Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Mercado: Friends By Ram Mercado First Person
IT HAS been said that the extreme test of friendship is the courage to tell one his faults.
Sometimes mutual friends, mostly public figures, are subjected by their "pals" in media to harsh, if undeserved, criticisms.
Another side of friendship, whether it has been there for long or just warming up to be nurtured is to defend the reputation of the concerned when it is challenged. Or simply to put his side of an issue on focus.
Take City Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of San Fernando for instance. Lately, he has been the receiving end of protesters to his Central Terminal project. The opposition to the novel and much-awaited infrastructure has taken a strident and vociferous voice, because his transport rationalization program is costing the public a few pesos more in extra fare and a little inconvenience.
What Mayor Rodriguez is undergoing today is the backlash and necessary consequence of the project's "birth pangs." Nothing of value in this world, whether it is blood diamonds, the honor of a high position, or simply an expensive central terminal in a growing city can be achieved without a struggle, without pain, without conflict.
A remarkable school building program where Rodriguez put his mayoralty at stake underwent the same controversy and bitterness. He should take in stride the attendant vituperations and passing resentment mostly from non-city residents passing through or going to his city.
If the Marcos regime buckled down under tremendous nationwide opposition to its infrastructure projects, there would not be a Philippine heart Center or a Philippine Cultural Center. The people initially opposed these projects. Soon after their inception these are proving to be outstanding institutions of a developing nation.
After a period, Fernandinos would be experiencing great improvement in the local traffic and road conditions. They will find the free and smooth flow of people, cargoes and merchandize in the way they should in a progressive city, and thank Rodriguez for his foresight.
Residents should display their support to the Terminal, especially those with private vehicles. Their traveling convenience is secured, with less congestion in major streets, and minimized air pollution resulting with the rapid flow of vehicles. Only the loading and unloading issue should be addressed in time.
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It is definitely unfair to focus scathing criticisms and impute ill motives to a single individual when corporate decision-making involves many officials as in the Board of Directors of Clark Development Corporation.
The allegations leveled by PGKM's Ruperto Cruz against CDC president Levy P. Laus might as well be hurled against the CDC directors who draw, plan, and approve CDC policies.
Laus executes and implements the Board's collective decisions, all of which are related, relevant, and appurtenant to the CDC development objectives including recommended course of action for national agenda, investments, the utilization and management of all facilities inside the Freeport. Will CDC vice president Frank Madlangbayan be courageous enough to answer PGKM on the concerns raised by Mr. Cruz?
Understandably some persons adversely affected by his implementation of policies, interests not served by his decisions, or sectoral expectations unfavorably met would want Laus out of CDC. All previous CDC presidents encountered similar ouster calls.
I would do the same -- ask the ouster of Laus or any CDC head -- if my personal interests are not served by his leadership, or would be prejudiced by corporate programs led by him.
People wanting Laus's ouster, like tribesmen discovering a useless tree, should cut down the whole things, not merely trim a branch, and graft a new appendage in its place.
Mr. Cruz quixotic demand on Laus's head has placed Chairman Nestor Mangio of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) in an embarrassing position. By linking his name to an alleged "rivalry" between him and the CDC, chief, it is fueling speculation of a possible trouble between them. Which is not so.
Chairman Mangio, nationally acclaimed architect, real estate developer would not want to be accused of a "power grab", in this case the CDC presidency under my "Kapampangan Man of the Year."
Certainly Mr. Mangio is very close to the First Family. President Arroyo would call him any odd hour of the day, or summon him anytime, as she did when the First Family was vacationing in Baguio.
The architect, intimate associate and benefactor of the miracle healer, Fr. Fernando Suarez, had brought the legendry priest of Canada and Batangas to the Palace in a healing session for Atty. Mike.
Naturally, the First Family was very grateful to Tatang Nesor and Mrs. Marion Mangio for their effort to help the FG recover from a near fatal illness months ago.
Too busy in his many projects, with Lakeshore marketing demanding his full attention, Mr. Mangio certainly would not sacrifice his investments for a full-time job like the CDC. Beside, the architect is currently building a beautiful Shrine in Batangas, the spiritual healing sanctuary of the priest miracle healer.
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I hope my friend of old Ms. Grace Santos, businesswoman and Sipol publisher will not be used unknowingly by her friends from the Philippine National Police who are interested in the position of Police Senior Superintendent George Gaddi, Angeles police director.
Gaddi reported a shaping conspiracy to link him to sensitive police cases, notably the drug campaign, with Sipol dramatizing stories and casting aspersions on his reputation.
A city media group was used recently for that purpose, (destroy Gaddi) but its top officer denied being involved in the move and disowned the resolution of denunciation against the police chief.
