Let there be no cross-purposes - I

In the realm of antiquated Greek and Roman mythology when gods and goddesses ruled the roost over the fate of mankind, ancient people paid tributes to Mount Olympus – among the Greeks – to grant their wishes. Or, taking from Aladdin’s magic lamp, or whatever talisman, it needed only to rub the charmed object with the wish, and eureka, appeared the Genie to grant the wish.

But, in the stark reality now, the gods and goddesses of yore, and magic, are now passé as their roles are avariciously taken over by politicians, Philippine style. Given such unique reality, almost everything wished for, especially involving public governance, titillates between success and failure on the pendulum of political exigencies and political alignments. Invoking God to tone down politics is blasphemous.

Unfortunately, that is the tragic story of the highly urbanized City of Mandaue for lone legislative district. A joker of sorts is the recent conversion of Lapulapu City into a separate legislative district, resulting in the fragmentation of the 6th District, ahead of Mandaue City. As it now appears, this is the bane of Mandaue’s just and right aspiration.

To recall, then 6th District solon Efren T. Herrera had filed sometime in 2000 or so the House bill for Mandaue City’s lone district, passed the House, transmitted to the Senate, but for the political clout of a Cebuano senator, it wasn’t calendared. Thus, goodbye to Mandaue’s dream.

Many observers then, had wondered why the then lady Mandauehanon representative filed the bill for Lapulapu as lone district, instead of reviving Congressman Herrera’s previous bill which, obviously languished in archive. One also wondered that Mandaue’s officialdom didn’t raise the issue then. Could it be to avoid political bickering with Oponganon neighbors?

The ensuing issue was at the mercy of, again, political leanings and alignments then prevailing in the district or local level. It was not just for lack of foresight to the detriment of Mandaue.

In fairness to incumbent Rep. Luigi Quisumbing, he came into the political picture when Lapulapu City’s separate district status has been a fait accompli. However, his cryptic comment that it isn’t feasible for Mandaue to attain a similar status due to “economic and legal impediments” escapes clear comprehension. For the alleged economic factor, it doesn’t tally with the facts. As for the legal facet, what fiat or law bars him from reviving Rep. Herrera’s now archived bill? Is it the anti-gerrymandering Constitutional provision for “contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory”?

To clarify, the subject requirement is preceded by the qualifying phrase “as far as practicable” and, considering the persuasive tenor vis-à-vis the archipelagic geography of the Philippines comprising 7,107 islands and islets, the anti-gerrymandering proviso is not a hindrance to Mandaue City’s being converted into a lone district. After all, the archipelagic Philippine territory is not like that of compact U.S.A. from which our Constitution has been patterned after.

In deference to the opinions of three other Cebu solons of One Cebu Party, like, Mandaue’s conversion makes Cordova and Consolacion virtual “orphans”; that it’s a futile exercise since it will not pass the House committee level; that Mandaue has gained a lot without Lapulapu City; that the move would be struck down by the House and the Senate, and by the Supreme Court, etc. are mostly speculative and not strictly “economic and legal impediments”.

 Did Rep. Quisumbing have prior consultations with the Mandaue officialdom including barangay officials, and random informal talks with Mandaue’s citizenry who are his constituents? Remember, the “vox populi” maxim is the basic tenet of representative democracy.

What do you think his Mandaue constituency may have felt for being taken for granted on sensitive issues affecting them? Not that he should be dissuaded from consulting his political peers, but it’s another thing to ignore, figuratively speaking, the humble but sincere sensitivities over public issues they have a right to participate in. It’s sadly odd that the Mandauehanons’ congressional leader and his followers are at cross-purposes.

 (To be continued)

* * *

 Email: [email protected]