A jolting lesson for Mayor Rama

I spoke too soon in congratulating His Honor, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama for his decision to organize the Cebu City Orchestra. His directive to allocate two million pesos for that purpose indicated his seriousness to accomplish the plan. Apparently, his move was not without profound thought. The rationale the honorable mayor gave to the public when he made such a statement sounded very convincing. It was a novelty. He was to embark on a project that did not merit the attention of the past administration. Personally, that announcement warmed my heart for I felt that Cebu City failed, all these years, to take advantage of the presence of the great musical talents in our midst.

Cebu City cannot neglect this cultural part of its existence. No one can, really. And Mayor Rama, who has an acknowledged flair for music, must certainly have recognized this too. The leading cities throughout the world are proud of their orchestras. The music they produce shows the depth of their peoples’ cultures. And if we want to claim our music as comparable to the world’s best, a Cebu City orchestra playing it to our visitors or in foreign venues is the perfect organization.

But, in making such a decision, he innocently went against the unwritten policy of his predecessor. For almost two decades the former mayor did not give a damn about creating a city orchestra, I could only surmise that he probably thought that the other great cities of the world were only wasting funds in maintaining their musically talented citizens into great bands. Thus, when in the first few days of his administration, Mayor Rama made known his plan of organizing an orchestra, former mayor Tomas Osmeña took it as a serious challenge to his flow of administrative of thought.

We perceived that the former mayor was one who did now allow any form of dissent. In his reign, he figuratively chopped off the heads of those who dared to question his wisdom. While he proclaimed himself to be open to deviant suggestions, he did not practice what he preached.

I, of course, entertained the thought that the former mayor would not interfere with the decisions of the new chief executive. He made clear his position that it is going to be Mayor Rama’s call on all matters that concerned about running city hall. Yes, there were announcements to that effect. Such claims and the fact that the job of a congressman would take so much of his time led me into thinking that it is, indeed, better for him to focus on the legislator’s job.

It is not necessary, however, that Congressman Osmeña personally takes the matter of an affront against his unwritten policy, nay his imperium. He has minions to command what actions be taken. In this case of the aborted organization of the orchestra, the former mayor’s hand is visible in the action of the city councilors.

Mayor Rama made a meaningful cry. It could not be different from saying foul. How else would we consider the move of the city council in deleting two million pesos for the Cebu City from a proposed budgetary measure without the consent of the mayor? Why should councilors arrogate unto themselves the power to ignore completely a project without, at least, informing the mayor of their plan?

Councilor Jose Daluz, finance committee chairman, has acted only as an obvious hatchet man. An enforcer of Cong. Osmeña, so to speak. The signal, which must have come from the former mayor, is clear. Mayor Rama acts only under the mercy of his predecessor. Anything he does that goes against the whims of his benefactor is bound to lose steam. That’s it. Hopefully, the new mayor learns this lesson fast.

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