A new beginning for Cebu’s political leaders?

All the local dailies in Cebu featured those huge front-page photos of Cebu Governor Gwen F. Garcia in various poses with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and another with Barangay Lahug Captain Mary Ann delos Santos. No doubt that these photo ops tells us a big story about our local leaders, that they can actually become friends when they are given the grace and blessings bestowed only by the Senyor Sto. Niño.

Of course the evil skeptics only detect insincerity in their smiles, after all our political leaders have been at odds with each other for various reasons, political or otherwise. But on the very day we give honor to the Holy Child Jesus, we saw in our political leaders acts of humility, something we mistakenly thought could never happen to our political leadership. We hope that this would be the end to the animosity and enmity that figured for most of the year 2007 and that the New Year 2008 would usher a new beginning for our political leadership.

Indeed humility is what God wants with all of his children and we sincerely hope and pray that for the year 2008, we shall see more smiles and less antagonism, more cooperation with one another and less obstructionism from our political leadership. We know that deep in the hearts of our political leaders, they share a common love for what is good for Cebu. When that dream of the Cebuano united with one another working for the development of Cebu is achieved, there is nothing that can stop Cebu from leading the rest of the country in economic growth and prosperity, which was a blessing given by our Senyor Sto. Niño.

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If there was anything we can truly brag about the recently concluded Sinulog Festival, it is that we hit a record number of tourists who came to Cebu for our fiesta. In that whole week, especially during the procession for the Senyor Sto. Niño and the Sinulog Festival the following day, there were no reports of any major criminal activity except for a few pickpockets here and there. That’s quite remarkable, especially when you compare this to the observance of the Black Nazarene in Manila which caused a stampede.

That Gov. Gwen Garcia participates and dances every year since she became governor is something that amazes a lot of people. So too with Dame Margot Osmeña who also does the same thing every single year. They do it not because they’re politicians, but rather they know that dancing is also an act of worship to the Senyor Sto. Niño, this is why they are so blessed.

Of course we must mention and recognize the unsung heroes that worked feverishly while the Sinulog Festivities were underway. First we have the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the military for their presence truly assured us that it would be a peaceful celebration and it really was. Then there’s the Traffic Enforcers of Citom who prepared the traffic route. Traffic was bad after the Sinulog festivities were over but this was due to many people on the streets, dancing, drinking and merrymaking and too many vehicles on the road. It was a gargantuan task to say the least.

Finally we have to recognize the small army of 600 men and women of the Department of Public Services (DPS) of Cebu City who cleaned up the mess that the Sinulog revelers made during Sunday. I woke up early Monday morning and went around the parade route by 8AM. I was amazed at how quickly the cleanup crew cleared the major thoroughfares. Most of the areas that were not yet clean were on the sidewalks because they were still littered by the makeshift grandstands that were still in place.

Indeed the Sinulog Foundation starts with the planning months before the activity happens and ends, not just with the honoring of the winners of the contingents, but the clearing up of the mess that the millions of people who came to Cebu bring into the Sinulog Festival.

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Our Manila-based brethren in the media always chastise the government, especially the Philippine National Police (PNP) for unilaterally making a set of rules for engagement in the reporting of events like a coup because they insist that this is what they call “Prior Restraint”. Well, the Philippine Star headline yesterday was a telling one when it reported that a tv news team helped Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon escape when the SWAT team stormed the Manila Peninsula. This only goes to show that a lot of the media inside the Manila Penn where there not just to cover the ongoing events, but to aid and abet the coup plotters, which in my book is a criminal offense. This is why I don’t blame the PNP for making their rules of engagement.