There are those who enter politics because there are jobless . . . they have nothing else to do. And make their elective position a source of livelihood, usually earned after intensive vote-buying (resorted to because they have no solid qualification to offer). There are Mayors, Vice Mayors, Councilors, etc., who become elected to positions they don't know anything about. There are those who are prepared for public service, because they equip themselves with the readiness for the job. Many have gone through various exposures, both in private and public concerns, and are ready to offer themselves to the public. Not because of financial reward, but because they want to give and show what they have, especially in terms of good governance.

Erwin Fernando Baquial (EFB) is one such professional public servant who has been through the rigmarole of Management as a businessman, an Accountant, an Auditor, and somebody who makes himself ready for public service. Somebody who forgets himself for the welfare of others.

These are excerpts of an interview in “Nangutana Lang,” aired over DYRD-ZD at 6:30 PM on March 27:

LMP: Kinsa si Erwin Baquial?

EFB: Ako natawo sa Lungsod sa Loboc, sa tuig 1964. Diha ko matapos sa pag-eskwela sa Loboc Elementary School, ug PMI-Loboc Academy. Ni-graduate ko sa Divine Word College, sa kursong Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Accounting.

LMP: Unsa ang imong trabaho as a fresh graduate?

EFB: Right after passing the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) Board Exam in 1982, I was connected with the Commission on Audit for 3 years. Tungod kay batan-on pa man ‘ta niadtong panahona, full of vigor, daghang ambition sa kinabuhi, I decided to transfer sa San Miguel Corporation, isip usa ka Auditor. Ang coverage sa akong audit ang Visayas ug Mindanao.

LMP: Dako kaayong area ang imong gi-cover. But anyway, you proved equal to the challenge. Nganong mibiya man ka?

EFB: Actually, I was transferred dihang mi-decide ko nga magminyo. I requested nga ma-transfer ko sa operation sa Beer kay Corporate Auditor man ko, bisan asa ko i-assign. In the year 1990, I was here in Bohol, ug naminyo ko right after. Diha man to'y operation sa San Miguel nga gi-privatize, I was requested to transfer to Cebu. Pero wala nako gidawat ang offer kay lisod kaayo ning gikan nata sa syudad, gibalhin sa probinsya, unya ibalik na pod sa syudad. Nanginahanglan gyod ug adjustment ilabi na nga anaa nako'y pamilya. So, I decided to get the early retirement plan of San Miguel. I was also given the opportunity to be the contractor of Beer after my retirement for six years, from 1996-2002.

LMP: You were on your own...imong negosyo?

EFB: Yes, Sir Loy.

LMP: Sa akong nahibaw-an, aside from that kind of business, you were also with other businesses.

EFB: Yes, I was also into pawnshop, duna ko'y water refilling station, ug bakeshop run by my wife. Every now and then, magkonsultahay mi sa mga problema ilabi na sa operation. Ang naka-interest nako nga mo-join sa Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), dihang gi-open nako ang Bohol Star Port Cement Corporation.

LMP: So, you are the Corporate Executive Officer?

EFB: Yes.

LMP: Unsa'y imong ikasulti bahin sa deperensya sa usa ka nangempleyo, ug sa sama nimo nga boss of your own business?

EFB: Both duna'y pros and cons. Kon empleyado ka, ang pro ana niya is, you only work 8 hours, after ana free na ka. Ang con ani is, limitado ang imong income, minos ka ug outlook sa imong kinabuhi. If you have your own business, mag-depende pod na sa imong kakugi. Pero ang con ana niya is that, you work 24 hours a day. Bisan aduna kay gi-hire nga mga employees, you still have to think on your own.

LMP: Sa ato pa, you have already explored all of those possibilities as a worker, and having your own business. Why did you enter politics?

EFB: The same sa mission sa DYRD, “Service is my motive, with truth as my only guide,” mao na ang akong motto pagkakaron.

LMP: Niserbisyo naka sa publiko sa una, isip usa ka empleyado, usa ka CPA. Niserbisyo na usab ka sa panggobyerno. Karon, it's direct service, it is real public service. Unsa'y imong experience, nga matawag nato nga dili gyod nimo malimtan? Is your decision interring politics nakalipay nimo tungod kay hilabihang ayoha?

EFB: Ang ubang mga politiko moingon, nga wala sila ma-enjoy or whatever nga ilang gisulti, pero para nako, I enjoy my work. Dili ko maka-ingon nga taas ko ug angat sa katilingban, pero what I got is from Loboc. How am I today in my golden years, gusto nakong i-share sa akong mga tagilungsod.

