EDITORIAL - Burning bridges

Whatever her critics may say against her, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has a cultural streak that is probably unmatched by any of her predecessors. And she is using this to promote the province.

Among her initiatives is the "Suroy-Suroy" project. By organizing trips to the towns and cities in the province, she not only promotes tourism, she also exposes the different cultural and historical aspects of these places to the outside world.

The project is complemented by the "Pasigarbo Festival" which showcases the different festivals and local products unique to Cebu. And while "Suroy-Suroy" goes out to the towns, the "Pasigarbo" brings the towns over.

The governor attaches great personal and official significance to these initiatives and expects the support of friends and allies in these endeavors. When Daanbantayan failed to join this year's "Pasigarbo" despite being the defending champion, she naturally was not pleased.

Nevertheless, it is difficult to imagine her going overboard over the incident. She may have felt aggrieved by the no-show. And she may still be smarting from her loss in Daanbantayan. But it was not something to burn your bridges by. Unless she was sufficiently provoked.

So when she did "boil over" with her famous temper, scolding Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot when she showed up at the Capitol after the "Pasigarbo," there must have been a real reason for her to do so. At this point it might be worthwhile to know what the provocation was.

If Loot showed up at the Capitol to explain her town's absence from the "Pasigarbo," the governor would probably still have given her a piece of her mind. But it is difficult to expect her to go overboard, especially against one who is more useful as an ally than as an adversary.

But Loot did not come to explain. Instead she did the inexplicable. She came, of all things, to solicit financial assistance to help underwrite the town festival — yes, the very same festival that the governor had expected at the "Pasigarbo" but which did not show up.

We will not comment further on an issue that has already been amply amplified. But based on these "facts" as reported, it is easy to see why the governor acted in the manner that she did, and everything fell apart between the two officials.