Mountain barangay roads: An early political issue

The fact that the budgetary ordinance, any appropriation measure for that matter, which is prepared by the office of the city mayor, receives the minutest scrutiny by and requires the approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod only demonstrates the theoretical power of the legislative department of the city government over the purse. The separation of powers, a hallmark of a democracy while clearly defined in the national government, also exists, albeit blurred, in the local level. Accordingly, while the mayor's office, theoretically the executive department, being supposedly most knowledgeable of the detailed financial requirements to run the city, drafts the budget, the law requires the approval of the city council for any allocation to be made.

During the first term of His Honor, Cebu City Michael L. Rama, there was a massive road-building program in the mountain barangays. I suppose that was the result of a fine executive-legislative cooperation where the latter supported the monetary needs of the former in administering the city. It could thus, be assumed that the outlay for that purpose, proposed by the mayor, got the preponderant nod of the city councilors. As a result, where in the city administrations previous to Mayor Rama's, there were many stretches of Macadam roads that were impassable when it rained or difficult to maneuver during sunny days because of sharp rocks, loose stones or unstable soil, Mayor Rama was able to build concrete road networks to connect various barangays. If in the May 2013 elections, the mayor registered victories over his political adversary even in areas that were perceived to be Osmeña territory, his successful road-building program had something to do with it.

The present city council, with the overwhelming majority of whose members belonging to the opposition, must have a similar perception on the election results. They have to plug the political loopholes one of which was the successful road-building program.  It is therefore understandable that we cannot see more concrete roads being built in the mountains in this second term of Mayor Rama, never mind if that is what the people there needs.

To cite an example, let me point to Barangays Binaliw, Mabini and Paril. An existing road connects these three barangays. Before Mayor Rama became our city chief executive, many of the portions of this road were very difficult to travel on. It would take me almost two hours driving my rickety Volkswagen Beetle, under terrible stress, from home just to reach Sitio Baugo in Paril.

Perhaps, as part of his political agenda, Mayor Rama, in the months of his first term, paved many of such road stretches with concrete. The result was a road that was pleasurable to drive on and beneficial to many residents. In fact, last December, I even drove my Mercedes Benz to Baugo without hesitation nor exasperation.

Here is fly in the proverbial ointment. Those stretches that were not concreted have become ugly. When it rained few weeks ago, one portion was so slippery that we almost fell to a deep ravine. Even as our vehicle literally crawled, it was still virtually impossible to plan which part was stable enough as to drive on. On other parts of the road, jagged stones protrude ready to pierce tires to explosion.

Listening to the way the on-going budgetary meetings at the Cebu City hall are conducted, I have the impression that Mayor Rama will be denied by the city council the continuation of his otherwise laudable road-building program. If this project brought unto the mayor massive electoral support from the mountain barangays in the last May election, the opposition, in so many ways and in so dispassionate gobbledygook is determined to remove this political leg. We therefore can expect that such an example of a bad road, will, not only be unattended to, but worsen in their dilapidated condition.

But, the councilors allied with former Mayor Osmeña should understand that their seemingly concerted attempt to block Mayor Rama's road-building efforts could boomerang. The electorate will view and easily comprehend a power point presentation how Mayor Rama succeeded in his first term's road construction. On the other hand, it can be explained to the voters that with their help, traveling to the mountains is becoming easy and fast. On these councilors' hand lies their political fate.