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Friday, October 18, 2002
EDITORIAL: The Metro Dumaguete concept
On and off.
This is how the proposed Metropolitan Dumaguete concept progressed since its inception during the last term of then and now Mayor Agustin Perdices in 1995.
The plan hibernated during the three-year ascendancy of former Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo in 1998-2001.
Now it's back. Like a vehicle fed with gasoline.
Last Monday, the four mayors of the proposed metropolis that will compose Dumaguete City and its neighboring towns of Sibulan in the north, Bacong in the south and Valencia in the west, met at the Dumaguete City Council Session Hall to strengthen the concept.
That is, to make it a working mechanism.
Among the common ambitious plans are to build a road network linking the four local government units, draft a common program to fight crimes and maintain peace and order, and develop the full tourism potentials particularly that of Sibulan and Valencia.
Indeed the mayors agreed to form a technical working group to identify priority projects and programs that will be beneficial to the people of the four territories and to come up with an initial P2 million budget for some of the projects that may be implemented before the end of the year.
Well and good.
But as experience tells us, nothing good lasts forever.
The case of the metro concept may not be an exception. Politics will always play an important part in its resurgence or demise.
There is nothing wrong with the concept. In fact, it is a very laudable plan, a brainchild of Mayor Perdices.
The concern here is that it is a mere concept and without the blessing of legislation, especially from Congress. As concepts go, they are nothing but ideas.
Mayor Rodolfo Gonzales of Valencia said his municipality would fully support the projects and programs of the metro concept unless these will be exploited only for the personal benefits of some officials.
Now, who can these officials be?
Mayor Gonzales may be right in all probabilities. His is a legitimate concern especially with the 2004 elections looming in the horizon.
On the other hand, Dumguete City Administrator Dominador Dumalag Jr. is the right person to steer the proposed technical working group. He has the expertise and is hopefully non-political.
But what good would the concept's vision be if it remains nothing but a concept. In their haste, the four mayors neglected to consider first the coming up with the plan to institutionalize the metro plan, similar to that of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Unless this is done, the local metro version will be nothing but a plaything for the aggrandizement of some officials.
And again, the concept will sputter and die. |
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