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Thursday, July 01, 2004
Mongaya: GMA’s inaugural
By Anol Mongaya
Cebuanos came out in full force for the historic inauguration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s fresh six-year term. Aside from the declaration yesterday as non-working holiday, the weather, which was rainy the past few days, cooperated.
Cebu hotels were likewise full because top officials and their staff, along with presidential guests and dignitaries, arrived to witness the momentous event.
However, Manila mayors reportedly made a last ditch effort to have the Cebu inauguration cancelled. This was the reason why Malacañang decided to hold the inaugural speech at the Quirino grandstand before the oath taking.
I think holding the ceremonies in Metro Manila and Cebu as well as the first Cabinet meeting in Mindanao demonstrated well the Arroyo administration’s direction to spread national development programs outside Metro Manila.
Still, some quarters aside from the political opposition frowned on the Cebu inaugural. They believed the move was primarily motivated by the desire to reward Cebu for giving over a million votes to Arroyo rather than a symbolic act of a president uniting the whole country.
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I think the Cebu inauguration also sidestepped a potentially embarrassing violent confrontation in Metro Manila between tens of thousands of Fernando Poe Jr. supporters and members of militant groups on one hand and the police on the other.
Already, various groups are flexing their muscle in Metro Manila. The police have been forced to use not only truncheons and batons. They also threw tear gas to disperse the increasingly unruly crowds. These groups could have mobilized more people had President Arroyo taken her oath there.
In Cebu, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan tried to go near Fuente Osmeña yesterday morning. Sanlakas, KPD and FPJ followers followed the group. But local police dispersal units easily stopped both mass actions, which mobilized only a few thousand people, from proceeding to Fuente Osmeña.
The pro-FPJ groups and militants probably did not know that members of the controversial Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity were allowed near the Capitol building because they carried a pro-GMA streamer.
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Cebu finally has a new governor after provincial board of canvassers chairman Edwin Cadungog proceeded with the canvassing of the protested certificates of canvass yesterday afternoon despite a verbal order from Chairman Benjamin Abalos to stop. Gwen Garcia won by some 7,000 votes over his close rival, former congressman Junie Martinez.
Had the canvassing been further delayed, there would have been a vacuum at the Capitol. And President Arroyo would have been ironically inaugurated in a province with no governor elected yet.
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Several readers texted or called me to express their reactions to the piece on Patrick Gregorio’s bid to become tourism chief. Two Cebu officials agreed that the timing for the move is wrong. Also, there is this perception that Gregorio himself lobbied for the position.
But a pro-Gregorio reader said tourism industry players were the ones who pushed for his appointment. They just wanted somebody who knows what the Philippines need to be able to attract tourists.
Let me also clarify that I did not say Gregorio is not qualified. Being an insider in the country’s tourism industry is definitely a plus for him compared with somebody coming from the outside. A couple of texters also noted former Secretary Dick Gordon’s role in the increase in the number of of tourist arrivals this year.
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While media attention focused on the controversial P1.50 increase in PUJ fares and efforts to bring it down to P1, trisikad drivers also jacked their rates from P3 to P5 in some areas. We know where to complain about the PUJ fare hike. But what about the hike in trisikad fares?
(e-mail: superbalita@sunstar.com.ph or anol_cebu@hotmail.com; text: 0917-9761193)
(July 1, 2004 issue)
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