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Saturday, September 18, 2004
Nalzaro: Mayor Osmeña and humility
By Bobby g. Nalzaro
After Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña got another chance to live, I expected him to change his nature, especially his dealings with ordinary people. I was wrong. Because after he collapsed inside a church almost two years ago and his doctors advised him to change his lifestyle, especially his drinking habit, his attitude worsened.
He is back to his old ways, treating people like his slaves and being arrogant and vindictive. I don't know if the mayor still knows the meaning of humility.
I don't know if he still has a spot in his heart that pities and considers the welfare of ordinary citizens. I don't know if he is still practicing the Christian values taught to him by his parents.
Why am I pointing these out? Because I find Mayor Osmeña’s reasoning and statements on some issues weird. He is acting strangely as if he were not the mayor of a progressive city where most people easily understand the issues confronting the City Government. Cebuanos are mature enough to understand the mayor’s stand, policies and programs without him resorting to name-calling and being arrogant and vindictive to those who crossed his path.
He called Rep. Eduardo Gullas a land grabber for claiming portion of the South Reclamation Project. He accused members of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) of extortion for collecting the City's debt for using radio airtime. He likewise considered as extortion the issuance by the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines of a notice to sue City Hall if it fails to fully implement the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Act.
Why is the mayor acting like he is head of a primitive community? An explanation would suffice if he wants to refute the issues hurled at City Hall and insist on his stand. Why resort to name-calling? What will he feel if his words are thrown back at him?
He pretends to be a genius and does not listen to suggestions or unsolicited advice from his peers, political allies and his immediately family. He does not respect the views of department heads and his allies in the City Council. What he wants, he gets.
Now he is threatening to close GMA 7 because it refused to sell airtime to City Hall and for his suspicions that I instigated the refusal of KBP member stations to do the same. I don't know what will be his basis in closing the station. All I can say is that we are not violating any city ordinance.
But let him initiate punitive actions against the station because I am sure our management will not also take these things sitting down. We are still a government of laws not of men. Thank God, Osmeña is not our president because he is like Ferdinand Marcos. He imposes his will and caprices. He has dictatorial tendency.
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On a personal note, tugoti nga mopabuhagay ko sa akong dakong pasalamat niadtong mipadangat sa ilang mainiton nga mensahe ngari kanako gumikan sa atong pagsakmit sa usa ka prestihiyosng pasidungog isip Outstanding Public Affairs Program Host for Radio sa 13th KBP Golden Dove awards
Tam-is alang kanako ang maong pasidungog gumikan kay national search kadto diin gibangga ang mga taga-probinsya sa mga magsisibya sa kaulohan. Ug atong nakita nga puwede nato usab diay silang lupigon. Sa tanan, labi pa ang akong mga suking tigpaminaw sa dySS Super Radyo, daghan kaayong salamat sa inyong suporta.
(e-mail: bobby@sunstar.com.ph; or text: 0919-3181404)
(September 18, 2004 issue)
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