Rama eyes "Humabon" award for Vidal

CEBU, Philippines – Mayor Michael Rama is willing to give the highest award the city can confer to outgoing Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal J. Vidal in recognition of the 29 years he has given Cebu City.

Vidal is set to turn over the reigns of the Cebu Archdiocese to Archbishop Jose Palma of Palo, Leyte by February next year.

Rama said the city may confer the "Order of Rajah Humabon" to Vidal during the city's charter day celebration on the same month.

"There is no problem with giving the Cardinal the highest award that the city can give. I will be happy, it will be my pleasure to confer it to his eminence," Rama said.

So far, the city has conferred the award only to former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa himself wanted to sponsor an ordinance to declare Vidal an adopted son of Cebu, but the same may be a duplication of a resolution passed in 1985 that declared Vidal as an adopted son of the city.

"We have heard that Cardinal Vidal mentioned that he would wish to stay here in Cebu, n'ya iya gipakapinan 'kung ganahan ta.' This particular ordinance to have him as adopted son of Cebu City will be in a way a statement that we really would want to have him to continue stay here," Abellanosa said.

Recently, the provincial government, for the first time, conferred its highest award, the Order of Lapu-lapu, to Vidal. He was awarded during the Pasigarbo sa Sugbu last July.

Last September, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines honored Vidal with the Pro Deo et Patria award in recognition of his performance as a bishop and as a cardinal. The Pro Deo et Patria is the highest honor the group confers to an individual.

Among the many awards Vidal has received are the Outstanding Filipino Award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1998 and the Rizal Peace Award by the University of Southern Philippines in 2002. (FREEMAN)