Cebu can be the next Singapore!

Anytime now, we will know whether the referendum for Scottish independence won over those who want Scotland to remain with the United Kingdom. Yes, this has been a huge story as reported by Cable Network News  and the British Broadcasting Company that this vote for self-determination by Scotland is now hanging on a 50-50 thread.

Scotland has been under the United Kingdom for over 300-years now after they lost in their wars of independence against Britain. This is why the United Kingdom wants Scotland to stay within its borders, which is why the government of UK Prime Minister Davide Cameron has promised Scotland new powers ahead of their key independence vote that may happen today.

I recall that this also happened in the early 90's when Canada had the same problem with the Quebecers who also wanted to separate from Canada for two simple reasons, they speak French in Quebec and that under Canada, Quebecers feel like second class citizens. The same is true with the sentiments of the Catalans who want to get away from Spain. Catalonia is one of Spain's richest and industrialized regions and they were energized by Scotland's forthcoming referendum so now they are calling for November 9 as the day of reckoning… to vote for the independence of Catalonia. We don't have to tell you that the Basque people in Spain never want to be called Spaniards.

With Pres. Benigno Aquino III seeking to give the Bangsamoro full autonomy, I'm surprised why we Cebuanos are not questioning the Central Government why it is allowing the Philippines to fragment? What is even more surprising to me is…why is there only silence from the Cebuanos I know who also want Cebu to be independent from Manila?

I dare say that the time has come for Cebu to rise up and call for a general meeting to debate the issue whether Cebu should stay with the Philippines or should we also demand for our self-determination?

A case in point is the recent deal that the DOTC hatched to lease out the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority to the GMR/Megawide consortium for the next 25-years. Then out of the blue, MCIAA calls for a public hearing for their proposal to increase terminal fees for infrastructure development. What does this tell you? That the DOTC is keeping the P14.4 billion that it got from this deal and it is not giving a single centavo back to the Mactan Airport. It is the way Imperial Manila sucks our money and keeps it for itself.

But are we hearing complaints from our political leaders? For sure, Gov. Hilario Davide III is mum about this issue and I'm surprise why Mayor Michael Rama or Mayor Jonas Cortez isn't saying their piece on this controversy. Are they scared to fight for the rights of Cebu? The least they could do is to tell us whether they agree to this situation or not. Meanwhile, my good friend, Mr. Joel Mari Yu, former director of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center  wrote me this email.                

"Dear Bobit, I am also very strongly against allowing MCIAA to increase terminal fees at the Mactan Airport. It is bad enough that the Philippines is maybe the only country in the world that imposes airport terminal fees; it is made worse because Mactan Airport does not deserve it. I travel very often... I have been to over 35 countries worldwide.

I don't know any other airport that collects terminal fees... yet their airports make ours here in the Philippines look terrible.  At the Mactan Airport, I notice that in very many instances, they only operate one of the two x-ray scanners for baggage at the departure area.  They don't care if the lines snake back causing inconvenience and anxiety to the passengers.  Is this their brand of customer satisfaction?

If MCIAA's income is going to drop because of the Megawide project, this should have been factored in when they accepted the deal.  Passing additional burden to the passengers is as unfair as it is objectionable."

What about our business leaders in the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry why are they not saying anything for or against the terminal increase? Have they lost their tongues? Now is the time to speak up on this very important issue and I'm just amazed that their silence is deafening!

Again at this time, I would like our schools and universities to come up with debates on whether Cebu should stay in the Philippines because after all, the Philippines only became independent in July 1948. In short, the Philippines as a nation is only 68 years old, while Scotland has been under the United Kingdom for over 300 years. Yet they now want to separate from the UK for the simple reason that they can flourish better on their own. I feel the same way for Cebu…that our economic growth has been stymied by our being under the Philippines. Cebu can be the next Singapore if you asked me!