Feuding Duranos

What is happening to the Duranos ? The city council led by Vice Mayor Nito Durano is poised to file a recall petition against his brother, Mayor Boy Durano.  There was a time when the Duranos were a united family especially when its patriarch Ramon, “Manong  Amon,” was still alive. Today the children are feuding over political power, which started from a fight over inheritance shares.

First, there was the  feud  between brothers Don and Thadeu Durano, which  led to a  shooting incident involving both parties. But many hope the current quarrel can be set aside  because Danao City has a very big potential for development.

Experience will tell us that a united political family is needed for a locality to progress . Danao City is no exception.  Our politicians should learn from Mandaue City. When the council was packed with opponents of   Mayor Jonas Cortes, not many projects got done because the council consistently opposed the mayor’s plans so much so that when the May 2010  election came, the people voted again for  Cortes and rejected  many councilors, including the vice mayor Carlo Fortuna. The people had learned their lesson the hard way.  In the end,  they elected a council that was  aligned with the mayor.

A petition for recall may  settle once and for all questions about the leadership in Danao City but not the family feud, which would just worsen.  It’s not clear who are the elders left who could mediate and settle the family’s differences for political survival.

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Many are happy to note the assurance of Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young  that the political quarrel with the mayor will not  sacrifice the delivery of  basic services. I’m elated by Vice Mayor Young’s statement  that the City Council and the mayor should be working together on this.  But it is best for the mayor and the council to hold a regular dialogue to have a better understanding of what they  plan to do at City Hall. As to who started the feud,  I would refer to the legal maxim “Res ipsa loquitor”(Let the thing speak for itself).

Regardless of who started the feud, what is important is for the city to have a united government that looks after the welfare of the people.

“Service above self” is the cry of Cebu City residents. If only this can be done,  people are discerning enough to know who shall be rewarded with another term of office in the next election. We must remember that in public service, the boss is always the people and no one else. Let us work together and fight later in 2013.

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Allow me to congratulate the new set of officers of the Rotary Club of Cebu Port Center headed by president Gilbert Cabatana. Cabatana will face  a greater challenge  when he assumes  office especially in continuing the  good projects of  past presidents. The  P30 million donated by Sen. Migz Zubiri is now available for the pediatric ward of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. This project funds   were solicited through the club’s  past president.  We are very confident that the pediatric ward will  be built by the end of this year.

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A world-class Carbon Market is a dream of many vendors and consumers in the city.   Many are hoping that the dream will come true with the help of the city government. As one of the oldest public markets in Cebu, Carbon is an institution and a  landmark.

This is the place one goes to find the lowest-priced meat  and fresh produce.   There was a time  Carbon market was so rundown and chaotic,  many avoided it. We owe it to the vendors to provide them with modern facilities so the public can continue to to patronize it see for themselves a place of heritage.