Waiting time

As we are still abroad, we did not have the front seat advantage that some of our media and civil society colleagues had of seeing the documents as well as of personally listening to the explanation of Governor Gwen about the CICC and her projects. The media coverage also did not mention any of the detailed expenses nor show any of the documentation presented at the Capitol.

Like most Cebuanos who were unable to be physically present in that Capitol conference, we wish and would like to extend our request to Governor Gwen and all media outlets to have all the documents and accounting presented yesterday published so that:

1) there will be wider dissemination about how the projects were financed and how wisely the public money was used as described by today''s media reporters and columnists;

2) the public can really understand, as presented by certain media practitioners, that there was no plunder after seeing the same documents and reports presented at the Capitol meeting, and;

3) the public will have their own informed opinion about this matter , after seeing all documents presented by both sides. We also hope that the documents with the critics are also published so that we can all learn together from this beautiful democratic process of public accountability and transparency.

Not all can go to the Capitol to request for a certified copy of documents. Mass dissemination of genuine documents, however, can be ensured in many ways. A uniform set of documents to be published by all media outlets as well as in the Capitol''s own website can be one guaranteed way of ensuring that authentic documents are the ones that get to be published from Capitol. We are reminded of the computerized public bidding that other government agencies have been reported to be practicing. Perhaps to ensure transparency in future public bidding, Cebu can observe public computerized bidding from now on.

Also, perhaps, now that they have the documents and their report on their projects, we hope Governor Gwen can ensure that these data enter the Capitol website, at the very least, for wider public dissemination. We also hope that media will assume responsibility as well to publish the documents and the report presented by Governor Gwen as their form of public service to the Cebuanos, the majority of whom could not make it personally to hear and to see the presentation at the Capitol. It would really be so desirable to have the documents of the critics as well presented by media, including the internet.

It is the greater public that deserves to be informed about how public money was spent. The sooner the public see for and by themselves the supporting documents and the report, the sooner this issue will be resolved and then all can move on, hopefully, in wisdom, in reconciliation, in peace for a better Cebu. Until then, the greater number of Cebuanos will be waiting to form their own judgments about this issue of public accountability. We pray media, Governor Gwen, and those who have their own documents to share about the projects will share their supporting papers with the public who deserves to know where their money went. For our part, we will also await the report and supporting documents about the road-related and other projects of Governor Gwen that seems to have been presented in the Capitol conference but again, the details of which did not appear yet in any of the newspapers as of yesterday.

Like Governor Gwen who wants a closure to this issue of public disclosure of accounts and transparency, everyone is as eager to have this matter resolved as soon as possible. We hope then that the public does not have to wait long before they themselves will also have the opportunity to personally see the Capitol report and documents about the CICC and the other projects, and form their own judgments. Given how several media practitioners and guests were easily convinced by what they heard and saw yesterday, everyone eagerly awaits seeing these persuasive documents and reports so that the truth will finally set all free!

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