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Thursday, August 10, 2006
Editorials: Cost of Leyson’s transfer
Talks on the transfer of residence of Councilor Gabriel Leyson from Cebu City to Talisay City have centered mainly on whether it allows him to continue holding on to the post.
But the matter of deprivation of service, which is probably happening already, should also be looked into.
Since the day Leyson thought of running for mayor of Talisay, how much of his time and Cebu City Hall resources have been redirected for the purpose? And what has Cebu City’s north district, which Leyson is representing in the Council, lost?
That needs to be verified and quantified for people to be able to understand the effect of Leyson’s current obsession with Talisay politics.
An elective official depriving those who voted him into office of a big chunk of his services for most of his term can be considered the worst punishment that can be inflicted on a constituency.
Time spent
Considering that he is up against a formidable opponent in incumbent Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez, an ally of the equally formidable First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Leyson must have been working double time since last year.
He must have already spent a big amount of time, for example, in setting up his political machinery and in effecting alliances with the city’s opposition, including the groups of former mayor Dehlia Tiu and former vice mayor Lani Abarquez.
Add to that the effort to introduce himself to Talisay voters, which means doing the rounds in the barangays and holding medical missions (like Operation Tuli)---an energy-sapping undertaking.
It is interesting, then, to compare these endeavors with Leyson’s output in his original base, Cebu City, especially in the aspect of responding to the needs of his real constituents and utilizing personnel and limited resources for the purpose.
Limp argument
Of course, Leyson can argue that other councilors, his colleagues in the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan that seemingly endorsed his foray into a neighboring city, can take up the slack.
But that is a limp argument because it does not take away the fact that by having himself elected to the City Council by his district’s voters, he is expected to deliver on his campaign promises and the tasks assigned to him.
By doing what he has done, he only exposed the kind of public service he is practicing.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 10, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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