Roperos: Deepening feud

Godofredo M. Roperos

Politics also

Friday, April 3, 2009

NOW it is Cebu province’s turn at bat in the deepening feud (I choose this term rather than the more alarming “worsening” or “threatening”) between two local governments.

Sun.Star carried yesterday a story and a photo that showed the briefing that Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and brother, Congressman Pablo John or PJ, made and it seemed to me they might have hit a home run in the proposed Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) congressional inquiry.

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The report that said Capitol has found more loopholes with the city’s Filinvest deal appears to be a thrust of equal force at the City Hall’s effort to derail Capitol’s plan to “profitably” develop its real estate properties in the city.

Of course, this issue is already rather long-drawn and may have been the seed of the on-going feud between Capitol and City Hall, something about a negotiation for land swapping which folded up right in the midst of what would have become a worthy negotiation for a common goal. The goal of the land swap was to extend housing assistance to some inhabitants of the city which City Hall would like to help improve the quality of their lives.

Actually, to my mind, the feud between Capitol and City Hall is ironic in the sense that both have as their objective the improvement of the way of life of the people, whether they be voters or the city or the province. But the problem is that, somewhere along the way, the two political seafarers went separate ways.

That is probably how the political bad blood flowing incessantly in the respective turf of the two camps did begin. And sadly, we see no end of the conflict soon. It is, as the Tagalog saying goes, “bata-bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag magagalit,” or word to that effect in the prevailing verbal exchange.

And at the moment, it is City Hall that is getting it, with Capitol getting the support of Cebu’s congressmen for the House inquiry that PJ is proposing to look into the perceived anomalous parts of FLI-CH deal.

Up to this moment, I cannot foresee how this feud would end. Neither can I see any potential benefit that could come out of it for the respective constituents of the governor and the mayor.

But what I would really like to see happen when next the twain should meet, is both to seek hands and do the proverbial “kiss and make up” act. Then we could see how development and progress in the island of Cebu would shoot up. Perhaps, I would even help push for the long dreamed-of merger of my hometown, Balamban, with the august Cebu City.