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Thursday, April 15, 2004
Talk back: Not an oppressed community
By Ricardo Ramirez
Vice Mayor, Medellin, Cebu
I am not sending this letter as a spokesman for gubernatorial aspirant Celestino Mar-tinez Jr. but as an elective official of Cebu's fourth district.
Let me correct the fallacious statements, misim-pressions and false myths being propagated to the public by your columnist, Anol Mongaya, who has said more than a dozen times that the people in our area are "oppressed” under the hacienda system, and that Martinez is being protected by "hired goons" from Masbate.
If armed goons are synonymous with the Espinosas of Masbate of which Celestino Martinez is a relative, how come they are being steadily gunned down? How many Espinosas have fallen by assassin's bullets?
Purchasing power
Also, statistics of San Miguel Corp. shows that northern Cebu, particularly the fourth district, has the highest consumption of their products. If indeed residents there are oppressed, how come the purchasing power of the residents of the district has tremendously increased through the years?
The district has more than 10 reputable banks and financial lending institutions.
Reputable commercial establishments, such as appliance and motorcycle dealers, all have their branches in the north as well, particularly in Bogo.
The area even has a Prince Warehouse, a Gaisano Department Store, a Jollibee, and a Mercury Drugstore.
Even our local power provider, Cebeco II, has been a consistent awardee for its efficient collection and zero delinquent accounts.
Are these signs of an oppressed community?
Sugar industry
Mr. Mongaya has been constantly attacking the sugar industry of which Martinez is identified with. Although I admit that the sugar industry might have had excesses in the ‘70s such as lavish spending and ostentatious display of wealth by its key players, now you'll find an entirely different situation.
Much as Mongaya wants to put the sugar industry in a bad light, it is there to stay. This is because no other crops can he introduced--we have tried to before and failed because of the clayish type of soil that gets too sticky when wet and too hard when dry.
Also, we are part of the typhoon belt because of our proximity to Samar. Moreover, we have no rivers that could be source of irrigation and we only rely on rainfall.
The sugar industry in the district provides free medical services and free medicines to the laborers, with a hospital that is even better than government-run medical facilities. We also provide scholarships to deserving children of our laborers.
Not oppressive
I don't think you could call it oppressive.
Compared to the sleepy south, I'd rather belong and take my chances with what Mongaya calls as an "oppressed" community.
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