Brilliant, black and red lightings of the Capitol

The very first time I saw the prime government buildings lighted rather impressively was in the middle part of 1988. The Provincial Capitol Building was amazingly showcased with hitherto brilliant lights to outshine all other structures in the city. It was Governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña, (may his soul rest in peace) who effected such a dramatic change. Really, I then could not help but compare its extravagant luminance to the lighting given to the iconic 19-foot-tall, 175-ton seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. in the USA. When the dazzling Cebu Capitol building lighting was first switched on, in Gov. Lito’s time, the Lincoln light was comparably less brilliant and more subdued but definitely looking solemn. Well, we learned that the American president’s statue was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, and completed in 1920 and our capitol building was designed by Architect Juan Marcos Arellano between 1937 and 1938.

Last Monday evening, we, Mr. Ramon Peñaloza and I, cruised along Osmeña Boulevard this city. Since it has been quite a long time that I have not been to our midtown area, I was somewhat amazed by the glitter of lights illuminating that part of the city. Not Mr. Peñaloza though because he said that was his regular route. After rounding the Fuente Osmeña, we drove towards the capitol and we were stunned by what we saw. Dead ahead towards the end of Osmeña Boulevard was a profile of a structure that looked like dead. No pun intended here.

The grandiose image of the Cebu Provincial Capitol building that I knew was introduced by Gov. Lito was somehow sucked in total darkness. It was as if life itself deserted. My imaginative mind thought of Bran Castle, often referred to as Dracula’s Castle. A dark Capitol was no different from a dark Dracula castle. There has been gothic horror woven around the legend of Dracula from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel and the complete absence of light in the capitol created my similarly unfounded fear of the dark. I had to send to Governor Pamela this message: “Good evening Gov. Ngano nag-black out ang Capitol Building?”

While I was preparing to write this article, I came upon a social media post of the Cebu Provincial Capitol building draped in crimson red that color which reflects passion. It was posted by mediaman Mr. Jun Sta Cruz. There was no time match as to tell me if the picture was done recently. I had to assume it was how the structure appeared on Tuesday evening, a stark contrast to what I saw on Monday night. A subsequent message from Mr. Sta Cruz though confirmed that he himself took the picture on Tuesday evening.

Allow me to weave a narrative to the changing lights of the Capitol building from Gov. Lito’s brilliant lighting to the darkness last Monday evening and the crimson red on Tuesday night. If I should sound a bit naughty and at the same time speculative that should still be within realm of my constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression.

First I had to assume that the darkness of the Capitol building last Monday was with the consent of Gov. Baricuatro. It was to project that the image of a brilliant Osmeña leadership starting sometime in 1988 had ended. The total dimming of the lights last Monday should also show that the past leaders’ time had closed.

Second. In the last few days, I have come across social media posts (rumors) claiming that Gov. Baricuatro, who was allegedly elected upon the strength of the votes of the Duterte followers, has shown some signs of transferring loyalties - from DDS to BBM. It was likely that those were mostly trolls hiding under covert names but some were unmistakably verifiable personalities. To me, the change into a crimson red color might and could be taken as validation of the said political rumor mongering. Is this true, Gov.?