MAYORS of the 16 localities whose city-hood the Supreme Court considered as illegal have all the right to fight the ruling. Like many others, I also think the decision is unfair because not only have these localities tacked beside their names the word “city” but they have also set up the governmental structures needed for city-hood, and at a cost.

There should be a remedy to prevent the dismantling of what, by all intents and purposes, already exists. I am sure that even members of the League of Cities, which filed the case against the 16 localities arguing that it reduced their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share, have already adjusted themselves to getting a smaller chunk of the IRA pie.

The argument for finding a way short of forcing the new cities to revert to the status of a municipality becomes more compelling if one considers that many of the new cities are more urbanized than some of the “old cities.” Bogo and Carcar are centers of commerce in their areas---and are better off than some cities in Negros.

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Gov. Gwen Garcia has insisted that Capitol is serious in its plan to invest in the South Road Properties (SRP). But even if it is not, I think the mere announcement of the intention to challenge the offer of Filinvest to purchase South Road Properties (SRP) lot and enter into a joint agreement with Cebu City has already disturbed city officials.

My hunch is that Mayor Tomas Osmeña operated on the premise that nobody will challenge the Filinvest bid and that Filinvest is already a cinch to snag the contract.

Note that after the mayor announced Filinvest’s intention, other potential investors remained silent. Statements of City Hall officials also sounded like they were sure Filinvest is it.

Capitol’s move, therefore, was both unexpected and a disturbance (more pesky than a nuisance). I am sure it will disrupt timetables (Filinvest’s and City Hall’s). It will also force the hand of City officials, who will now have to allow a finer scrutiny of the details of the Filinvest offer, exposing what may have been hidden.

What makes the situation even more problematic for City Hall officials is that the main proponent of the agreement, Osmeña, is in the United States and will start extensive treatment for urinary bladder cancer. Mere text messages won’t work on this one. And once his chemotherapy session starts, the mayor will surely be physically debilitated.

Here lies the weakness of one-man rule. Once the main decision-maker, in this case Osmeña, is out, activities either ground to a halt or anarchy reigns. Contradictory statements made by City officials on Capitol’s gambit re: Filinvest bid tend to show that anarchy is rearing its ugly head at City Hall. I don’t know if it is better than paralysis.

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Sen. Manny Villar is Senate president no longer, replaced by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who promptly announced he is not interested in running for president in 2010. No tears for Villar, though, because he was merely using the Senate presidency as a platform for his ambition. I hope Enrile, though old, will be an upgrade from Villar.

Meanwhile, can’t somebody tell Sen. Mar Roxas to shut up? Before he got too ambitious (he also wants to be president), he was a member of the Senate’s committee of silence. Now he seems to be everywhere, looking for media cameras and microphones.

(khanwens@yahoo.com/ my blog: cebuano.wordpress.com)

For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here.

(November 21, 2008 issue)
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