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Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Mayor shares Sinulog stage with 'enemies'
CEBU CITY -- For the first time since he engaged Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos in a verbal war, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña shared the stage with the two leaders Monday.
De los Santos and Garcia were at the awarding ceremony at the Cebu Sports Center to receive the prices and trophies for their respective contingents.
Sun.Star Network Online's coverage of the Sinulog 2008 Festival
They (de los Santos and Garcia) had gone up the stage to claim the cash prizes and trophies for their respective contingents.
Some 30,000 spectators cheered the winning contingents as they performed again inside the sports center, but the louder cheers went to Osmeña and de los Santos when the latter went up the stage.
Even city officials were smiling, as photographers and cameramen scrambled to get a shot of the rare occasion.
"It was a moment of uncertainty because we didn't know how Mayor Osmeña would receive me. I was really thrilled, but I'm very happy that he was very civil and cordial to me," de los Santos told Sun.Star Cebu.
"Also, it was the first time that the mayor and I were seen together and maybe the people were cheering for me for having the courage to be up there, on the mayor's turf," she added.
Osmeña smiled at de los Santos, shook her hand and posed with her after giving Lahug's prize money and trophy.
When asked if it was her way of opening the door for reconciliation with the mayor, she said she never closed her door on anyone and she never had anything personal against Osmeña.
Governor's turn
After de los Santos and two other contingents claimed their prize, Garcia also got up on stage to accompany Alcoy officials, whose contingent grabbed the top prize in the Sinulog-based category.
The cheering continued as the governor shook the mayor's hand and posed for a photograph with him. She also kissed the mayor and his wife when she left the sports center.
This was the second time in two days that the paths of the mayor and the governor crossed.
At the culminating activity of the Sinulog grand parade at the sports center last Sunday, Osmeña welcomed the governor with a kiss on the cheek at the VIP area of the grandstand. They also talked briefly.
The mayor later said he did not discuss anything official with the governor, adding that he does not have anything personal against her since their row was a result only of the aborted land swap deal.
De los Santos said she was determined to accept the barangay's award because she has supported the students of the Lahug Elementary School since they decided to join the Sinulog three weeks ago.
The barangay spent P200,000 for the costumes, props and practices of the contingent while she personally shouldered some of the incidental expenses.
"We joined because it was our way of thanking the Sto. Niño for the blessings Lahug received, that's why we really supported the group and I said I have to be there to claim the prize. Anyway the Sinulog is not about politics. It's for everyone, regardless of political color or creed," she said.
Word war
De los Santos, who is allied with the opposition, figured in a word war with the mayor on several occasions, including the time when the latter cancelled the construction of a school building in Lahug.
She also ran against Osmeña in the 2007 polls, and said she would return Osmeña's pet project, the multi-billion South Reclamation Project, to the National Government if she became mayor.
Osmeña's relations with the governor also turned sour when Capitol and City Hall's plans to exchange properties did not push through.
For de los Santos, the crowd's reaction showed that the public is aware of the conflicts among local officials.
"I did not expect the crowd to react that way. You can see the people in the grandstand, kaambakon gyud ug nagsige og shagit. Makita nimo na ang mga tawo, aware gyud diay sa mga panghitabo (some of them were on the verge of falling because of their excitement). Otherwise, they wouldn't have reacted that way," she said.
Street sweepers
In his welcome speech during the awarding ceremony, Osmeña congratulated the Cebuanos for cooperating in putting together one of the best Sinulog presentations in its 28-year history.
He specifically lauded the city's street sweepers, who he said are the real winners in the Sinulog because they worked overtime to clean the streets immediately after the revelry was over.
Even without recognition, the cleaners and thousands of volunteers worked tirelessly to make the Sinulog 2008 one of the most beautiful and successful events.
"We should all be proud that this is the only place in the whole Philippines that can put up a show of fun, a show of love, of unity and cooperation and a show of acceptance," said Osmeña.
The Department of Public Services used 20 dump trucks and 20 payloaders to collect garbage all over the grand parade route (or an estimated 50 truckloads of garbage), Councilor Edwin Jagmoc said.
Jagmoc also informed reporters that six guests at the Devotee City fell ill during their stay there for the Sinulog. He said they only suffered a mild fever and colds but they had to be taken to the city hospital for treatment. (LCR of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (January 22, 2008 issue)
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