So there is a move, initiated by councilor Edgar Labella, to regulate the holding of fun runs, marathons and similar activities in Cebu City. Fine. Nothing wrong with it. After all, it is not the activity itself that Labella is against but the side effects — traffic, garbage, etc.
Unfortunately, some confusion has arisen because of the way media reported the development. Freeman and Sun Star both reported the proposed ordinance as having been approved. Cebu Daily News said it as merely under review.
Then Freeman and Cebu Daily News both had the fun runs and marathons approved for holding only during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Sun Star said Cebu City is limiting fun runs to only one per day.
Oh well, whatever the real story may be behind this development, councilor Labella should be given credit for crafting a piece of legislation that could find some real use in this city of ours. Finally the city council is doing some real legislating.
Of course this one piece of legislation is not enough to reverse the unflattering notion that the city council has become nothing more than the private jukebox of former mayor and now congressman Tomas Osmeña.
When the council is not prancing in the steps of the BOPK Pied Piper, it is dishing out hollow measures, mostly reactions to national issues that have no real significance to the city and its people.
But if the jukebox plays a different tune every once in a while, then that should be enough to please the Cebuano electorate, which never expected much anyway from what is supposed to be the premier city council outside Metro Manila.
When the council comes up with something relevant to the lives of city dwellers, the eyes of Cebuanos truly get moist in grateful relief. They become so relieved they almost forget to care and understand what the ordinance is about. It is good enough just to feel good.