Aspects Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are better than Cebu

There is one distinct advantage a senior citizen relishes. It is the enjoyment of an aspect of freedom. He is free to go to places the active pursuit of his profession would not otherwise allow him to visit normally. And while at such places, he can observe the scene without his thoughts being canalized by the usual demands of his profession.

 I enjoyed such freedom when I visited two places.

 First. Last Saturday, I watched a boxing promotion in Lapu-Lapu City. While actively lawyering, I would not normally go there at nighttime. Anyway, the main event of that card featured AJ “Bazooka” Banal who, many pundits believe, is a world-beater. It was just unfortunate that Banal could not display his skills to the expectation of boxing fans because he was paired against a joker. That guy called Tyson Cave really lived up to the antics of a cave man. I wondered why the Canadian sports commission gave him a license to box, in the first place.

 While at the venue, I observed that the Hoops Dome, that is how the facility is called, is capable of holding events catering to large crowds. Hon. Efren Herrera, Lapu-Lapu City councilor, who sat near me, validated my observation. He claimed that the city made sure that the flooring is ideal for international kind of basketball competitions. That evening though, the hardwood floor was covered for protection. The other equipment too, like the scoreboard, was bought from the foreign supplier that furnished Arco arena, the Lakers home.

 It was in the middle of our friendly conversation that I realized Cebu City, does not have anything of its own comparable to Hoops Dome. Cebu City, acclaimed by our leaders as “Second to None” is bereft of a structure large enough to accommodate even one half of the crowd that saw the ALA Promotions boxing card.

 Second. I visited, two days ago, the office of the Secretary of the Sangguniang Panglunsod of Mandaue City. As a trial advocate years past, I would often go to the courts in Mandaue, but not its city council. Our conversation with SP Sec. Mabanag focused on the ordinance that created the Mandaue City College. We shared in the view that if ever there are some issues to settle, among well-intentioned academicians, in the running of the school, it does not diminish the huge success of the city’s tremendous effort to provide education to its youth.

 The city ordinance establishing the college has a clear objective. It hopes to prepare the Mandaue youths for the future. Primed at offering only such courses as are needed by the city’s young generation with which to find stable jobs, the city college does not aim to open curricula that are offered by other institutions of learning. Mandaue City seeks not to compete with existing privately owned colleges and universities in Metro Cebu. If at all, it is the demand for such courses by Mandauehanons that prods the city to do so.

 As we discussed the finer points of the ordinance, we stumbled upon a comparison. We could not believe that Cebu City, the city, which our leaders brag as “second to none”, has none of the kind of college Mandaue City operates. It is difficult to understand that the budgetary outlay of Cebu City is perhaps three times bigger than that of Mandaue and yet our leaders do not think of providing the necessary educational opportunity for our youth.

 As if to highlight the utter lack of foresight on the part of Cebu City leaders, Talisay City operates its own college. Cordova, a small town some of our leaders want to annex to the city, has its own while Consolacion town also operates one.

To complete the circle, His Honor, Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama, has to fill these gaps. One. The city needs a building to serve as a sports venue and convention center worthy of our boast. Two, in much the same urgency, it has to establish a college, for which purpose, he can request any friendly councilor to sponsor an ordinance creating it. If only to expedite this project, he can ask that a similar proposal, filed about 10 years ago, be revived.