Sinulog risks

The Department of Tourism’s new  slogan “It’s  more fun in the Philippines”  has generated many opinons.   Our  good friend and 888 news forum co-founder Consul General Bobby Joseph welcomed it with a positive note as well as Cebu  local government officials epecially since  we are celebrating the Sinulog.

We’ve seen samples of the ingenuity of  Filipinos adapting the new slogan from the funniest to the corniest.  One example even posted a picture in the Internet showing former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo behind bars.  But I think Joseph is correct in saying that we must be more creative by adding a colatilla to the new slogan to promote Cebu and to translate the DOT slogan to Japanese and  other non-English languages.

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Today is the third Sunday of January, so we celebrate Cebu’s grandest fiesta  in the country, the Sinulog.  Happy Fiesta to all and Viva Pit Señor!

While most of us are in a fiesta mood I have to advise everyone to be vigilant because  robbers, snatchers and swindlers are in Cebu looking for their next victim.  Political Science student  Sonny Buquecosa attended a Mass  at the Basilica del Sto. Niño that was sponsored by the University of San Carlos only to realize later that his backpack was opened and his valuables were gone.   Buquecosa lamented that whoever stole them didn’t have pity for him, a mere student.

I sympathized with my student but  reminded him that there was a lesson here.   The next time you’re in a crowd, stay alert for snatchers.

But a  bigger issue in the Sinulog  is the statement of Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Young who said the public school competition or the Sinulog Sa mga Kabataan was harming the studies of young students.  But one must remember that the Sinulog has been here for  31 years. Why is the vice mayor complaining only now?

Personally, I don’t believe the students’ participation in  Sinulog sa mga Kabataan (elementary and high school level) is wreaking havoc on students.  I was  informed that dance rehearsals and practice sessions are usually held after class hours.

Secondly the student participants are taught the value of discipline, team work, cooperation, hard work and the spirit of competition. Besides, the Sinulog is a festival for   children as well as the Sto. Niño is a representation of the child Jesus.  I think participating in the Sinulog is a legitimate extracurricular activity that should be promoted to  keep students from drug addiction and joining fraternities.

But I also agree that there’s a need to review the participation of  students in the Sinulog to see to it that their academic studies aren’t sacrificed. There will be time for that after the Sinulog festival.

There are  more  pressing issues that require the attention of the Cebu city government. City officials need to get their act together to serve the interests of the people.  They should set aside partisan politics in honor of the Sto. Niño.

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Yesterday’s  headline story in the Inquirer about the assets of Chief Justice Renato Corona reaching P200 million is mind-boggling.  The  source of the report was data from the Land Registration Authority that showed that Chief Justice Corona, wife Cristina, daughters Charina and Carla and son-in-law Constantino Castillo owned 19 properties spread across four cities in Metro Manila.

With  this revelation, the prosecutor has asked that a subpoena be issued for the wife and  two daughters of the chief justice to  answer the allegation about  property ownership in the LRA documents.

I don’t see why the chief justice and  justices of the Supreme Court still insist that their Statement of Assets and Liabilities are exempt from public scrutiny when the Constitution is very clear about the rule of transparency.