Friday, August 10, 2007 Editorial: Purely ‘icing’ and ‘toppings’
IF YOU heard or read the State of the City Adress (Soca) of Mayor Evelio Leonardia Wednesday, you may say that it was already complete. But analyzing it deeper, everything he said was considered purely "icing" or "topping" in a cake. Of the course, it's well scripted! Imagine a 38-page speech. It's not ordinary. Meaning the mayor's script writer, researchers, or advisers at that are good in making his Soca.
In terms of organization and coherence, sequencing of priorities, choice of words, etc., etc., everything was almost perfect.
But there are still some things they forgot. One of them is the drainage system. Second is about dengue action. Remember that drainage system is one vital thing that the city needs an urgent action because of the present rainy season. Remember that on December 22 last year, Bacolod was surprised by a knee-deep flood that affected the entire downtown area and low-lying residential areas. What had the mayor done on it and in averting the same soon?
Probably, the mayor was only overwhelmed by the new government center which until is still the subject of political "war" in Bacolod.
But the tangible problem that may cause floodings in the city and may also affect his house, the mayor had forgotten it.
What if next month or next, next months will have another typhoon that will hit Bacolod or a heavy downpour that will flood the city again?
Is the city has already a plan on this?
Aside from drainage system, Councilor Reynold Iledan also commented that the mayor's Soca has no direction on health problem. That's true because the mayor only enumerated about the breastfeeding, mental health services, the cataract operations, medical-dental mission, insumix feeding program, anti-TB program, among others but no mention about dengue and the City's program in addressing it.
Did the mayor forget it again?
How could it be since Bacolod has already scores of dengue fatalities and patients? That's why his failure to report about the city's drainage condition and the city's action on dengue have made Leonardia's Soca very, very "incomplete".
Or, shall we say that his Soca can be likened to a cake with beautiful toppings and icing but hollow inside.
