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Thursday, July 01, 2004
Country gets ‘gift of another chance’
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez, Linette C. Ramos & Rene H. Martel
Sun.Star Staff Reporters
PUBLIC officials and the people must learn the lessons of history and “take the gift of another chance,” Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said yesterday.
“Today marks a new beginning for our nation. Today, we thank the Lord for the gift of another chance. Today, we take the new opportunity to move forward and to fulfill our dreams and aspirations as a nation,” Vidal said in his homily.
During President Arroyo’s thanksgiving mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Vidal said the electorate “must ultimately take responsibility for the people they elected into office and to live up to the choices they have made.”
“Our nation will never rise to the challenge of another chance if self-interest divides us and parochial concerns derail much needed reforms,” the cardinal further said.
In a brief message she delivered before the mass ended, President Arroyo thanked the Cebuanos who gave her a margin of about 1.1 million votes against her closest rival Fernando Poe Jr.
“I decided to hold my inauguration in Cebu so I could thank you for your support and tell you that you are very close to my heart,” Arroyo said in Cebuano.
She then led Cardinal Vidal, the other officiating bishops and priests and the Cebuanos in reciting the prayer to Our Lady of All Nations.
In an interview after the mass, Cardinal Vidal said that although he “empathizes” with opposition standard-bearer, an ally of former president Joseph Estrada, he asked him and the opposition camp to “face the reality for the sake of the nation.”
Cebu City officials started to arrive in the church past 4 p.m. yesterday while Cardinal Vidal and other bishops and priests waited for the President.
Unable to keep their excitement, the crowd that waited as early as 2:30 p.m. greeted each government official with cheers and applause, particularly Vice Mayor Michael Rama and his nephew Councilor Eduardo Rama Jr., who both stopped to accommodate those who wanted to take their photos.
Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., Senate President Franklin Drilon, House Speaker Jose de
Venecia, Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo were among those who attended the mass.
Arroyo was escorted into the church by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, his wife Margot and son Miguel at 5:10 p.m., or 10 minutes later than scheduled.
Vidal said in the same interview that he is willing to extend help to the administration.
“It depends. (But) I would like to help out in any way. Whatever I can do,” he added.
As the President, Vice President Noli de Castro, their families and other government officials were preparing to leave the church, the power went out.
Electricity was restored in a few minutes.
A priest at the cathedral said their power supply tripped off because of overload.
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, his sons and the Presidential Security Group scrambled to cover the President, who was starting to be mobbed by wellwishers.
Spotlights of television cameras were used to guide Arroyo and her entourage as they made their way out of the church.
The presidential party made its way to Fuente Osmeña, where Arroyo swore into office Mayor Osmeña, Vice Mayor Rama and the Cebu City councilors as well as Reps. Raul del Mar and Antonio Cuenco.
“This is our moment in history. We are most grateful to the President. She kept her word. She brought the presidency to Cebu,” Osmeña told thousands of Cebuanos who flocked to Fuente Osmeña as early as noon.
Arroyo, in reply, thanked Cebu for the support, saying “gihigugma ko kamong tanan” (I love you all).
The mayor later led the guests to the Metrobank parking area that the City Government transformed into a VIP holding area, as the street party progressed through the night.
At least nine bands were placed strategically on makeshift stages along Osmeña Blvd. for the street party.
The crowds were also treated to a 10-minute fireworks display sponsored by Ayala Land Inc.
(July 1, 2004 issue)
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