Separate awarding for “overlooked” clan

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor has not talked to Medellin Mayor Ricky Rodriguez Ramirez after the incident at the 76th city charter anniversary culminating event where the Rodriguez clan representatives were “overlooked.”

“No, I haven’t talked to him. It’s up to Glenda (Gabuya). I leave it to CHAC to settle that. We will hold a separate awarding in my office when our schedules are arranged,” the mayor said.

Rama said that just like any recognition not given on the night of the awarding, a simple turnover will be done at the mayor’s office.

Gabuya of Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission earlier took full responsibility of what she called an “honest mistake” and promised to write a letter of apology to the Rodriguez clan.

The clan is one of the 75 families of distinction awarded last year when the city celebrated its 75th city charter anniversary.

The celebration lasted for a year and culminated last Sunday.  Ramirez, in an earlier interview, said he made it a point to attend the awarding because he used to be neighbors with Rama before he became a mayor.

“I wanted to attend because it was published in a newspaper that our family declined to attend the awarding and we wondered because we were not told that we belong to the list of awardees,” the Medellin town mayor said.

Gabuya said it was a misunderstanding since their office has never announced that the Rodriguez family declined.

“It was misquoted. The clan was mentioned to belong to the group of families who have not confirmed attendance at the time,” Gabuya explained.

Ramirez and Gabuya have already talked over the phone Monday noon and the mayor has understood that the unfortunate incident was not intentional.

The FREEMAN learned that a certain Adelaida Rodriguez Javier, apparently a Manila-based ballerina, received the award last year and could not attend this year’s activity.

Asked if Ramirez knew Javier, he said he does not.

“There are many Rodriguezes in Cebu and I do not know everybody. But if the city is awarding the family of public servants, then that’s the one I belonged to,” he said.

The Medellin mayor is the grandson of former Cebu City mayor Dr. Jose Rodriguez, great grandson of Commonwealth Philippines senator Don Pedro Rodriguez who is known to be the “grand old man of northern Cebu,” and a descendant of former senator Celestino Rodriguez and former Cebu governor Buenaventura Rodriguez. —/JPM (FREEMAN)