Speaking of competence, or incompetence – I

Going by their favorite beat reporter, Mayor Jonas Cortes' nemeses at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) had breached the line of personal courtesy, much more of official respect. Three weeks ago, this was bannered: "Biaño says Jonas is Incompetent". Its subhead ran: "Mandaue City Council majority floor leader Victor Biaño has described Mayor Jonas Cortes as an 'incompetent mayor' because of his alleged ignorance in the intricacies of the Local Government Code as well as in local governance".

Capping such obvious insult, Biaño was quoted as condescendingly and in ex-cathedra tenor, rubbing it in: "Study, study, and study… Tapulan man gud motuon, unya di gyud mobasa sa Local Government Code". VM Carlo Fortuna also uttered patronizingly: "The mayor may not be incompetent, but he knows his deficiencies and shortcomings but refuses to study, and leaves everything to his lawyers who do not know about local governance". Their boss had also slurred Cortes as "an inept leader whose only competence is to destroy".

Webster defines "competence" and its antonym "incompetence", and both are self-explanatory. It's clear that Mayor Jonas' critics pose themselves as competent in law and in public governance. But wait, is this proved by their official actions?

Firstly, on the SP renaming the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex (MCSCC) for Dr. Restituto Soon who passed away a few months ago, one respects the integrity and decency of the ex-OIC mayor who, with no fault, has his unsullied memory dragged into the fray.

Under Section 13 of the Local Government Code (R.A. 7160), the SP can change the name of a public place or building owned by the City, the MCSCC in this case; provided, that such change be justifiable and, not oftener than once every ten (10) years; provided further, that in case the public place, or structure has historical, cultural, or ethnic significance, it shall not be changed, unless by a unanimous vote of the Sanggunian concerned and in consultation with the Philippine Historical Commission (PHC). This was not observed…

The MCSCC has its own local cultural significance as its name suggests, so that renaming it requires unanimous vote of the SP and upon consultation with the PHC or the National Historical Institute (NHI). To recall, it was earlier conceptualized by then City Mayor Demetrio M. Cortes and, in coordination with the Mandaue Cultural, Historical, Educational, Sports, and Tourism Foundation, Inc. (CHEST) had obtained seed money of P5 M from the San Miguel Corporation, and the proceeds of the fiesta beauty pageant from then chair Madam Natividad Cortes. And, upon the assumption of Mayor Alfredo Ouano, the MCCSC was built. Thus, if there's any deceased local official who would qualify, it could be Mayor Demetrio M. Cortes; or, inchoately later, Mayor Alfredo Ouano who is presently disqualified, pursuant to the prohibition of R.A. 1059 against honoring a living person.

Thus reasonably, the latter's daughter, ABC prexy and SP member Ms. Joy Z. Ouano, vehemently opposed to renaming the MCSCC for Dr. Restituto Soon in memoriam. Definitely then, there was no unanimity of vote as required.

Moreover, as published in the Manila Times, Saturday, September 23, 2006, Ms. Carminda A. Arevalo, supervising History Researcher of the NHI, made these observations, inter alia, viz: The NHI has observed that local governments do not follow R.A. 7160 rigorously, i.e., occasionally an ordinance is passed without consultation with the NHI; that no public place should be renamed if the present one has attained a degree of historical significance and has developed an importance of its own; that names after presidents and national heroes cannot be replaced with people of lesser importance; and, that no public place can be named or renamed after a person within 10 years of his death, save for highly exceptional reasons ( i.e., his death was due to assassination in the service of the country, death while trying to serve others, and death was a result of patriotism).

And so, knowing the facts and the law, who was/were competent, or incompetent?

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