Wednesday, June 27, 2007 Wenceslao: Why not let them quarrel? By Bong O. Wenceslao Candid Thoughts
I DON'T think Gov. Gwen Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña can be forced to sit in front of each other for a dialogue, like some sectors want them to do. I could not even imagine them zippering up their mouths at this stage of the game. Human nature. Or to be specific, their temperament. They would feel awkward doing that.
Our worries are actually based on our mistaken notions about the effect of conflicts. We so stress order and calm that we fail to consider how conflict also drives us forward. The best in people actually comes out in conflict situations. One can pretend to be brave and courageous in peaceful times; that pretense is exposed in war times.
Philosophers seeking the truth consider first conflicting propositions before reaching higher conclusions. That's the dialectics of old: thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis. Mao Zedong, the idol of most militants in China or the Philippines, popularized this one: Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed. Perpetual conflict.
Okay, okay. Where I am headed? I am just saying that while we want to see Cebu's two best leaders of this period work together for the common good or at the very least be civil to each other, we should not also act hopeless if they don't do that or instead they try to cancel each other out. Perhaps some good may still come out of this exchange.
In sports or in business, competition. Isn't that the positive side we view when we see boxers or firms in conflict situations---protagonists trying to knock each other out? Competition drives Manny Pacquiao to develop better styles of fighting, and every capitalist makes the quality of his product better than the others to control the market.
Of course, you already know that and I am just reiterating it. So we go to the Gwen-Tom tussle. I will point out the issue and follow it with a short discussion. First off is Ordinance 93-1. After the land swap deal fell through, what happened? Capitol's hard line stance against the occupants changed; now its officials are willing to talk with them.
Ciudad project. Capitol may be at the losing end because it is their project that City Hall is scuttling. There's also lost employment opportunities for Cebuanos. But the conflict will also force the hand of the City Council and the City Traffic Operations Management to improve the traffic situation in Banilad area once and for all, or else...
Want more? Okay, the tug-of-war over Fuente Osmeña and the Cebu Zoo.
City Hall neglected the two facilities before Capitol claimed ownership of the lots they occupied. Now, what are we hearing? Osmeña saying the City will develop the Zoo area into a “safari.” Calls to improve Fuente Osmeña are being made.
The Cebu South Bus Terminal? We now know who owns this portion and that portion of the lot where the facility stands. We also have found out the bus terminal is not the only facility contributing to the traffic woes in that area.
More importantly, we now know that despite the conflict, Osmeña cannot touch the terminal without getting torched.
Wasn't some positive action done and our knowledge improved because of the Gwen-Tom war? And finally this: Garcia and Osmeña are both ruling their turfs with iron hands and with least opposition (claims by Vice Mayor Michael Rama notwithstanding). Since nobody is fiscalizing their reign, why not allow them to fiscalize each other?
