WHEN CRISIS TURNS INTO OPPORTUNITY

By Manny Piñol

Every crisis offers a window of opportunity.

This is my favourite line in crisis management.

Today, I and my group composed of my brother, retired police colonel Pat, Jeff de Guzman and staff John Pagaduan, encountered a crisis of sorts when we were informed that the road leading to Dagupan City was clogged and the vehicles were hardly moving.

Of course, everybody would like to go to Dagupan City in Pangasinan to witness the last Presidential debate between the five contenders.

Reaching Urdaneta City at about 3:30 p.m., however, we were told that it was impossible to get near the debate venue because of the traffic.

Col. Pat, who served as the Chief of Police of Urdaneta for a long time, suggested that we stay instead in Urdaneta and just wait for the rally which will be staged after the debate.

He then called up an old friend who happens to be the incumbent Mayor of Urdaneta, Bobom Perez, who is now running unopposed.

Their friendship goes a long way back to the days when Bobom was just a barangay chairman.

When tragedy struck Col. Pat following the crash of Air Philippines Flight 541 where his wife and two children perished, it was Bobom who brought him to the airport in Manila in the middle of the night and literally lifted him up when he was down.

The old friends met again today and it resulted in a dramatic political development.

Bobom Perez who has declared that he has not yet decided on who to support for President engaged me in a heart to heart conversation and later agreed to pose with me wearing a Duterte cap and baller.

I gifted him with a copy of recently launched book, Feeding Millions.

In exchange, Bobom Perez said he will be on the stage of the Duterte rally tonight to welcome the leading Presidential contender.

This is a clear case of a crisis which turned into a golden opportunity.

(Photos by John Pagaduan.)