‘Dividing Cebu a cowardly act’

CEBU CITY — Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal called on the people to fight the move splitting Cebu into three or more provinces, which he described as a cowardly act.

"Magpahilum ba lang kita ug mag-agwanta? (Should we just keep quiet and suffer in silence?)" he asked in his Good Friday message.

In his most confrontational stance ever on the divide-Cebu controversy, Vidal called for actions to correct what he deemed as issues that "have wounded" the Cebuanos.

Splitting Cebu is a cowardly act borne out of the "divide and rule principle," said Vidal who gave the closing message after the Seven Last Words at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

Vidal cited some data showing that smaller land areas of the four new provinces would result in lower internal revenue allotments (IRAs) which, he said, is dependent on the total land area and the population of a province.

The IRA is a local government’s main source of funds for its employees’ salaries and for social services and infrastructure, among other things.

In no time, Vidal said the small Cebu provinces would become poor because there would be fewer people and smaller land areas, resulting in deficit.

He cited projections that dividing Cebu into four new provinces would result in a deficit of over P488.4 million. "This is a ready manifestation that such an endeavor... is unsustainable and is not viable," he said.

"And since it cannot be effective, it would surely jeopardize the welfare (of) all its respective constituents. Definitely, this is not what we mean by ‘good and respectable governance’ and the Church herself would not dare see her faithful in hot water on account of pursuing a very aggrandizing and selfish ambition of creating three new provinces," Vidal said.

The Catholic Church also views the proposals of Reps. Simeon Kintanar (second district), Antonio Yapha (third district) and Clavel Martinez (fourth district) to convert their respective districts into Cebu del Sur, Cebu Occidental and Cebu del Norte, respectively, as for political gains.

In the March 27 issue of the Bagong Lungsoranon newsletter, Vidal said everybody should muster enough courage in combating all acts and issues that the Catholic Church has been opposing, including artificial birth control methods, the divorce law and even the vigilante-like killings of suspected criminals in the city. — Freeman News Service