LMP. Sa ato pa, mapasalamaton ka sa nahitabo sa imong kinabuhi. Nga because of Loboc, you are what you are now. Pero pagkakaron, gusto nimo nga i-share pod whatever you have. Ug mao na'y hinungdan nga mi-intra ka ug pamolitika. Kon atong sumadahon karon Konsehal, kining imong pagka-politiko, is it something fulfilling, or is it something disturbing kay duna hinoo'y daghang problema?

EFB: Para nako, it is something nga fulfilling, although aduna'y mga problema. Because you get to know and touch those people, ilabi na kadtong anaa sa mga kabaryohan. Na-feel nako nga, didto ko na-belong. Ang mga katawhan pod didto, naka-feel pod sila nga I am really true with my actions, nga sakto ang akong pagtan-aw nila. They embraced me, mao siguro'y usang hinungdan nga, kalooy sa Diyos, nahimo ‘tang Senior Kagawad sa atong Lungsod.

LMP: Is this your first term?

EFB: Yes, Sir Loy.

LMP: Daghan pa kang angay makat-onan, as far as politics is concerned, ‘di ba?

EFB: From the count of 1-10, mga 2 pa siguro ko. (Laughs)

LMP: Let's talk about Loboc. Nabantog sa tibuok Pilipinas, even to the whole world, nga kon mobisita ka sa Pilipinas, you should not miss the Loboc River Cruise. Giunsa sa Lungsod, nga mahimo nga very successful kining maong aspeto sa turismo?

EFB: In the early 2000, nagsugod ug angat ang tourism sa Bohol. Maybe, tungod sa mga infrastructure nga gi-implement sa namunoan sa atong Lungsod ug sa Probinsya. Mao na'y gitawag nga collateral effect didto sa Loboc. Let's face it, duna po'y nahimo ang atong former Mayor, nga maka-connect ni anang gitawag nato nga mga effects, mao nang ni-asenso ang Loboc.

LMP: Akong nahinumduman, nga daghan ug donors ang mga proyekto sa Loboc. Not just from the public sector, but also from private individuals, which of course, the credit should go to the administration. But in our present system, dili pwedeng mag-Mayor ka for the fourth term. I believe, the former Mayor wanted to run as Congressman, pero wala madayon. Ako usab nadunggan tungod kay niabot kini sa Bohol Chamber, kay diha'y usa ka babaye nga nangayo ug tambag, bahin niining bag-ong pamunoan sa pagdumala sa river cruise, diin mora ug imbes free for all, kay that is supposed to be a free enterprise, duna na'y turno-turno. Can you elucidate to the public unsa ning mga panghitabo-a, Konsehal?

EFB: Kon akong balikon sa sinugdanan, Sir Loy, I was there sa meeting sometime in August 27 didto sa Panglao, kay gipatawag sa atong halangdong Mayor ang tanang stakeholders. What was agreed upon, nga aduna'y some sort of turno-turno, which is supposedly i-roll-out pa by June 2014. What happened was that, wala pa gani ma-fine-tune ang operation, kay mao pa'y pag-ingon nga mag-turno-turno, naa pa'y mga hang-over sa previous administration, three days right after sa among meeting, we were called up by the Honorable Mayor, nga i-implement na the following week. Para nako, dili ko in favor ana, kay we are curtailing the freedom to do business. As what Senator Bam Aquino had said during the General Assembly of BCCI, nga least lang gyod ang participation sa government. They are only there to regulate, kay ang naghatag gyod ug employment sa katawhan dili ang gobyerno, it is the private sector. Ug mo-ilog ang gobyerno sa pagpangempleyo sa katawhan, ang bayran sa mga tawo is ang buhis lang. Whereas kon ilang hatagan ug ayoda ang private sector, aside sa buhis sa mga empleyado, duna pa'y sa negosyo. So, ma-doble o ma-tripli pa ang madawat sa gobyerno.

LMP:You are really a businessman through and through. You know where should be the demarcation line. Pero that demarcation line, mora'g na-cross. Unsa'y nahitabo karon, atong laktawon na lang pagsulti Konsehal, what has happened so far, nasulbad na ba ang maong problema?

