CEBU, Philippines - Senator Manuel A. Roxas II, who was the invited guest for yesterday’s Independence Day rites at City Hall got a bonus – an endorsement from Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Although Osmeña did not say outright that he is supporting the presidential bid of Roxas, who is touted to be one of the candidates in 2010, the mayor said that the senator from Aklan could be the right person to head the country once President Arroyo’s term will end on June 30 next year.
Roxas yesterday asked the Cebuanos to unite and stand up to fight graft and corruption, poverty and hunger, and poor governance by choosing the right leaders of our country.
Roxas made the statement when he spoke before hundreds of government employees and other guests who attended the 111th Independence Day celebration at the Plaza Sugbo in front of Cebu City legislative building.
In his brief message, the senator explained to the public that today is our turn to follow the steps of our forefathers who chose to fight and die so we could have freedom from other countries.
The country’s independence was first celebrated on June 12, 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Filipinos in Kawit, Cavite.
Roxas said the Independence Day celebration should be an inspiration to the youth.
The mayor said many of the youth now do not know the real meaning of the Philippine Independence Day celebration, aside from it being a holiday.
Osmeña said while the country is celebrating the Independence Day, he understands that the existing policy is that the local government units have became colonies of the national government, which he refers to a Imperial Manila.
He wants that the powers that were previously given to the mayors, such as appointing their police chiefs and some other officials, be returned as one way to make their functions more effective.
Osmeña later explained that Roxas, who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Trade and Industry, has the ability to create more jobs and it is one of his reasons on why he is supporting the bid of Roxas to be the next president of the country.
He recalled that when Roxas was still the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) he was the one who encouraged the creation of call centers in the country that now has already generates thousands of jobs with high salaries.
At that time there were only about 1,500 call center employees all over the country, but now in Cebu City alone, the statistics showed that there are already about 51,000 employees hired in different call centers.
But the mayor clarified that his support to Roxas does not mean that the entire Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) or their political supporters are already obliged to throw their support to the senator once he finally runs for president.
The event yesterday ended with the release of dozens of butterflies and doves done by Roxas, Osmeña, Vice Mayor Michael Rama and other top officials. — Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)