PEOPLE are talking about...
* "SEMI-PARALYSIS" AT CAPITOL AND CEBU CITY, MANDAUE AND LAPU-LAPU CITY HALLS. Many employees, including key officials, are in a stupor, shell-shocked or stunned, going about their job mindlessly or listlessly. The reason for government personnel's "semi-paralysis" is that they worry over whether they can keep their job or, if they're protected by Civil Service rules, where they will be reassigned. The transition is fraying government workers' nerves and further hurting service efficiency.
* FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY TEDDY LOCSIN'S LANGUAGE: from his allegedly "vulgar" talk to controversial takes on Tagalog and Nazis and threat to kill staff asking for birth certificates. His boss fishes for jokes while Locsin aims to shock people.
Talking to city residents
Twin actions of the BOPK-dominated Cebu City Council and Mayor Tomas Osmeña in response to the Court of Appeals ruling (publicized last May 22), which rejected the lawsuit seeking to spend the P8.5 billion proceeds from the sale of SRP lots to a business consortium, were these:
[1] A City Council resolution, published May 28, informing city residents about the alleged defects in the sale of the lots to consortium of SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Ayala Land Inc. The resolution, passed on a 10-seven vote, said the defects included lack of authority of then mayor Mike Rama to enter into a negotiated sale last August 7, 2015 and violation of the City Council resolution putting off the bidding of the parcels of land.
[2] A two-page, centerfold paid newspaper ad, run May 27 and 28 by the office of the mayor and signed by Mayor Osmeña, detailing the reasons why the sale to SM, Ayala, Filinvest by Mike Rama was "anomalous."
Apparently, the response was directed more at the public than at the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court, if the case is elevated to the high tribunal.
The ad spoke of the "influence" of three business companies that, it said, "can only be countered by the Cebuanos themselves." "You, the Cebuanos as OWNERS of the SRP be the JUDGE My job is to protect your interest against anyone." (Words are capitalized in the published text.)
Binaliw landfill controversy
Dispute over the use of Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City as site for dumping garbage might have been averted, or brought to the table of decision makers earlier, had opposition to it been raised before they started hauling their trash there.
The dumpsite was opened last month yet and it is only now that the objections were raised. Apparently, the risk to public health was not tackled before by the residents, the barangay council and the city.
Also, the barangay folk must have under-estimated the volume of waste that would come to their vicinity. It is not just Cebu City that ARN Central Waste Management Inc. is catering to. Reports say that Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities are also relieving themselves of their garbage there.
Then, there's the matter of the capacity of the site to accommodate all the waste without emitting offensive smell and endangering the health of residents.
If the Environmental Management Bureau of DENR approved it, why the loud protests now over the stink and the health issue?
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