OVER the past few days, I received calls and have been asked by friends regarding the column that Bobby Nalzaro wrote about Balamban’s new municipal hall and the lighting at the trans-central highway that stretches several kilometers all the way from Gaas, the barangay straddling the boundary of Cebu City and Balamban.

Others talked about the “Bzzzz” feature in this daily about Georgia Osmena and Jerry Yntig of Globe. Both were in my hometown exactly a week ago today, on the occasion of our town fiesta. They were my guests for lunch and with DepEd 7 director Ric Borgonia’s for merienda. They lingered on until early evening to witness the inauguration of the new municipal hall.

Sun.Star accepts donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy

The project has been on the planning table for long until Mayor Alex Binghay finally realized it under his fruitful watch, right when his term would end next year. Funding for the highway lights was from the good graces of Sen. Joker Arroyo and Globe/Innove, through the help of Georgia and Jerry.

Bobby’s column was about what appeared to be an innocent oversight during the light switching ceremony. While Mayor Alex asked Sen. Mig Zubiri to do the light switching in the absence of Joker (who was my classmate in a Liberal Arts course in UP Diliman), he did not get someone from Globe, whose telephone posts are being used as lamp posts for the lights, to stand as witness.

I know personally that Georgia was Joker’s campaign leader in his senatorial bid in 2007 (he ended up No.1 in our province) and had twisted Joker’s arm to donate part of his pork barrel for the trans-central lights. Jerry, being a Balamban native, also worked for the use of the Globe telephone posts as lampposts. Both were catalysts for the project that is benefiting the whole town.

They deserve recognition for their voluntary effort. Of course, I later learned that Mayor Alex called up Jerry to make amends for the oversight. Also, Councilor Dave Karamihan told me that the Municipal Council, earlier before the fiesta, passed a resolution of thanks to Jerry.

But it would have been better if it were a public recognition during the inauguration. Our social sensitivity will appreciate public recognition better.

Indeed, one of the distinctive features of our political tradition has always been extending recognition for one’s contribution to the well-being of the community. Note the scramble for recognition of donations and aid-giving to the victims of tropical storm Ondoy. That is human nature. That is very Filipino. That is the way we are.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 10, 2009.