I WONDER who Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama was referring to when he said someone was trying to ruin his relationship with Mayor Edgardo Labella.
Okay, so those weren’t his exact words, but what else did he mean when he said, “og naa gyuy gusto magpa-away, mag-away jud”? The word “mag-away” means “to fight” in English, so Rama must believe that someone wants to drive a wedge between the two of them and it is only inevitable that their alliance will fail.
It has barely been two months since Rama and Labella took control of City Hall and already cracks are showing in their partnership.
Labella is out of the country, so he can’t well explain why he signed an executive order (EO) to create the Cebu City Sinulog Governing Board (CCSGB) that will oversee next year’s festivities.
According to the EO, “There is an imperative need for the creation of the board that will complement the functions of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) and that will focus on coordinating with the concerned agencies and entities to ensure the smooth implementation of the core activities, thus assuring the success of the Sinulog Festival celebration.”
Rama said it himself. The next two Sinulogs will have to be humongous because in 2021 the country will be celebrating 500 years of Christianity. And whether it likes it or not, Cebu and its almost cult-like devotion to the Sto. Nino will be in the center of things.
Mind you, I understand where Rama is coming from. After all, he has been overseeing the annual City event for 14 years as chairman of the SFI, a nongovernment organization that has been running the festival since 1984.
As he pointed out, the role of the City Government has always been to provide financial assistance to the foundation to help cover the winners’ cash prizes as well as some of the expenses incurred while preparing for the event.
Or something like that.
The SFI always had the run of things. But with the creation of the CCSGB, the foundation will have its hands tied. It won’t be able to do anything without the approval of the Sinulog governing board.
At least, that’s what Rama believes. So yes, he deserves some clarification, although I find it hard to believe that he had no idea about the whole thing. Unless, of course, everything is not peachy keen at City Hall.
I, for one, don’t think Labella had any ulterior motive when he created the CCSGB nor would he intentionally leave the vice mayor, his ally, in the dark. I think the mayor truly just wants to help.
Maybe Rama is aware of that, which is why he is implying that there is a third party that wants to sow discord between him and Labella.