|
Friday, September 27, 2002
KINTANAR: Just asking
By June Kintanar
Former governor Lito Osmena recently made it appear he is now a “jack of all trades,” an economic trouble-shooter and in charge of big Malacañang projects.
Now, the question: Why does he love a job that gives him access to big projects? Is the task that he claims he now has accepted any different from the one he held under the Ramos administration, where he was chairman of flagship projects?
It is common knowledge that government projects, especially infrastructure, produce what contractors call “SOP,” a euphemism for kickbacks. A former ranking local executive says the bigger the projects, the bigger the kickback. I’m not insinuating anything. Just asking.
Another thing. If Lito works closely with President Gloria Maca-pagal Arroyo, what will happen to the other Osmeñas who are believed to be gunning for the presidency in 2004? Won’t this amount to admitting that Lito will not support his relatives because he is already committed to the President? How would the other Osmeñas take Lito’s decision? Or, would Lito just take advantage of the situation and, in the last hour, leave the job and unite the Osmeñas against Gloria? Again, just asking.
****
Former senator Ernesto “Boy” Herrera hit the nail right on the head when he declared, in his capacity as regional head of Lakas for the Visayas, that Alayon members who want to join Lakas should leave Alayon before they take their oath as Lakas. What Alayon members want is that they swear allegiance to Lakas while retaining their ties with Alayon.
Lakas bigwigs, of course, are not born yesterday. They can very well sense whether these Alayon people are sincere or not. As it now looks, these people seem to want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to enjoy the best of both worlds. They want to get favors from Malacañang without abandoning their boss, Sonny Osmeña.
****
Tomorrow, Sept. 28, and the next day, Sept. 29, will be the bisperas and kahulogan of the fiesta in Argao in honor of its patron, St. Michael the Archangel. Occasions like this remind me of the many blessings St. Michael caused God to shower on his people in Argao.
First, God blessed a son of Argao, Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. Then recently, God, apparently through the intercession of St. Michael again, blessed another son, lawyer Bienvenido R. Saniel, Jr., who was recently appointed judge of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu.
The fiesta also reminds me of the blessings Argao missed. The Argao Beach Club, or what is left of it, was one of these. The facility was already world class, but because of the intervention of the government, it died an unnatural death. Thanks to the lack of foresight of some of our national officials in Argao, specifically Rep. Simeon L. Kintanar, Argao Beach Club is now but a part of the town’s history.
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
