By Atty. Zigfried Diaz, Zana Holdings Corp., owner and operator of St. Francis Memorial Homes
I am writing to express deep disappointment and strong condemnation over the continued practice of some departments within our local government units (LGUs) in Cebu, cities and municipalities in the province, who are still soliciting funds for their Christmas parties despite the trail of devastation our communities have just endured.
Cebu has endured successive blows in recent months, first a series of earthquakes, then the catastrophic flooding brought by typhoon Tino, followed by several more storms and unprecedented rainfall, which have caused flooding across the entire province. Thousands of families remain displaced or traumatized. Countless businesses, small and large, are struggling to recover from losses, structural damage, and operational downtime. Many companies have even cancelled their own Christmas festivities out of necessity and sensitivity to the plight of their employees and because of the fact that they simply could not afford it as of this time.
And yet, incredibly, some LGU departments continue to send solicitation letters to these very same businesses, businesses that are barely standing, many of which were among the hardest hit by the disaster. Worse, several LGU mayors had already publicly declared that there would be no Christmas parties this year out of respect for the victims and in acknowledgment of the hardships Cebu is facing. But their departments’ actions show the opposite: a disturbing disconnect, a tone-deafness that borders on callousness.
At a time when people are grieving, rebuilding, and attempting to regain a sense of stability, the persistence of such solicitations is not only irresponsible, but it is also heartless and thoughtless.
These actions erode public trust, especially in the context of the recent controversies surrounding corruption within government agencies. How can the public have confidence in institutions that preach austerity while their own departments quietly undermine these directives? Why should already-burdened business owners be expected to fund parties when they cannot even provide one for their own employees?
We expect our LGUs to lead with integrity, empathy, and prudence, not entitlement. Soliciting from disaster-stricken companies for the sake of year-end festivities is a grave insult to every Cebuano who continues to suffer, clean up mud from their homes, mourn losses, rebuild livelihoods, and pray each day that help arrives.
I call on our local leaders to immediately investigate these practices, issue clear directives to put a stop to this, send a very strong message and hold accountable those who persist in this insensitive behavior. Public service is a sacred trust. At this critical moment in Cebu’s history, compassion, not celebration, must be the priority. I have said it before, but it bears repeating: our people are still reeling from loss, pain, and anger; they deserve sensitivity, not solicitation. Swift action is needed, and we pray our officials will stop the tone-deaf theatrics and start taking true responsibility. In times of tragedy, what Cebu needs is service, not self-indulgence; empathy, not entitlement.
Continuing to cry for JUSTICE FOR CEBU.