Frustrated mayor
Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama stepped into the Manila Room of the Marco Polo Plaza yesterday still smarting from criticism that he signed an ordinance he had earlier criticized and promised to veto, but as one of the awardees of the 888 News Forum during its 6th anniversary celebration, Mike clearly found a venue to let loose his frustrations.
In his response to the award that acknowledged his efforts as chairman of the Sinulog Foundation, Mike said he didn’t need an award for doing what he was expected to do. The mayor instead acknowledged the efforts of the 888 News Forum Board of Trustees for sponsoring a public forum that fosters transparency and freedom of the press. He announced the city government will return the favor in its next Charter Day anniversary.
The controversial ordinance that the Mayor signed the other day is one that purportedly seeks to protect the South Road Properties.
At the center of the ordinance authored by Councilor Noel Wenceslao, a stalwart of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) is the SRP, a pet project of Congressman Tommy Osmeña.
Under the local ordinance, it will be unlawful for any city official or employee to enter into any transaction involving the conveyance or sale of SRP lots, unless he gets prior authorization from the City Council.
The proposal came about following attempts by the Rallos heirs to take over some SRP lots already sold to Filinvest Land, Inc. The Rallos heirs had been in a legal tussle with the city government for its refusal to pay the remaining balance of their property when it was taken as road right of way.
Be that as it may, the ordinance has the effect of tying the hands of the executive, who should be calling the shots in the sale of the SRP lots, but the tables were turned by the ordinance.
As the sole authority in deciding who can or cannot sell SRP lots, the Sangguniang Palungsod has practically crippled the executive, at least under the administration of Mike Rama.
It’s not surprising therefore that hizzoner is bent on using his veto powers to block the ordinance, but to everybody’s surprise including Mike Rama himself, his signature appeared on the last page of the measure. He is said to have unknowingly signed it last Aug. 1.
Mayor Rama quickly delivered a veto message to the City Council on the same day, but everybody knows the veto message cannot undo the ordinance. In fact, even if the mayor’s veto came at a propitious time, it will not kill the measure because the BO-PK controls the City Council.
A veto will simply lengthen the process of enacting the ordinance into a full and complete law, because the majority is expected to overturn the executive privilege.
Well, what really happened? Why did Mike end up signing the ordinance he so vehemently criticized? I wanted to buttonhole the mayor during the 888 anniversary bash but as one of the forum’s founding trustees, I had other priorities yesterday.
In any case, I can understand why Mayor Rama was downcast. The ordinance blunder merely underscores the failure of his lawyers and legislative consultants to protect his back. They are tasked to review all documents before they are passed to his table for his signature. Shouldn’t they be taking the brunt for this major boo-boo?
I don’t know what hizzoner meant when he vowed to come up with an investigation because his own close in aides will necessarily be the subject of such a move. In the end, Mike will need to make some hard decisions.
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Yesterday’s 888 News Forum sixth anniversary bash was well attended, with Marco Polo Plaza top honcho Han Hauri delivering the keynote speech.
Hauri lauded the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo for promoting community based tourism, one that showcases Cebuano talents and native resources as a unique way of attracting visitors. To hear that from a Swiss national who has been around Cebu for many years indicates that he has been observing the local landscape not just as a hotelier but also as a witness of social cultures.
When he narrated that he was deeply touched by the passion and pride of local folks in the south in the production of cassava chips, and the enthusiasm of young people in designing the package of the cassava product, I think he was trying to impress upon tourism stakeholders to go beyond promoting staples like sandy beaches, mountains and caves.
The in thing in Europe is experiential tourism, in which visitors interact with locals, and this could be had in Cebu especially if only the government and the private sector could be “synergized,” that is, work under less politicized conditions.
Hauri captured the interest of his audience with his subtle jabs at PH tourism infrastructure, like airports and roads. And while he believes the Philippines could give the competition a run for their money, the reality is that, it takes more energy to have more fun in the Philippines.
