special forces, he would become a laywer, enter politics, and win the city vice mayorship of his native capital city single-handedly as an independent candidate.

HIS POLITICS

Anyhow, at first, Tuting Perdices told him outright when he presented himself to become councilor in 2007: “You can’t win, besides, we’re already filled up.” Challenged and hurt, Cordova decided to run as an independent and the people gave him a seat in the city council.

In 2010, he was a hot choice of the LP for vice mayor after an impressive record in the Sanggunian. But again, LP top guns thought they had a better choice, an equally brilliant lady lawyer, broadcaster, and a fullbright USA law scholar. After being turned down due to “technicalities and timing,” Cordova decided to burn his bridges and gave it a make-or-break to the city vice mayorship.

Long story made short in 45 days , using his own unique political antiques and perhaps his learned military strategies, he man won. And overwhelmingly over two others. People gave him the mandate once more. What is the political destiny of this young man?

Today, there is no more turning back. It is the people now who gave him the TALL ORDER: go and lead. Clean up the city: of criminals, tradpols, drug lords, addicts and peddlers, corrupt civil servants, and the traffic mess. As presiding officer, Vice mayor-elect Alan Cordova cannot do it alone. Impossible. More so, if he does not build bridges and linkages among his peers and the community who elected him. He can no longer be an independent public servant.

In his thank-you message over DYEM ENERGY FM after he was proclaimed, Cordova said, “I am humbled by the mandate given me by Dumaguetenos. I promise not to fail you,” while admitting that once in, he will have to steer the council in a such a direction so that the City will attain what it has been denied for a long long time: a peaceful , safe and secure haven of an international community of students, businessmen and professionals, with all kinds of races, creed and breed.