EDITORIAL - Still worth it

Today we celebrate the 87th Charter Day of Cebu City.

In the midst of issues like the horrendous traffic city residents suffer almost every day, the ongoing spats between local officials, daily crime, among other issues, some people might ask: Is our charter day still worth celebrating? Is it still worth marking this occasion?

We say yes, because after 87 years Cebu City is still the most influential center of politics and economics in the Philippines outside of Metro Manila. Holding on to that crown is no easy feat in a country with many rising cities seeking become as good as Cebu City, or even better.

So what makes Cebu City special? As we mentioned in an earlier editorial also about a Charter Day celebration, we are right smack in the middle of an island that is right smack in the middle of a region that is right smack in the middle of a country.

We are always a stopping point on the way to somewhere and some people just choose to settle here instead of moving on. This has made us a virtual melting pot of cultures from around the region and country and the reason why we are so accepting of others as well as their ideas.

And it’s this acceptance of others and their ideas that has led Cebu to prosper.

We should also bear in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect city, not even the most vibrant and developed capitals in the world. While it is true that some will come close to being considered perfect, a closer look at each one of them will reveal that they have issues like ours. Crime will always be a staple of modern civilization, even squalor. Cities will always have their little imperfections, squabbles, and problems, much like ours.

Of course, this realization should not stop us from looking to improve the situation that we are in, to make things better for not just our tourists and visitors but also our residents.

We should never stop to make Cebu City better, not necessarily like Singapore or Melbourne immediately because we have decades to go before coming close to them, but to make Cebu an even better version of itself today.

With that said, happy charter day, Cebu City.