“Mayor Lang” Explained

The Tagalog word “lang”, is short for “lamang”, which is often used as a modifier to provide an accurate picture of the quality, as an adjective or quantity, or numerical count being presented.

For example: “Isa lang ang iboboto ko sa mga konsehal” means “I will just vote one among the councilors.”

But in some usage, it is to limit the scope of the word that may usually carry ambiguous or far-ranging content. For instance, when you want to say “I have voted”, you will use “Nakaboto na ako”. But when you want to say “I have just voted” (i.e. recently, or just now), you will say “Kaboboto ko lang.” Therefore, “lang” in English means “only” or “just”.

But in many contexts, “lang” is used to express a “limitation”. There are uses in certain contexts that are very difficult to translate into English. For example:

“Magtrabaho ka na lang.”

“You just work.”

(Focus. Maybe something will turn up.)

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 “Maghintay ka na lang.”

“All you can do is wait.”

(Just wait for now….)

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 “Kumain na lang tayo.”

“Let’s just eat.”

(No point in doing anything else.)

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 “Umoo ka na lang.”

“Just say yes.”

(It’s useless to complain.)

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 “Manood ka na lang.”

“Why don’t you just watch?”

(Don’t bother with anything else.)

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Just like how Vice-Mayor Walter “Bong” B. Marquez uses the phrase in his campaign slogan in his bid for a mayoralty position in Sablayan. His catchword for May 9 Elections simply reads “Mayor Lang.” His “lang” in this particular milieu connotes a sort of limiting himself if ever elected mayor of this municipality, and constantly reminds him not to exceed his duties and functions as local chief executive of Sablayan. He promised to do only those things required by or under the law, specifically those stipulated in the Local Government Code.

It is his way of emphasizing that he will not usurp his duties and would not be involved in any moonlighting activity and be involved as a clandestine servicer of the government, a “commissioner”, supplier, power broker and be involved, directly or indirectly, in anything that beyond his thrust and mandate as a local official, and in particular, a mayor.

The context of Vice-Mayor Marquez’s “mayor lang” according to him means that he will not capitulate to unlawfully performing his mayoral duties in case he is elected. He is just speaking for himself, he said. He does not care about the other candidates nor does he alludes to his rival.

Nothing in his mind and his slogan that he emphasizes that the mayoralty post is “basta-basta” or in the bastardized lingo, “just-just”.

It is very intellectually dishonest that this use of “lang” is presented as an affront to the esteemed and honorable government position or office that he aspires for. In visioning and animating such values instead, you purify the sanctity of that office.

Nonetheless, elections and political leadership are like a winnowing fan in our hands separating the grains from the chaff.

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(Photo: VM Bong Marquez Facebook Page)