A wish list of probable ordinances

Whether they like it or not, the members of the Sanggunian Panlungsod of Cebu City still have six months remaining of their elective government position. Starting as councilors at noon of June 30, 2010, they are supposed to hold office until noon of June 30, this year. That completes their three-year term. So, for the next half-year, we will continue to give them their whooping salaries plus the perks influence and power are normally associated with.

Now, if it is in their conscience to give work value to the kind of money that we salary them with every fifteen days, they have to function as local legislators in crafting ordinances that will do well for our city unimpeded by their electoral movements.

Truth to tell, that is easier said than done specially that the election season has started. Well, in all honesty, the posturing for the city elective posts started rather unusually early. Was it in May 2012 when both groups commenced holding pulong-pulong in the city?

How then should incumbent councilors seeking reelection justify their salaries? Rather than busy themselves with campaigning, they should pass the kind of ordinances that the city needs in order to take advantage of the favorable economic position our country seems to enjoy presently.  Here is a very short wish list of such necessary local laws even if this listing is my arbitrary and subjective choice.

One. In the barangays, there are thousands of available but unemployed manpower. Among them are persons with good education, who, for one reason or another, have not found jobs with commensurate pay. Of course, there are those who can only be good for menial work. Just the same, all of them should be identified and their skills appropriately calibrated and recorded so that the moment there are matching job opportunities, they can be quickly tapped for processing. There is here an ordinance needed to establish such a data bank of these employable residents.

Two. It is a fact that the lure of our city continues to attract workers from neighboring provinces. When they reach our island, they compete against homegrown manpower for job placements. We know that in many cases, they succeed in taking away from city residents such employment.

Our councilors have to pass an ordinance that prioritizes the employment of city residents over “migrant” workers. Surely, there are constitutional safeguards of equal protection to consider but that charity begins at home is a doable philosophy not entirely offensive to the fundamental law. If the razzmatazz of the city’s perceived economic boom is true, then we see that the jobless among us can be absorbed and that piece of local law must see to it that available city manpower are taken in ahead of migratory workers.

Three. We continue to face the myriad social problems posed by informal settlers. Unfortunately, these have been compounded by official inaction. Once and for all, these must be addressed. The way I appreciate the bourgeoning problem, the answer comes in two stages.

First, an ordinance has to be passed providing for a mechanism for the return to their home provinces those who, among the informal settlers, can be classified as possessed with imperceptible means of livelihood in the city. It should incorporate a support program to start their economic activities where they may be sent back to. Secondly, those who may be classified as capable of sustaining a family in the city should be provided with adequate housing facility.

Considering that most of the members of the city council are loyal supporters of a political group, they will not find any difficulty pushing for these probable legislative measures except, of course, if they fear that the people may credit the administration of the sitting mayor for these great effort and for which reason, they will not find it to their political advantage to push for these ordinances.

In fine, I see that if in the last six months our city councilors concentrate on passing the kind of quality ordinances these concerns require, they shall be worth my vote in May 2013. They shall be comforted by the thought that several more electors entertain my off tangent observation.