City entertains concerns, plaints thru online forum

To offset the lack of time for city officials to entertain all concerns of their constituents, City Planning and Development coordinator Paul Villarete is encouraging Cebuanos to register their concerns online.

Villarete said the city's official website, www.cebucity.gov.ph, is a useful venue wherein Cebuanos and even non-Cebu residents can manifest their concerns on anything regarding governance in the city. All that needs to be done is access the website and register to participate in the forum page.

The forum page is a feature in the website wherein members exchange their views on different topics, in this case, topics that concern and affect the city.

Villarete said Cebu residents and even city officials participate in the forum page thus residents can post their concerns without having to personally visit city hall.

Villarete himself constantly visits and participates in the forum so he also can personally monitor the concerns raised therein. An example of which is when he stumbled upon a concern raised by one resident in the city regarding the seeming proliferation of "bikini open" shows in Cebu, which the resident fears have been openly accessible even to minors.

"I have nothing against the contest if it will only be hosted at the proper venue. But having bikini open in sitio fiestas surely gained my criticism. For one, children of different age (sic) certainly has easy access in watching this. One children (sic) was even caught climbing up a coconut tree just to have a good glimpse of the lady contestants in her (sic) skimpy bikini seductively dancing as she pours water on herself. Would you allow your children to be exposed to such malicious events? Will our children be safe from these rated activities?" the posted message reads.

Villarete then forwarded the concern to Rene Bullecer, chairman of the Anti-Indecency Board, saying that the concern might already thread on indecency especially that they are open to the general public, including minors.

The city's Management Information Computer Services manages the city's official website. - Joeberth M. Ocao