Dialogue is essential

Incoming Cebu City North Dist. Rep. Raul del Mar has given his support to the construction of underpasses as a way of easing traffic congestion in the city but if you think he is abandoning his support for flyovers, you have another think coming.

During the Mega Cebu Vision for 2050 forum organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (Rafi), Del Mar clarified that he will not yield his support for the network of flyover projects that he envisioned but is amenable to the building of underpasses after some local businessmen sounded him off on the idea. According to the veteran lawmaker, he is batting for flyovers because they are cheaper compared to underpasses.

He also pointed out that underpasses will have to be built “for the sake of cultural and historical values” that needed to be preserved. During the forum, he also took a swipe at some civil society groups by urging them “not to insist on their own ideas” and allow experts to decide.

First of all, I’m glad to note that Congressman Del Mar attended the Cebu Business Month event, held in collaboration with Rafi because he was missed in the Mega Cebu Candidates Forum which was organized by the same nongovernment organization in collaboration with other sectors.

During the last elections, Rafi was able to set up a consortium called Mega Cebu which sponsored a candidates’ forum in an effort to bring serious themes to the May 2013 elections.

The aim of the discussion was to force the candidates to spell out their development vision and range it with the concerns of the private sector and civil society groups. Why not flared intersections instead of flyovers? How about bicycle lanes and the preservation of heritage sites? All these should be integrated in a comprehensive master plan. While these topics became headline issues, people were also talking that flyovers have been overpriced because such is the standard operating procedure in government projects.

I got to host four sessions of the candidates’ forum and I recall that Raul and the rest of the candidates belonging to the Bando Osmeña – Pundok Kauswagan or BO-PK skipped the invitation.

My analysis of the results of the local elections is just oido but as an avid political observer, I think that the flyover issue was the tipping point of the race for the simple reason that the pro groups did not engage the opposing side in a freewheeling discussion to thresh out the issues. As a result, I believe many in the business community, young professionals and the academe supported Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama not because he is better or more competent than Tommy, but because Mike listens and works out thorny issues through a consensus. In other words, he is democratic.

Raul should thank his lucky stars that he entered the race when a competent and qualified adversary was still to be found, otherwise the results would have been different. Who knows if he would have also met the same fate as Tommy.

* * *

From what I gathered, Del Mar is poised to adopt a strategy to have his flyover projects implemented, at the same time integrate underpasses to satisfy the concerns of the business sector. The lawmaker is expected to meet with Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and businessmen friends.

The situation would leave civil society in a lurch and because Mayor Rama is not included in the discussion, we can anticipate that political animosity will not die down soon, meaning, there will be more bickering between both camps.

I hope that Congressman Del Mar will look at his newly earned mandate as an avenue to start afresh insofar as the Rama administration is concerned because that is the will of the people. They have been voted into office to pursue similar goals which is to uplift the people. I don’t see how this could be attained if they will work in opposite directions.

A middle ground has to be forged, but first and foremost, they should talk openly and sincerely. The fact that the main agenda is a livable Cebu makes dialogue essential.