Wednesday, June 13, 2007 ‘Autonomy for local governments’
WITHOUT autonomy for local government units (LGUs), Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña doesn’t find much meaning in celebrating the Philippines’ 107th Independence Day.
The mayor lamented that while the country claims to be independent, the National Government has taken away from the LGUs administrative control over the police and fire departments as well as schools and the courts.
At the City Government’s Independence Day rites yesterday morning, the mayor said there was more local autonomy when the Philippines had yet to be declared an independent country, when nearly all the agencies were under local control.
Irony
He said, though, that progress is still within reach if Cebuanos continue to be self-reliant and self-sufficient through the South Road Properties (SRP).
The mayor finds irony in the fact that when the Philippines became independent, “The LGUs became colonies of the National Government.”
“The reverse is true, that is why I think we should speak out this challenge and message to the National Government. If we’re going to support Independence Day, they should put their money where their mouth is,” Osmeña said.
“That’s our mistake. Maybe if we were still under the Americans, the local government would be more independent and our ability to shape our destiny will be more in our hands. But this is not a complaint. This is a prayer to create awareness for us to know that we should really not be proud of where we are today. We are moving backwards,” he continued.
Osmeña spoke before government officials and employees, civic groups, students and citizens who gathered for the Independence Day celebration at the Mala-cañan sa Sugbo.
A thanksgiving mass was offered, followed by the raising of the Philippine flag by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and city officials, and the releasing of doves and balloons.
Hours later, a large crowd that joined the Independence Day parade caused a traffic jam, said Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Executive Officer Arnel Tancinco.
The participants, said Tancinco, gathered along Gorordo Ave. and the Barangay Carreta area before proceeding to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), clogging up streets in the midtown area.
Closed
Tancinco said that all roads were affected after Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Osmeña Blvd. were temporarily closed to traffic.
But before 5 p.m. yesterday, he said, vehicles already started moving along Gen. Maxilom.
“Apektado tanan. Pero abli na man og sugod. Mango (Maxilom Ave. from Gorordo (Ave. intersection) to Fuente Osmeña heavy, pero moving (All the roads are affected. But while traffic from the corner of Gorordo and Gen. Maxilom Aves. to Fuente Osmeña was heavy, it kept moving,” he said when Sun.Star called him up at 4:40 p.m. yesterday.
It was a different road, however, that the mayor focused on in his speech.
While the LGUs cannot get the autonomy they deserve yet, Osmeña urged Ce-buanos to continue to be self-reliant in working for pro-gress and not to depend on the National Go-vernment.
“We pray that in the years ahead, in our own way, we’ll strive to make the City of Cebu more self-sufficient and for us to realize that that project down the road out there is the key to our future,” Osmeña said, pointing to the SRP. (LCR/With RHM)
