EDITORIAL - Let's call a spade a spade

Mayor Michael Rama should do better than just oppose the proposed light rail system on the basis of aesthetic concerns. Rama is worried that if the proposed LRT is allowed to pass through urban areas, it will destroy the "scenic skyline" of the city.

Hello? What scenic skyline is Rama worried about? There is no scenic skyline in Cebu City to talk about anymore, much less destroy. They have all been destroyed long ago. Or has the mayor failed to notice all the skywalks, flyovers, and spaghetti wires.

No one can begrudge Rama if he is not in favor of the LRT proposal. Any proposal is bound to have both adherents and opponents. Besides, the one person vigorously opposed to the LRT is no other than his own patron, Tomas Osmeña.

But if Rama has to be credible in his opposition, he must put forth sound arguments to support and sustain his opposition, not a simple concern for aesthetics that no longer applies in today's urban environments.

The other side of his opposition to the LRT proposal is just as limp. Rama says that he will only agree to the LRT proposal if it traverses through the mountains or the coastline. Hello again? Are we talking of an LRT here or a zipline or banana boat?

The LRT is a public conveyance, in case somebody has forgotten. The very core of its being is to transport people from one point to another in a fast, safe and efficient manner. To remove it away from the centers of people is to defeat the purpose of its being.

Again, nobody is asking the mayor to like, agree to, and endorse the LRT proposal. He is entitled to his own take on the proposal. That is why there is this healthy debate going on, so that in the exchange of ideas, everyone can make an informed decision on the matter.

But please, let us elevate the discussion into something truly worthy of consideration. What this debate needs like a hole in the head are patronizing arguments meant to nudge along a notion of one thing when in fact the real notion is of another. Let's call a spade a spade.