The Cebu Chamber wakes up from its slumber

I’m glad that officials of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (CCCI) has taken a keen interest in the Road Revolution that created a huge controversy last week and the previous month because of the traffic jam it created. There is nothing wrong with having a dialogue on the future of Cebu together with our business and political leaders, including the dreamers within our midst. After all, our aim is to make a city that is livable if we can.

 During the first term of then Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Cebu City bagged its most prestigious award as the “8th Most Livable City in Asia” by Asiaweek magazine. Those were the years when we had a dynamic mayor who, together with his cousins, then Senator John H. Osmeña and then Governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña, put their heads together for the love of Cebu. How things have changed since. Now we only hear of the usual sibling rivalry between the former Mayor and his cousin, the former Senator and this quarrel has spread against Governor Gwen F. Garcia and Mayor Mike Rama.

 Instead of Cebu City moving closer to a more prestigious place in Asiaweek’s most livable cities, a few years later we were beaten by Davao City and then Asiaweek magazine eventually collapsed and shut down its publication. But that gave us a picture that Cebu City wasn’t improving because our political leaders virtually sat on their laurels, basking on this short term glory… and in the end, it was everyone for himself! Everything became too political for our own good! It’s ugly, sickening and nauseating politics!

 If the Cebu Chamber came into the picture, they should not just sit and listen to Atty. Tony Oposa, but rather find ways to solve our intricate problems for a better future for Cebu. For instance, we cannot go on having narrow sidewalks, unless the Cebu Chamber comes up with a proposal to Congress to amend the National Building Code to make our sidewalks wider. They must also ask our political leaders to stop allowing the use of our sidewalks and streets for commercial activity all in the name of the poor.

 Indeed for too long the Cebu Chamber has been quiet about where Cebu should be going. They are our business leaders, but it is more than obvious to us that they are allowing our political leadership free reign on the shape and future of Cebu. This is why more often than not, even in infrastructure development, like the flyover issue, politicians have made it a political battleground. If flyovers are bad for our city, why then are there no opposition to the flyovers being planned also for Mandaue and Mactan?

 I can understand that the sisters in Asilo de Milagrosa are now praying their rosaries daily in order to stop the flyovers… because those opposing them have convinced the sisters why this is not good for Cebu City. Yet those innocent nuns do not realize that those people who are anti-flyover want a road widening. So perhaps it is time for the nuns to be jolted into the reality that if they do not accept the flyover, therefore they must agree to the widening of Gorordo Ave. and this means the road would now be right in the main door of the Asilo de Milagrosa. If they looked at these plans closely, I would like to believe that the nuns would rather have the flyover as doing so would not affect their property!

 Again let me point out very clearly that the Road Revolution or the flyover issue are mere leaves in the forest. We must however start looking at the forest or the bigger picture as to why we are having these problems? Again this brings us to the issue that for 24 years now, under the Cory Constitution ratified since 1987, this country has not improved since we ousted Marcos in the 1986 People Power Revolt and worse we have slid down in the economic ladder including our educational system and system of governance. We have become a nation of men instead of having a nation of laws, as we pointed out last week.

 Last week, Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, III asked that all corruption cases be solved in the year 2012. Call it wishful thinking because the state of our judicial system is not much different from Tita Cory’s time. The heinous Maguindanao Massacre will be commemorating its 2nd year and justice has not yet been served. Even the father of Pres. PNoy, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. has not been given justice… although the majority of the Filipino people have a general idea who killed him.

 I have said it here many times before that our problem is not about corruption, but a serious lack of justice, something we did not enjoy during Martial Law and thought that EDSA would bring justice to our people. But 24-years after the establishment of the Cory Constitution, justice still eludes the Filipino people. Hence, I dare say that the Chamber should wake up and demand charter changes and install a federal system so we can finally have a better and well-governed nation where the rule of law is paramount.

* * *

Email:[email protected]