There must be a limit to foolishness

It's not enough that the officialdom of Mandaue has insulted the dignity of Justice Sotero "Mano Terong" Cabahug by unceremoniously uprooting his statue from its pedestal of honor - shades of the fallen statues of Saddam Hussein on his defeat in April 2003 - and relegating the most esteemed Mandauehanon to an obscure nook in anonymity.

It's not also enough that the revered patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker, has been summarily constricted of ingress to and egress from His temple - now a national shrine - as an act of irreverence, despite opposition of the church authorities, the parishioners, and the parish council.

It's not likewise enough that whatever historical vestiges left by the father of Mandaue City, former Mayor Demetrio "Boy" M. Cortes Sr. whom bonafide Mandauehanons hold in high respect, his political foes have to defile and despoil. Unschooled in the Shakespearean irony, they must be unaware that the good that men do shall live after them.

These thoughts emerged when another insidious attempt to do away with a singular achievement of "Boy" Cortes is being floated, that is, to change the Mandaue Charter Day celebration on August 30 to June 21. An obscure Tabok barangay captain, Emiliano Rosal, obviously a political lackey or toady of unknown quantity, allegedly authored a resolution to that effect on the ground that the Mandaue City Charter (R.A. 5519) took effect upon its approval on June 21, 1969.

He maliciously chose to forget, or by sheer ignorance, that presidential Proclamation 586 definitely set August 30, 1969 as the official organization, inauguration, and installation of the Mandaue City government upon assumption into office of its first set of city officials.

Definitely though, Rosal as a pawn wasn't acting on his own. Incidentally, Rosal may not be aware that the water system of Barangay Tabok - with two deep wells and separate tanks in two opposite hillocks and inter-connected with water pipes to households - was "Boy" Cortes' historical gift to Tabok; otherwise, if he knows, what spineless ingrate…

The reaction of dismay by the Cortes family through City Councilor Jonas Cortes to Rosal's attempt to demean Boy Cortes' achievement, is only natural, fair, and just. Besides, others who also fought the great fight for Mandaue's cityhood, such as, VM Berto Dimpas, Councilors Matoy Seno who was the legal spokesman, Magno Dionson, Doritit Gestopa, Wences Seno, Tatong Suson, Dodong Albaño, Dr. Mahusay and Sering Sanchez ought to be honored as well.

According to Atty. Magno Dionson who actively backed Mayor Boy Cortes in the heated fight through Congress, particularly in the Senate, against the strong opposition of then Cebu provincial governor and the provincial board - for the selfish reason that the Cebu province income would be reduced - they also had to reckon with the local opposition put up by the late Dr. Onyot Gonzaga, later Mayor Pedong Ouano, and Dr. Toto Soon. It's a paradox that a scion of once an avid oppositor to Mandaue's cityhood now holds the reins as a beneficiary and, who ought to respect its historical paternity, instead of abetting the demise of a vital heritage.

Rosal's puny attempt to revive the issue, only betrays who his backers are, vis-à-vis a prior attempt by ex-councilor Alfonso Albaño who had failed to garner a majority vote of the city council. Such second trial balloon is pregnant with silly malice.

The folly of treading and desecrating a hallowed ground for the purpose of re-writing or ignoring local history and patrimony in selfish efforts to monopolize narcissistic tribute, may turn out to be self-defeating. As a Time magazine reader once commented: "It is wrong to glorify the achievements of those who shoved up for the sole purpose of attaining personal riches and renown".

And to paraphrase George Santayana, those who don't respect past history may end up seeing history being repeated.