The father declared his retirement from public service after almost five decades as a government bureaucrat--- with four decades of which were dedicated to the people of Aklan as an unscathed political leader, undefeated and tenacious, few or none of local politicians in the entire country can ever duplicate.
In calling it quits in Aklan politics, he made sure his sons are positioned to at least follow his footsteps and by all indications, the sons are gearing towards that direction trudged by their father in the Aklan political landscape.
Former Aklan Governor, Florencio “Joeben” Tumbokon Miraflores, formally declared his retirement as his eldest son, Jose Enrique “Joen” Martin Miraflores, was poised to file his certificate of candidacy for Governor of Aklan for the 2022 local election with the aim of succeeding his graduating father after serving the governorship of the province to the fullest.
Departing from active politics, though, he is still much around to keep the Miraflores’ brand of political leadership intact and ensure that his sons succeed as he did by uniting the diverse political interests of his local political leaders who have shown through the years their faith in Joben’s leadership.
In 1988, Joeben started to chart his destiny in Aklan politics by plunging himself to a mayoral contest in his hometown of Ibajay. He won handily over the traditionally rooted politicians of the town. He was easily reelected in 1992.
1995 was the fateful chance for Joeben to shine in the provincial level. Reelectionist Congressman, the late Allen Salas Quimpo, was then hard-pressed to look for a running partner for Governor to be pitted against re-electionist Governor, the late Corazon Legaspi Cabagnot, a scion of the well-politically entrenched Legaspi clan, a family political dynasty in Aklan which dominated Aklan’s political landscape since the 1960s.
From then on, there was no crack in the political armor of the then young Joeben. He trounced Cabagnot by a slim margin. The rest is history now niched in the rich historical archives of Aklan province in modern times.
Joeben moved forward unstoppable. He was reelected the province’s Chief Executive in 1998 and in 2001 to complete his three terms (9 years) as Provincial Governor ending in 2004 for the first round.
Joeben’s political armor remained shining. He then switched to run as representative of the lone district of Aklan in the House of Representatives in 2004, reelected in 2007 and in 2010, to complete his three (3) terms (nine years) as congressman ending in 2013.
Three terms as Governor and three terms as Congressman could have been enough for the energetic and dynamic Joeben. But people asked and trusted him for more as a political leader.
He stepped down from the halls of Congress and returned to Aklan to reclaim the governorship which turned out easy for him. He was again elected as Governor in 2013, reelected in 2016 and in 2019 to complete his second round of governorship ending in 2022. Without asking him to go for more, Joeben was determined to say the time is up for him.
One may ask. Was it worth for Aklan and Aklanons for Joeben to be rooted in power in such a record-breaking fashion deserving the pages in the history books of Aklan and national politics. I may venture to say, it was worth it, more than worth it.
Behold the beauteous and radiant face of Aklan now.
It is virtually a first class province with a P2.9 billion pesos annual budget and income. Despite setbacks caused by factors beyond human control, the province has steadied to be one of the progressive provinces of the country, joining the few and elite billionaire provinces of the country. Economic and social services for the people had been expanded.
Aklan turned out to be at the top of the local government units of the country that is the least dependent on its share from its internal revenue allotment, now national tax allocation, from the national government. LGU Aklan is number one among the provinces that spends the most for the education of the young people. LGU Aklan had been conferred several times the Seal of Good Local Governance and once the champion in the EXCELL (Excellence in Local Governance) awards. The health sector always gets the widest slice of the province’s appropriation for social services.
In Joeben’s retirement from politics his two sons are safely enthroned in positions of responsibility. Son Joen is now the Governor of the Province of Aklan edging his closest rival for the gubernatorial post by miles and miles (85,000 votes), a record in the making that may not be erased. Son, Jose Miguel, is the incoming mayor of Ibajay, now on its 2nd term as he ran for reelection unopposed for a post vacated by Joen when he ran for governor. Joen is a two termer Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member of Aklan, aside from a two termer mayor of Ibajay. Jose Miguel is a two termer Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member of Aklan. Wife, Lulu, is a 3-termer mayor of Ibajay.
Who says political dynasties are bad for progress? Not in Aklan under the Mirafloreses. Look at the faces of the towns under the politically monolith families: Balete under the Calizos, Libacao under the Navarosas, Altavas under the Refols. These are progressive towns.
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