INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

Kris Ablan’s weighty inheritance

Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—For Kris Ablan, politics is really in his blood. His father is Congressman Roque Ablan, Jr. His grandfather, the late Roque Ablan, Sr. was once governor of Ilocos Norte. Now, at 29 years old, he is making his first foray into local politics with his candidacy for Provincial Board member of the first district of Ilocos Norte under Lakas-CMD.

His political pedigree seems to serve him well. Once, while shaking hands with an old lady in a remote town, he was taken aback when she suddenly started crying and hugging him. Tearfully, she recounted that his grandmother, the late Manuela Ablan, had helped her before. These days, his father, who is also the Provincial Chair of his political party, is mentoring and teaching him the nuances of campaigning.

Yet, on his own, Kris has enough credentials that could match any other candidate’s. A Legal Management graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, he was representative of the Ateneo Sanggunian. He went on to win as chair of the UP Diliman Student Council, defying initial expectations that he would lose out to the candidate of the then-prevailing student political party. While finishing his law studies at UP, he worked with his father in lobbying for various bills in Congress. Recently, before he filed his candidacy, he served as an Associate Solicitor at the Office of the Solicitor General.

Mornings usually find him having breakfast meetings as early as 6 a.m. When he does not have a speaking engagement or a LAKAS-CMD campaign rally, he makes the rounds of houses and public markets. “I’ve also started to dance with my volunteers, my nephew and my niece after my speech in some political rallies to attract more people,” he chuckles. During these sorties, he shares his plans to seek funding to improve benefits to teachers and to encourage Ilocano balikbayans to put up businesses in the province. He also intends to facilitate the construction of the Ilocos Norte International Convention Center and Hotel. True to his law background, he will propose the establishment of arbitration as a standard solution in settling disputes. He calls his province “an unpolished gem,” as it still has a lot to offer aside from the famous bagnet, longganisa, chichacorn and beaches.

Does he think that his youth is an advantage? Without skipping a beat, Kris answers, “Every time I shake hands with people, I am told “naka-ub-ubing ka” (You look so young). On the one hand, it’s a good factor because people are drawn to me and I can immediately converse with them that I just look young but I am already a lawyer. On the other hand, some people get skeptical. I have to remind them that I just look young but I am very well qualified and of age and experience.” Certainly, it is an experience honed in part by growing up under the tutelage of his province’s political bigwigs. Yet while he is grateful for their guidance, he thinks awhile and then adds, “I am not the next Roque Ablan Jr.; I am the first Kris Ablan.” GBT

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