Monday, October 09, 2006 Nalzaro: Gwen’s tantrums By Bobby Nalzaro
THERE’S no doubt Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia is charming. That is why many people, especially those who are beauty-conscious, ask how she manages to retain her beauty despite her age. Well, that’s none of our business. But last week, Gwen’s charm was shattered when, in two occasions, she displayed in public her tantrums. Was this the real Gwen Garcia?
During a press conference, the governor lashed out at the Cebu Daily News (CDN) for publishing a photo of the ongoing construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) with the caption, “Running Out of Time?” A fuming mad Garcia said the photo was taken a few weeks ago. She said the newspaper intended to mislead the public into believing that the CICC will not be finished in time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in December. She called CDN, the “Cebu Monthly News.” The newspaper, in its editorial, said their photographer shot the photo two days before this was published.
The issue triggered a media tour at the CICC, which both the architect and contractor claimed is 90 percent finished. But why should the governor get angry with critics of the CICC? I too am skeptical that the building, which will be the venue for the December summit, will be finished on time. If one says 90 percent finished, I expect construction to focus on finishing touches, with everything already fixed and installed.
The second “revealing” incident took place during the meeting of the Provincial Development Council (PDC), where Garcia scolded University of the Philippines professor Cherry Ballescas, who is a representative of a nongovernment organization. Before the “shocked eyes” of PDC members and the glaring klieg lights of television cameras, she lambasted the lady professor, who was just asking questions about the governor’s priority projects.
I reviewed the raw footage taken by the GMA 7 Balitang Bisdak news crew on the incident and I found out that Ballescas, though assertive, was simply and calmly inquiring on Garcia’s priority infrastructure programs. But I couldn’t understand the governor’s violent reaction. The governor should have held her temper to show she is a professional, even if she felt slighted or insulted by the professor’s questions.
Ballescas is not her slave or subordinate to be scolded in public. She does not deserve to be treated that way. My unsolicited advice to the governor is not to lose her temper in public. Ayaw anang batasana Madam Governor kay makadisguwapa gyod na.
