Susan’s Notes
By Susan Palmes-Dennis
ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—I’ve been kept busy with the preparations and then recent celebration of the 128th Philippine Independence Day observance at the St. James Catholic Church but mind you, I also kept tabs with the local and national developments in the Philippines.
First off, let’s comment on the June 15 State of the City Address (SOCA) delivered by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy at the Divisoria Park or El Pueblo A Sus Heroes Park. It’s largely unremarkable, save for the mayor’s announcement of three flyover projects that are expected to help decongest the city’s traffic congestion. And of course, those projects will be done largely by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The rest of Mayor Klarex’s address is mostly a repetition of his administration’s achievements which in any other local government classified as a highly urbanized city (HUC) would be described as ‘basic housekeeping’ as former mayor Oscar Moreno said. A hallmark of Uy’s governance is his outreach programs which are similar to previous outreach programs conducted by the late mayors Pablo ‘Ambing’ Magtajas and Vicente Emano.
Nothing wrong with it at all. In fact there is something to acknowledge about Uy’s rationale to bring the government with its substantial services and resources closer to the people. But at the same time, local leaders with real insight and foresight know that constituents should not be made dependent on the government. That Kagay-anons should not be content with doleouts from their City Hall to survive their daily grind.
There are exceptions of course. The fuel crisis, the Mindanao quake, etc required assistance from the national government and local governments but these are extraordinary situations not unlike the COVID-19 pandemic years. But again, local leaders with insight and foresight should have implemented programs that empowered their constituents to sustain themselves through livelihood. That’s something even the national government failed to do so far.
But that’s how Mayor Klarex operates and his brand of governance relies mostly on his department managers whom he entrusts with developing his governance agenda for the people of Cagayan de Oro. Question is, with two more years to go before the 2028 elections, what would he show for his constituents other than what is already being implemented under his administration?
At this stage, it’s unrealistic to expect anything substantial from the Klarex administration than the ongoing outreach programs that included the ‘Kasalan Ng Bayan’ which had invited much ridicule from the mayor’s critics. Unless there is a Commission on Audit (COA) report questioning the funds used to buy the roasted pigs (lechon) and other goodie bags for the married couples, we can expect more of the same in the next two years until 2028 at least.
Until then, we don’t know if Klarex’s style of governance would result in better living conditions like more economic opportunities and more investments coming into Cagayan de Oro City. Like any other local government, the city needs investors and new businesses to bring in much needed revenues and the 12 percent increase in new businesses is a good sign.
The special session called by President Bongbong Marcos Jr on Wednesday this week went on without a hitch and resulted in the confirmation of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate president and Sen. Vicente Sotto III as Senate president pro tempore, much to the relief of the vast majority of the Filipino people. It’s about high time that this so-called ‘Senateflix’ came to an end and the elected senators who are paid by taxpayers’ money get back to work.
Now the Filipinos await the results of the pre-trial conference that would guide the conduct of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Thanks to their security preparations, there were no last minute ‘interventions’ that characterized the unlamented reign of former Senate president Alan Peter Cayetano, who along with his cabal of loyalist senators presided over one of the most disgraceful tenures in the Philippine Senate’s history.
And Cayetano’s brief 20 plus day tenure as Senate chief shows both the kind of politician and man he really is. But we need to be reminded of what he is during his days as congressman in which he engaged in a power struggle for the House Speakership role with Congressman Lorde Allan Velasco back in 2020. Back then and now six years later, Cayetano is driven not by a sense of duty and purpose but by a naked desire for power and prestige.
That even Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio had to intervene in that dispute then—-and now six years later is distancing herself from Cayetano’s pitiful attempts to reclaim the Senate presidency—shows how much of a pariah Cayetano has become. Now that he’s been rumored to be chosen as Senate minority leader, the Filipino public will see for themselves what kind of senator judge and legislator Cayetano will be in the next few months at least. Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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