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Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Wenceslao: Mangaoang, Karingal and Mt. Olympus
By Bong O. Wenceslao
Big time. That’s how I describe this tug-of-war between Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang and Grace Karingal for the post of district collector of the Port of Cebu.
Consider the personalities and groups dipping their fingers into the mess. No wonder top Bureau of Customs officials could not seem to make up their minds on who should get the post.
In the end, though, I say Mangaoang and Karingal are mere puppets in this power play. The real battle is between two lobby groups, a.k.a. influence peddlers, doing their thing up there in Mt. Olympus, or Malacañang if you will.
It’s a tug-of-war between “gods,” and Mangaoang and Karingal, and yes, us Cebuanos but play the part of mortals.
That just proves how juicy the post of district collector of the Port of Cebu is.
“Gods” fight to gain control over it, and even mere mortals dare to join the fray.
That also shows how hopeless our kind of governance is. When tugs-of-war like this one happens, the scene of wolves fighting over a carcass comes to mind. How sad.
***
I pity Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante. He actually said the right thing: there is no longer any need to lure people away from Metro Cebu by holding festivals in the towns during the Asean summit in December. Meaning, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s offer to fund the festivals is unnecessary. So why is Cesante acting guilty?
This is what is wrong with the current local politics. Every other politician and leader are afraid to cross Osmeña’s path. Like they say the right thing but when the Cebu City mayor starts lashing back they fall silent. Remember Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera? Or Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano? Oh, well…
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It’s quite a long jump, this move to revise our Constitution.
Its sponsors held barangay assemblies-cum-signature signing and packaged them as “people’s initiative.” But critics saw through the ruse and aptly labeled them “politicians initiative.” I thought that was that. Then President Arroyo talked. Now we know it’s a “president’s initiative.”
I mean, with the way Arroyo and her subordinates are defending the signature signing one can’t help but conclude the scheme had its beginnings in Malacañang. That’s why I shudder at the thought of this “initiative” succeeding.
But then that is just a thought because in the end, I put my trust in the people. The schemers will fail. Wanna bet?
TEXTREAX. I also received a text message about cheating in the achievement tests in the elementary and high school level.
Mentioned were Compos-tela, Liloan and Carmen. Cheating was said to be in the form of leakage and was meant to prime superintendents and division and area supervisors for promotion. So calling top DepEd officials.
(khanwens@yahoo.com/0915-9228651)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 5, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
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