Gearing for Cebu City's Charter
I'd always get excited whenever the 24th of February comes around. It means we are on our way to a double holiday as the EDSA anniversary is set for the following day, the 25th. This year it will be a long weekend, but it has to be something more than that.
Although it will be similar to other celebrations, this year will be a different charter day. On top of the resumption of in-person activities is a call to make the city into a revitalized place. Mayor Michael Rama has always targeted to make this city Singapore-like. I've been there myself, so I find it amusing. The journey going there is a long shot but it feels like we are making baby steps.
In the past year, the city has made tremendous efforts to mitigate flooding. It took weeks for them to figure out the cause of it all --clogged rivers. The political will to form a task force dedicated to it and empowering the department heads to be 'river commanders' is no easy feat. Add to that their determination to proceed with demolition of structures that have encroached the riverbanks. They have placed themselves on the line to implement decades-old recommendations and the law, no less.
The same steps were also done to mitigate landslides in the upland areas. A task force that dedicated their time to find the cause was also formed. The city also temporarily stopped quarry operations pending compliance of the companies involved. Soil erosion is not as bad as it was, but this doesn't mean they will let their guard down.
If there is anything worth noting in celebrating the birth of this city, it is the effort the officials and its constituents have made to make it better. It is not perfect, but it is more livable than others. I'd choose this city over others located in the capital in a heartbeat. I have found my soul and my home here.
I have not found any other city as historically and culturally rich as Cebu. I'm never ashamed to be called a Cebuana, born and raised here, despite backlash it has received from various individuals. To admit that there is still room for improvement is divine, that is why we work together, anyway. When the goals are met, I'm sure this city will be unlike any other.
This is the time to set politics aside and see through to the betterment of our beloved city. There may have been flaws, setbacks, and unmet expectations but the work is being done. That is better than just having to sit on anyone's chair to let time pass. I'm sure our taxes are going somewhere useful. Hopefully it stays that way until the end. By then, we'll say that it was all worth it. As the city turns a year older this Friday, we hope for progress unlike any other. It deserves to be placed on the map for everything it has done.