Time To Put A Stop To 'Vengeance Politics'

Old political families have been toppled in at least two major cities in the province. New faces are expected to change — and shake up — a relatively flat political landscape, reflecting the cry of a people who had wanted constructive change in government.

However, while voters are generally satisfied with the way elections in Laguna province have turned out, some public employees in these cities — many of those of whom are connected with the current leadership — are now fearful for their future.

The reason, of course, is all too simple: the prevalence of the so-called "vengeance politics."

Employees whose only probable fault is their connection with the outgoing administration are immediately replaced ones the new leadership takes over. This is especially true with "job-order" or contractual employees whose contracts are at the mercy of local politics.

And it’s not just the jobs that are often put in peril with the changes in leadership. Major programs and projects are often scuttled or cut down just because they’re associated with the former administration.

Of course, we could not blame the sentiments of the new leaders who definitely wanted a “clean slate,” a fresh start to implement their own programs and projects.

But in cases where the old and the new have had bitter rivalries, especially during the polls, there’s that irresistible urge to take revenge on the former administration. Unfortunately, civil servants who have worked conscientiously for the local government take the brunt.

Here's some advice to the new leaders in our local governments in the province: if they are indeed serious in bringing about real changes in their administration, they should not fall back into the old habits that have only proved to be roadblocks to progress.

And one of those is the habit of needlessly scuttling people or projects just because they’re connected to the former administration.