EFB: Nasulbad na, right after niadtong nahitabo sa buwan sa Nobyembre. There was a mandatory injunction from the Judge, nga maka-operate na ang person concerned. Lately, nagkaproblema na usab, kay duna kono'y wala makakuha ug permit. Actually, I was the one who said, nga mao gyod na'y buhaton. I know it for a fact, nga mao man pod na ang possibling buhaton sa gobyerno.

LMP: Sa imo karong trabaho isip usa ka member sa Sangguniang Bayan, making laws and regulations for the Municipality, wa ba kay problema?

EFB: So far, ang among head nga si Vice Mayor Bebot Sumampong, has been very supportive to us, sa entire body. Ang among deliberation conducive pod sa paggama sa balaod, tungod sa iyang suporta. In fact, I was able to make one law, nga gi-post na sa newspaper. Nga every month, usa ka unit sa floating restaurant dili pwedeng mobyahe, because they have to perform any of the four purposes enumerated: general retraining, general cleaning, preventive maintenance, and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), like mananom ug kahoy.

LMP: Unsa nga grupo ang nag-monitor niini, kay when you are giving assignment to people, it is very easy to say nga na-comply. Pero, who is monitoring?

EFB: Duna man ta'y Municipal Tourism Office. Basically, sila gyod ang nag-monitor ni ana, with the oversight sa SB.

LMP: Kanang ordinance nga imong gihimo, ongoing na ba na?

EFB: Gi-print na na sa newspaper, ug approved na sa Local SB sa Loboc. Ang proseso ana is i-approve una sa SB, i-print sa newspaper circulating within the locality, unya, mandatory na siya nga i-approve sa SP (Sangguniang Panlalawigan). Kon wala'y action ang SP on the days stipulated, automatic na siya nga i-implement.

LMP: Kon maghisgot kita ug pamolitika sa Pilipinas, not all the time, nga ang pangagamhanan, imong partido. Duna'y panahon nga mosukwahi tungod kay, in a body who would like to have his own party, pwede nga maghimo ug molansar as the head. I don't know if it is happening to Loboc. So, I would like to ask you, isip usa ka Konsehal, pila mo sa inyong grupo o partido?

EFB: Sa among partido sa Nationalist People's Coalition, duha ra mi.

LMP: These two could be subjected to what is known as the tyranny of numbers. Kadtong mga daghan ug numero, they can always dictate. Mao ba na'y nahitabo sa Loboc?

EFB: Sa mga crucial nga decision, especially kadtong resolution nga gamandar, nga ipa-implement ang turno-turno, diha gyo'y debate. That's the way it is, kay ingon ana man gyod ang democratic process, sama sa imong giingon nga tyranny in numbers, nidaog gyod ang daghan.

LMP:Sa imong tan-aw karon Councilor Erwin Baquial, are you a fulfilled person?

EFB: Every step of my life malipayon ko. Kon duna ko'y makab-ot nga kalampusan, bisan unsa pa kini kagamay, malipayon gihapon ko. Kon unsa'y maabot nako in whatever I do, I am satisfied, especially kon duna ko'y mga plano nga ma-successful. I would say, I am a fulfilled person.

LMP: Unsa'y imong mensahe sa imong tagilungsod sa Loboc?

EFB: Ako kanunay nga nag-ingon kanila nga ako ilang amigo, ug ako andam nga motabang kanila, ilabi na sa ilang mga gustong mahitabo diha sa SB. Taman sa akong makaya, ako kanang buhaton. Ako magpadayon sa pagserbisyo alang sa kalamboan sa Lungsod sa Loboc.

The courage to pursue a cause, despite being a “voice in the wilderness” is an initiative all should have, especially for a politician who finds himself outnumbered by participants on the opposite side of the political fence. This is a vehemence brought out of experience and the dedication to one's responsibilities. A member of a Legislative Body, who is committed to his job, is willing to make sacrifices for the welfare of the greater member. He knows how to weigh things, the pro and con of every issue raised, and decides based upon ethical standards. Even if he is alone in pursuing his ideals.

Councilor Erwin Fernando Baquial has gone through the ups-and-downs of life by means of hard work and endless perseverance. When he decided to enter politics, he knew the perils he needed to confront. As an Accounting expert and Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and an Auditor, he can qualify as a finance wizard. As a Businessman, he possesses the aspects that made him successful. As a Leader, he has long proven that he can motivate people to productivity. As a Lawmaker, he knows his job, and he cannot be cowed anymore by any semblance of threatening presence. The people of Loboc are lucky to have with them another individual who can be relied on to pursue the goals of the Municipality. They know that Erwin is a public servant they can trust.