Some angles of caution
Before I begin, I would like to greet my fourth baby Beatriz a happy birthday! In many occasions, betting on the side of caution brings more positive results than undesirable consequences. Caution anticipates disasters. Physically, it offers that fraction of a second needed to take evasive action that usually proves enough a time to escape perdition. Take the case of drivers of motor vehicles. When they apply the brakes in reaction to a yellow light of a traffic signal, they invariably save themselves from some weird vehicular accidents. Here is another example. Most of us do not know that an electrician tests whether a power line he is working on is live or not with the back of his hand. That unquestionably is caution at work. When there is current, he saves his own life because he is not likely to squeeze to his own death with his palm zapping power of the wire.
There are times though that caution is not appreciated. This takes place especially when the obvious worth of a project is beyond reproach. In our rush to reach the accomplishment of a worthy objective, we rather forget caution if not throw it to the wind.In such instances, caution is often misconstrued.We tend to equate that word as dilatory. Indeed, because by the exercise of caution, we tend to slow down whatever required process there is, we have to buy time before whizzing thru. At other times too, we give a suspicious angle to caution. Rather than give the exercise of caution its full value, we ascribe to it many other disreputable thoughts.
Caution is probably the guiding word when Hon. Mary Ann de los Santos, member of sanggunian panlungsod, North district, tackles the public bidding for the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center. The lady councilor is most aware that the cost of this construction is so huge that it is going to be a burden to the city coffers as she admits that when completed, the hospital will provide an important service to a great segment of the city's population for a long period of time. To her, making sure that the job shall be awarded to a construction firm not only because it is reputable but because in all its documentary requirements, there is not a line that can likely raise quizzical eyebrows, is her first order of business.
Given the enormity of the project and the importance it deserves, Councilor de los Santos, may, in fact, be overly cautious. We should not blame her because this project is going to be a legacy of His Honor Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama, to the city and the lady councilor has committed to the mayor to help accomplish this undertaking without any tint of questionable character.
I am informed that there are entries in a bidding document that need to be carefully examined. Caution, which is synonymous to meticulous care, must be her operative word. Actually, it is also imposed upon her more as a part of her duty but no less than a personal choice. On account of this seeming job description of sort, she wants to validate a certain claim that is written in the bid papers that a construction company has performed a similar project within a certain period of time.
It appears that the bidder's document is not factual. The personality named in a kind of certificate identifying the purported builder is not accurate and the date of completion attributed therein is incorrect. Caution has moved Hon de los Santos to make personal verification. In her frame of mind, the best and fastest way to clarify the issue was to come face to face with owner of the facility built and extract from them the correct data.
I understand that this exercise of caution on the part of Councilor de los Santos may have delayed the implementation of this project for few more days. Her action has also been given different misconstructions. But I like to believe that it is primarily aimed at preventing a possible wrongful representation from making any headway towards bagging a billion peso contract and, on the side, it is resorted to in order to protect the integrity of the city mayor and the city council.
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