Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Editorial: Formula for development
LOCAL leaders that have determination, aspiration, and dynamism, comprise the primal key to development and growth of any community, whether in a rural or urban setting. This is the assertion of most social and political observers, whether the community has a single or multiple kind of leadership, as long as the leadership has unity of purpose and focus, and moves in the same direction, following a prior agreed-on programs and goals.
Not very long ago, results of a leadership survey in the rural sector reportedly revealed certain realities about local economic and social development. It seems that in a city or a municipality where both the mayor and the parish priest share the same development goals and enjoy similar social and economic aspirations, both would eventually be presiding over a progressive community with the people highly motivated for growth.
In a situation where opposite of the above scenario obtains, divisiveness among the people could prevail, and pessimism about achieving progress in a divisive setting would be overpowering. Stories reported in this daily just a few days ago, where two different stories of events happening separately in two different cities in our vicinity that betray leadership disunity right in their respective midst, may be cited as classic instances.
There is the story of the disunited City Council of Mandaue. The cause of the disunity is simply politics. The mayor won under one party while majority of the council comes from the former dominant political force. And of course, the victorious mayor looks on the opposition-dominated council with suspicion. Thus, the theme song of the former against the latter is “obstructionism.”
Countering the mayor’s “song,” majority councilmen are asking in disgust how and where did they become obstructionists when most, if not all of the mayor’s request were reportedly passed by them, such as the annual budget which they approved totally. Even the request for P668 million for implementation of the mayor’s programs and projects has been passed. Eight out of 10 contracts for project implementation has also been approved.
And then there is the beleaguered Lapu-Lapu City. This city on Mactan Island has been hit by all sorts of brickbats that if it were a real person, and the verbal criticisms it has been receiving real bricks and bats, the mayor and his coterie of strong-hearted (or thick-faced?) defenders would have long buckled down in utter exhaustion and defeat. But they seem to be enjoying the upper hand of the argument with city’s business leaders.
The recent take on the case is about the reported dead employee who has continued to receive her monthly honorarium. It was an obvious case for the ombudsman whose city deputy, as it turns out, is the business leader “tormentor” of the city leadership itself. It would have been a grave sin against, and a great loss, to taxpayers. But as it turned out, the daughter took over and served in behalf of her deceased mother.
If the influential city leaders were united and nourished a common purpose, what might they have accomplished for their respective cities and people?
