Public market in Tabunok

In praying, the moralist differs from the politician for one reason: The moralist commits himself to God and people, while the politician commits only to himself. This jibes with what the late senator Robert F. Kennedy had once said: “Politicians remember who support them or if they don’t, they go out of business.”

Perhaps, it was said in a jest but some politicians in Talisay City took it literally by remembering only their supporters to the exclusion of more important projects. Thus, Mayor Johnny de los Reyes, Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante, and the city councilors seemingly conspired to disagree on the 2015 budget allocations to maintain the status quo of the supporters in lieu of income-generating projects.

In confusion, the Talisay City Council scrapped the P350 million budget for the construction of the Tabunok Public Market – the heart and soul of Talisay City’s economy. It was an idiotic move that drew the ire of market denizens because it meant months or even years of trudging the dirty sleazy market.

When confronted with the issue, the leaders simply quibbled. They resorted to finger-pointing, looking for scapegoats to cover their misdoing. No one had the courage to sacrifice for the greater good of the community.

As such, I can no longer believe they would pursue the stalled project. Whether they admit it or not, the people know that political antagonism, greed, selfmotives, partisanship and so much vanity, are the real causes of the disagreement in the budget allocations.

But then we cannot pin down politicians who are afflicted with amnesia. They forgot that the status quo of the Tabunok Public Market was the very same object of the smear campaign against the venerable Eddie Gulla, who eventually lost in the last elections.

In view of this, I wish to remind the conquerors that the market is not a booty. It is not subject to manipulation and alienation. It is a sacred legacy.

It is the traditional meeting place for the poor and hungry people who could not afford the exorbitant prices of nearby malls patronized by the rich politicians who control Talisay City’s economy.

Be this as it may, the Tabunok Public Market will survive just as it had against typhoons, earthquakes and flood. Perhaps, what it can not survive is the calamity of voting into office this gang of politicians who do nothing but quarrel for their own business of politics. -- Arturo E. Cañares of Minglanilla, Cebu