Now it can be told that the Bando Osmeña – Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) will file an election protest against victors Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella. Initially, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young blamed teachers for being part of cheating in the May 13 election because according to him the increase in allowance given by the city government to them last year was some sort of vote buying Mayor Rama.
BO-PK supporters could not believe that their mayor and vice mayoralty bets lost in the elections. But they should realize that BO-PK won nearly all the contested positions in the city. Out of 20 seats Team Rama won only about six. Does the BO-PK also question the victory of their two bets for congressman and 16 for the City Council?
I was really hoping that Congressman Tomas Osmeña, Vice Mayor Young and BO-PK supporters would accept the election results with humility but apparently even in launching the protest they are still engulfed with arrogance. Nevertheless I believe it is anyone’s right to question the results of the election in our democracy.
It is important for all candidates, winners or losers to learn the neat lessons of the recent elections.
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Congresswoman-elect Aileen Radaza is proposing to convert Lapu-Lapu City into Mactan Province. Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy is in favor of the proposal for as long as it would include his town. Defeated mayoralty be Efrain Pelaez Jr. opposes the proposal which he considers another divisive form of Sugbuak. Pelaez would rather have the present city administration concentrate on transparency and accountability of public service.
Congressman Luigi Quisumbing is keeping his comments to himself but said he would monitor the progress of the bill once its filed in the House of Representatives. But the bottom line should be whether or not the proposal of a Provnce of Mactan is good for the people.
Let a debate begin so that the public which will be affected will know the pros and cons then decide on the issue intelligently.
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Residents of Bato in Ermita should realize that the city government’s clearing operations is important for their safety. This is preparation for re-blocking the area to prevent a repeat of the experience where fire trucks had difficulty entering narrow streets to put out the fires in the interior sitios.
This has to be done soon so that displaced residents can return to their areas. Those affected have been assured by the city that they can be accommodated there again so there is no more reason to block the clearing and re-blocking operations.
Residents should go see barangay Carreta where re-blocking was implemented to provide wider road at the inner portin of the fire site. Now people and vehicles can reach it with ease while firefighters are not expected to have a hard time putting out the fire.
At present, in Ermita, there is no access to the inner portion of the barangay. I hope some of the residents of Bato see that obstructing these changes will endanger everyone.
If they are doing this for political reasons then they should answer the complaint filed against them by the Cebu city government for sacrificing the welfare of their neighbors.