A question of priority

Gov. Hilario Davide III took a very big gamble when he decided to push through with the P1.3-billion, 20-story resource center project inside the Capitol compound.

And for what? So his administration could address the problem of lack of office space in the executive building?

There are other less expensive ways to do this but the Capitol went ahead and took out the billion-peso-loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines so it wouldn’t have to touch Capitol funds that could be used for basic services.

That way, he assured, taxpayers wouldn’t be burdened.

Perhaps, the governor sees himself as a visionary, someone who has augured the future.

Davide has said the facility is expected to generate around P61 million in its first year of operations with an occupancy rate target of 50 percent.

“The rental, for instance, will help pay for the amortization at the bank. If the Province ends up shelling out money for this purpose, it will be very minimal,” he said in Cebuano last February.

That was one of his justifications to go ahead with the construction.

And yet, the governor did not foresee the effects of the mild El Niño on the farmers and

fisherfolk.

If he had, then maybe the Capitol would have taken out a loan to implement a water catchment system that would be in place to help those who would be affected whenever the province suffered a dry spell.

Already, damage estimates have hovered around P100 million.

But the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office only has around P59 million in its quick response funds to ease the sufferings of those who have lost their crop or fish harvest to the weather disturbance.

Yet, the amount is paltry when compared to the P1.3 billion that the Davide administration has been raring to spend to decongest the executive building despite several objections.

His predecessor, Third District Rep. Gwen Garcia, and Provincial Board (PB) Member Alex Binghay have filed an injunction suit on the grounds that the PB did not authorize the governor to enter into contracts with a bank and a building contractor and ignored other lawful procedures.

Garcia, who is running for governor in May, said Cebu has no need for “Torre ni Davide.”

Indeed, but it looks like Davide has his own priority.