Burden family junks offer to proclaim Kim

CEBU, Philippines - The family of Miss Cebu 2009 2nd runner-up Kimberly Therese Burden has rejected the offer of Cebu City administrator Francisco Fernandez to officially proclaim Kim as the real winner of the Globe Texter’s Choice Award by holding another proclamation.

Kimberly’s mother, Dr. Rowena Burden, said that the holding of another proclamation is already a “waste of money”. Besides the people already knew that Kim is the real texter’s choice winner during the beauty pageant, she added.

Dr. Burden explained that they “really want heads to roll” because if the Cebu City Tourism Commission will not do something about the alleged intentional announcement of a wrong winner, the incident might be repeated in the future.

The Burden family wants CCTC commissioner Philip Rodriguez, chairman of the Miss Cebu 2009 beauty pageant, to be kicked out of the commission, and Cynbeth Arellano to be terminated as staff of the CCTC. The latter was the head of the Secretariat.

Acting Vice Mayor Hilario Davide III, who also heads the CCTC in an acting capacity, said that the issue of terminating the services of Rodriguez and Arellano was not discussed by the CCTC members during their meeting last Thursday evening.

“Kun wala g’yod sila’y himoon nga disciplinary action ngadto sa mga tawo nga responsable ning maong kontrobersiya, huwaton na lang namo nga si Mayor Tomas Osmeña na ang moaksyon ning maong kaso. Dako kaayo ang pagsalig namo ni Tommy,” Dr. Burden said.

According to her, the choice of a project chairperson is very critical since the credibility of the whole pageant will rest on the impartiality of this very same person; that is why she suggested that the CCTC commissioners and pageant organizers should be held accountable.

She also suggested that in the future similar activities for a Miss Cebu pageant, the process should be made transparent at all times - from the screening of candidates to the selection of judges and proclamation of winners.

“The organizing committee should also include a representative of the Ombudsman and from women’s rights movements. The selection process should also be entirely free of influence-peddling and favoritism. Every aspect of how the pageant is conducted should be above reproach,” Dr. Burden added.

In a prepared statement, Dr. Burden said that “as the mother of an official candidate who has been a victim of questionable judgment calls on the part of the pageant organizers, particularly Philip Rodriguez, it is my right to demand for accountability on the part of the CCTC commissioners”.

On the aspect that the CCTC commissioners are working “gratis” for the city government, Dr. Burden said that “such is not an excuse for giving Mr. Rodriguez a free reign”.

Fernandez said that though he is glad Dr. Burden has considered the holding of another event, to have her daughter proclaimed the real Texter’s Choice winner, as already a waste of funds, he could not help himself from blurting out “aw, basta kami sa city mihimo na mi sa offer.”

Dr. Burden also encouraged the city officials to look into the other reported questionable activities still involving the CCTC such as the non-giving of a one-year supply of vitamin capsules to a winner in a recent beauty pageant and the changing of the mobile phone prize for the winner.

“Past mistakes cannot be undone, but the CCTC commissioners should make sure that all future candidates will be treated equally and with utmost concern for their physical, emotional, and mental well-being,” she added. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)