Small Shot made Big Shots in the Congressional Slate in Eastern Samar

By SENTAY BELIZAR-QUITORIO
May 26, 2007

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar  –  Teodulo “Doloy” Coquilla was proclaimed the next representative of the lone district of Eastern Samar late night of Friday May 18, 2007. Coquilla gathered a total votes of 86,232 against Libanan’s 78,956 with a margin of 7,276 confirming his representation to congress.

Cyrain Cabueñas PDI correspondent quoted Coquilla during an interview that the Libanan-Coquilla congressional race was like a Goliath-David fight.

Atty. Marcelino Libanan’s three terms could have been extended via wife Elda with whom Coquilla raced in the congressional slate last May 14, 2007. Considering the Libanan’s strong connections to the administration party and other opportunities that go with it, compared to the few and never heard supporters of Doloy anyone would think it was a real hard fight.

Curious people and perhaps ambivalent voters may have asked, “has Doloy money enough to buy him votes?” During a church-sponsored candidates forum, Coquilla and Libanan were asked by a panelist “Are you going to buy votes?” Coquilla candidly answered: “Kon puede la deri ga ak kay magasto ngan nakakawara dignidad” (if it is possible no, because it is very expensive and demeaning), while Libanan seemed ready and prepared: “Bisan kakan-o waray pa kami pamalit hin botos” (we have not bought votes ever since).

Coquilla 69 years old was born to a poor family in Oras, Eastern Samar. Finished high school in nine years, capitalized his skills, attended Dental aide and Liberal Arts courses in college but the opportunity to join the US Navy came before he finish college. He worked hard for his tuition and joining a dollar paying job and get a citizenship was very inviting. After retiring from the US Navy in 1985 he tried his luck once more proved leadership and managerial skills worth; established, owned and managed business enterprises, apartments, restaurant and a nursing home in the U.S. and an FM radio in his hometown Oras.

Constantly he would return to the Philippines with wife Zenaida a retired nurse, and finally decided to settle for good in their hometown, left a place they called home for 40 years in Vallejo California. Seeing a province and a country with a dragging development challenged him to seriously consider politics following his conviction for a real change.

“I do not have an impressive resume to brag and convince people to vote for me, what I have is dedication, hard-honest work, focus on realities as a benchmark to start stepping towards developing Eastern Samar”, Coquilla assured people during the campaign.

He decided to renounce his American citizenship and regained Filipino citizenship in year 2000 after the court’s decision to “de-seat” him as mayor in Oras in 1998 questioning his residency. This time armed with support from people he considered equally dedicated and concerned for the interest of the majority, he will take the first step of a long journey.

He is at the moment organizing a panel of consultants composed of experts in all fields and definitely not politicians. Consultative approach embedded with a check and balance will be its strategy in implementing programs and project.