Battling floods

Now that Mayor Mike Rama is back from Israel, he’s swamped by problems, foremost of which is the flooding of the city streets due to heavy rains.

Good for city residents we have a mayor who inspected the cause of the flooding and is so concerned about the problem that he may call for a summit on the drainage problem involving all stakeholders including the City Council.

I think it is but proper that all sectors contribute their ideas about how to combat floods in city streets. I hope the council will be ready to respond without much politicking despite the fact that the vice mayor just prepared the council for a war that I think won’t happen.

Rainwater will always find an exit. One solution is the clearing of the Mahiga Creek of illegal occupants whose houses beside and on top of the river block the exit of runoff water. I think the mayor is on the right track, exercising political will to clear the Mahiga Creek of squatters. Funny how these people are blaming the city for their situation when in fact they brought it upon themselves by illegally occupying the creek.

The mayor should also look into other structures in the city that block the drainage of rainwater into rivers and creeks. Whether we like it or not, the city should review and implement its Drainage Master Plan. The City Council should set aside politicking and agree on a workable drainage system for the city.

Opposition from the City Council will find no justification. When the mayor was in Israel, the council headed by Vice Mayor Joy Young prepared for war against him. Now that Mayor Rama is back, he said he won’t pick a fight with the council. Now who is picking a fight against whom?

Many were surprised by the vice mayor’s declaration. Those close to him say that it was not the Joy Young they knew who said those words. Vice Mayor Young not long ago said he would refuse to issue a statement that would worsen the quarrel between the mayor and Congressman Tommy Osmeña. So why his sudden declaration of war?

I think Young is brighter than people think. Some say he’s just following Osmeña’s orders. Mayor Rama is correct: Elections are still far away. It’s time to work and serve the people. This is expected of the City Council.

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Another controversy that will divide Filipinos is the resolution of the House of Representatives calling for the burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

The President designated Vice President Jojo Binay to come up with an acceptable resolution. Binay proposed that Marcos not be buried at the Libingan but be accorded full military honors.

President Aquino put the issue to rest and declared recently that there would be no hero’s burial for Marcos. That left the House of Representative hanging.

I think President Aquino is correct. It is not right for the Filipino people to forget the sins committed by Marcos. The Marcos family has not even asked forgiveness from the people for the wrongs that they committed.

Remember what our national hero, Jose Rizal, whose 150th birth anniversary we celebrated yesterday, said: “Those who are responsible for the plunder of the country should not share in its glory.”

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I am so proud that the Department of Political Science under the School of Law and Governance of the University of San Carlos has seen an increase in enrollment as reported by the vice president for academic affairs Fr. Tony Salas.

Last semester when we were still in the Talamban Campus, we had about 300 political science students. Last week, with adjustments still in progress, the number was more than 360.