A lesson in déjà vu

At long last, the much-awaited restoration of the street obstacles fronting the St. Joseph National Shrine along the Cabahug Causeway from Tribunal and the intersecting Mabini Street towards Looc is almost a fait accompli.

When Mayor Jonas C. Cortes symbolically wielded the sledgehammer early on August 14 last, it evoked spontaneous applause from the converging mass of people. It's a wonder that the event had drawn such public enthusiasm as if a thorn was taken off their sides.

Their smiles and sighs of contentment depicted a collective reward for the wringing hurt over the huge blunder by the past officialdom. Unknown perhaps except for a few kibitzers, was the double significance of the bulldozing operation: August 14 marks the birth anniversary of Mandaue City's father, founding Mayor Demetrio "Boy" Cortes Sr. and that of ex-Mayor Thadeo Ouano. Uncannily, the former was the father that Mayor Jonas Cortes proudly owns as his model to follow; whereas, the latter is the father of losing Jonkie Ouano who had detached himself defensively in the wake of the infamous "lamppost" issue.

Laconically put, the greater symbolism of the restoration of S.B. Cabahug Causeway and the Mabini Street west-end, could be its benchmark significance with regard to reforms for good governance vis-à-vis whimsical disregard of motor vehicle and pedestrian necessity. It came as a slap for the extravagant guise of plaza beautification to justify ginormous cash advances.

Another paper reported that the departed mayor "shed a tear to the ruthless destruction" over which he wanted the COA and Ombudsman to "come in and see the massive destruction of properties". Well, such pathetic sense of lament is part of human nature.

But did he also "shed a tear" when the exquisite statue - and its elaborate background work of art - of Justice Sotero B. Cabahug was unceremoniously razed to the ground and, relegated to an obscure corner? Or, when the strategic Plaza House was likewise reduced to debris? Or, when the fenced public tennis courts were destroyed heartlessly?

The unforgivable sin in vandalizing Mano Terong Cabahug's "bantayug" was a virtual "blasphemy" of what Mandaue's No. 1 citizen stood for in the hearts and minds of Mandauehanons. The desecration not only righteously angered the family and kin of Mano Terong. It also, and perhaps in a deeper and unbiased sense, passionately offended the entire community who felt insulted and so violated for the disrespect of their local idol as their "taga-Mandaue" model.

In finer perspective, the values being emblematically ruined could be Mandaue's history, heritage, traditions and mores, culture, the passion for high learning, the ideals of honest and good governance in public service, just to name some. Thus, it's sad that like the sacking of Rome by the Vandals in past history, the desecration of Mano Terong's statue, unbeknown to the offenders, served as the "key" to anger the people.

As for the Plaza House… To keen observers, its destruction was likewise significant. Simply said, Plaza House was the counterpart, but no less symbolic to the local community, to the Plaza Miranda in Metro Manila. Remember the time when controversial issues confronting the national leadership, the standard test boiled down to: "Can this be defended in Plaza Miranda?" In a sense, that was what the Plaza House stood for, where the cross-section of Mandauehanons used to discuss and dissect local issues then.

The lesson that changing rulers of City Hall have to keep in mind should be that whatever changes or reforms are wrought, must be tempered with prudence. Iconoclastic and impulsive tendencies have to be gauged with a sense of history, heritage, common sense, and apolitical foresight.

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