Im sure many of us Cebuanos enjoyed a merry Christmas. I wish everyone a prosperous and peaceful New Year!
At the 8 o’clock Mass last Sunday, Fr. Ramon Mores SJ reminded churchgoers at Sacred Heart Parish of the importance of family members being present at Christmas especially nowadays when many families are not complete because a parent is working abroad.
He emphasized this point by presenting examples. I guess the same message applies in the celebration of New Year’s Eve as we prepare to greet the year 2013.
As I agreed with Fr. Mores, I thought of the situation of suspended Gov. Gwen Garcia and her family, with her loyal staff, who celebrated noche buena together in her Capitol office.
I guess some of them were allowed to go home to spend Christmas with their own families.
Everyday I pray for the early resolution of the impasse at the Capitol. I pray for Garcia and Acting Governor Agnes Magpale to be guided and enlightened to do what is right and what is in the best interest of the Province of Cebu.
May I also ask and plead with our fellow Cebuanos to avoid using banned firecrackers in order to avoid injuries and deaths. I favor the move to ban firecrackers like the successful example of Davao City. If Davao can do it, there’s no reason why the entire country can’t follow.
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Apparently there won’t be an early judicial resolution of the crisis at the Capitol. Justices of the Court of Appeals in Manila where Garcia’s lawyers applied for a temporary restraining order are on holiday leave.
The earliest the court can decide the matter would be January 2.
Last Thursday the provincial treasurer said the Capitol had cash flow problems and couldn’t be expected to settle all obligations and payments at the end of the year. This status report is being challenged by Garcia, who lamented that Acting Governor Magpale was sending the wrong signal and placing the province in a bad light.
But it’s important to inform the people of the true state of finances of the province. That’s transparency.
It’s best to continue to debate on this issue so that we can find the truth, which the people are entitled.
It will take a take a while for the Capitol crisis to be resolved given Garcia’s stand not to leave her force unless she is removed “over my dead body”.
Many are hoping the crisis will eventually be resolved. I encourage people to pray to San Pedro Calungsod for this to happen.