Politics at play

As the filing of certificates of candidacy for  the 2013 elections draws  near, it is indeed open season for all   political plots, stunts, mudslinging and what have you.

Our political structures are designed for checks and balance. The 1987 Constitution made sure that in all levels of the  political system there are mechanisms for this.

At the local government level,  chief executives are tasked to implement policies and projects, while the  legislative councils define policy, approve the budget and can look into the affairs of the smaller republic.

However, democracy, in its many designs, is not perfect. There are always tradeoffs, so much so that  major players in a democracy still have the trappings of ancient command and control philosophy.

A political fight can be entertaining. It measures the creativity, depth or  lack of it, of a power holder.

Here in Cebu City, politics has always been colorful.

It also gets in the way of business  opportunities and reforms.

One victim of  political bickering between mayors of the present and the past  is the ordinance that seeks to promote positive discipline  and prohibit corporal punishment inflicted on children.

After its passage in the City Council, it was vetoed by Mayor Michael Rama.

As a follow up, the  City Council which is loaded with the mayor’s  former political allies,  passed an ordinance which binds  his hands, prevent him from selling any part of the  South Road Properties (SRP).

Despite its avowed intention of preserving wealth for Cebu City by waiting for the right time to sell  prime real estate property after developments by SM and Filinvest jack up land values,  something is amiss.

The Local Government Code already provides  states that contracts and other big-ticket commitments need the approval of the local council.

But then again, the gag ordinance is a political statement by itself.

Mayor Rama is heading for his second veto of an  ordinance from a hostile council.

The handprints of south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña are  all over Councilor  Noel Wenceslao’s  SRP ordinance.