Ryan Sioson’s Win: Beginner’s Luck or Destiny?

 

Unlike his governor uncle who rose from the ranks of the political ladder from barrio captain, municipal councilor, vice-mayor, mayor, and governor, Ryan Gadiano-Sioson, a newcomer, came to the province’s political scene with a bang. And a loud bang at that!

Was it beginner’s luck?

He is the eldest child of Punong Barangay Rodel Sioson and Erlinda Gadiano also the eldest nephew of Governor Ed Gadiano. Ryan is a computer engineer by profession and served as the executive secretary of his uncle from July 2019 to September 2021. When AKAP HUB, the convergence and progressive health program of the provincial government which is a brainchild and banner program of the Gadiano administration came into existence, he was immediately appointed as its focal person.

Despite the financial mess that he bested brought about by the disagreement between the executive and legislative branches, AKAP HUB became the bastion of hope for thousands of our province mates who have health issues, especially those with serious medical conditions. His new assignment put him closer to the marginalized, vulnerable basic sectors of society including the Mangyans coming from different ethnolinguistic groups in the province.

The hub was launched on October 7, 2019, and since then, the name Ryan Gadiano-Sioson became synonymous with AKAP HUB, therefore, the political moniker “Mr. AKAP HUB”.

Sioson ranked third in the recent election for board members in the first district of Occidental Mindoro covering Looc, Lubang, Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Sta. Cruz and his hometown Sablayan where he figuratively spooned a total of 48,790 strong votes. The newbie lawmaker, better-half of an engaging social worker from Sta. Cruz town, Hannah Patrisha Torreliza-Encina, vowed to continue what he have started in AKAP HUB, short for Aking Kalusugan Ating Pangalagaan-Health Unified Body.

When asked why despite his lack of experience in the medical or health field, why did he accepted the challenge and took the cudgels he said, “Everyone gets sick and sickness is not always planned. Not all time people can afford to pay the high cost of medication, recuperation or hospitalization.” With his full adherence to this advocacy, two legislations in the future came to his mind: the issuance of health cards for particular sectors of society and the other is to craft an ordinance towards steadier institutionalization of AKAP HUB.

Indeed, at some point in one’s life he won a game he never played before and since politics is a game of chance, Sioson considered his victory as beginner’s luck but as days pass by, he realized that it was a combination of hard work and destiny that came into play for him. He does not have his own political coordinators, leaders, and campaigners but he steadfastly labored for this win. While name recall counts (because he has a Gadiano pedigree), he made have distinct marks in countless attributes.

The incoming board member is a believer and champion for clean elections and politicking for he won without even a single drop of fraud and as clean and pure as stainless steel. He pledged a corruption-free tenure as the people look forward to it.

May these words of Buddhist monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki inspire Board Member Sioson’s baptism of fire in politics and amidst the old-timers in the provincial legislative board: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.” This is in a way a brotherly nugget of wisdom for the young legislature coming from this simple Mindoro chronicler.

Whether it’s a beginner’s luck or not, one day Ryan Sioson will make a name for himself and would no longer be a beginner but an expert in politics and statesmanship.

Hard work and dedication prelude destiny for sure where luck plays a very minor role.

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Photo: SP Ryan G. Sioson’s FB Page