What next?

This piece was written last Monday evening, January 7. Several questions related to the ongoing refusal of a suspended official to vacate Capitol.

Will a TRO be issued or not? If this is issued, will the Aquino government decide to contest and appeal the TRO issuance to a higher court? If this is a possibility, while the appeal to contest the TRO is made, can the Magpale camp also refuse to vacate their side of Capitol? If this happens, what's next for both parties? 

Or if the TRO is not issued, what do you think will the suspended governor do next? Will she or will she not finally submit to the verdict of the Court? What will the rest of her family do as well?

Whatever moves will be made, will these next decisions roll out all the way to Sinulog?

Already, the present stalemate is a daily spectacle for Cebuanos. Should the Capitol impasse drag on, then aside from the Sinulog, local and foreign guests will be treated to this political deadlock.

Is the present standoff worth dragging on and is it worth taking away the full attention from the Sto. Niño and the celebration for the Child-Jesus?

Or will the secular politicians give way and show their respect for the sacred event and will they show their reverence for the Child Jesus and allow peace and selflessness to reign in Capitol?

Every Cebuano should know why the Capitol is being contested, why it is so crucial for all parties.

Every Cebuano should also realize that the Capitol belongs to the Cebuanos and is not the monopoly of particular Cebuanos. The power of those in the Capitol is also derived from the people, from each and every Cebuano. Service to the people is expected of those ushered in by people's votes into Capitol. Capitol is not and should never become an exclusive private kingdom. The Capitol belongs to the people of Cebu.

The present impasse, however, does not seem to show that the Capitol is the property of all Cebuanos.

Cebuanos know that the Capitol is the center of power and resources. It is also clear to all that whoever controls Capitol, controls the resources needed before, during, and after elections.

What are the resources of Capitol and how are these used?

Cebuanos deserve to know the truth about how their public funds have been used. Capitol's resources are public and belong to the Cebuanos, not to particular Cebuanos. The resources should be used for the welfare of the constituents. Any use of public funds has to be fully and honestly accounted for. Transparency and accountability are part of effective, sincere governance.

Also, Cebuanos also deserve to know how much of the public funds have been used to assist the most needy, the poor Cebuanos. It will be very appreciated if the Cebuanos will be shown how their funds were used and who benefitted from the use of public funds.

However the present Capitol deadlock may be resolved, Cebuanos deserve to be told the full truth about how Capitol's resources have been used and for whom so that whoever will be next installed in Capitol by the people will be guided about how to effectively manage the next budget for the welfare of deserving recipients among the most needy.

Three questions I have asked in the past are still relevant at present. 1) How much budget was allotted for what projects? 2) How much of the allotted budget had been spent? Finally, 3) What percent of the proposed projects have been completed?

Perhaps, another crucial question should be added: how much of the projects and the budget were used for the welfare of the most needy and poorest among the Cebuanos?

Whether Capitol's resources are fully accounted for or not, may the Holy Sto. Niño enlighten all the Cebuanos to take the next meaningful move - to elect those who will use the Capitol resources not for patronage, not for power, not for vested interests but for the welfare and benefit of all Cebuanos.

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