A first test of will power

I am happy with the first public pronouncement made by the mayor-elect of our city, the Honorable Vice Mayor Michael Rama. He said that when he assumes office in July as our new city chief executive, he will hold office, not at the top floor of the Annex (is this called the Executive?) building where the outgoing mayor used to transact official business, but at the ground level of the city hall.

The new mayor’s intention is most laudable. This move will make him accessible to his people, as mayors should really be. Bringing the office literally closer to the public is an affirmation of his strong republican leanings. In a manner of speaking, this is an expression of a populist management style. And it will do him well if he intends to look beyond his first term.

It stymies the ordinary citizens to go up to the floor and enter a room, which, being fully air conditioned, is naturally kept closed. For example, a man from the mountain barangay, may desire to bring to the mayor’s attention an issue of personal concern. He has to gather all his guts to take the elevator and ask the operator to bring him up to mayor’s office. He needs half that courage if he knows that near the main entrance of the city hall, he can already meet the mayor.

But, I am not very sure though if the incoming mayor will stick this plan. He has a notorious record of flip-flopping on basic issues. Many times in the past, he practically stained his reputation by taking back what he just uttered. Those incidents happened when he stated something in public that the boss did not like. If only to placate his master, he, in great haste, and without batting an eyelash, would deny authorship of a viewpoint.

Now, it is a matter of record that the authority who chose the top floor of the annex building as mayor’s office is Mayor Tomas R. Osmena. I remember him making a ton of an explanation justifying his decision. It was his way of explaining to the Cebuanos, (roundabout, would be the better term) why he wanted to hold office at the top floor that highlighted an otherwise innocuous move.

The plan of the new mayor would make the decision of his predecessor farcical. If he completes his idea of going back to the ground floor, Hon. Rama would tend to demonstrate that the reasons given by Mayor Osmena in choosing the highest physical level of the building to hold office were empty show. We, the Cebuanos, have a term for it, bola.

This idea of Vice Mayor Rama must be product of deliberate and careful thinking. It is going to be the first test of his leadership will. He is aware that it can be taken as a signal that he does not intend to remain a lackey of Congressman-elect Osmeña. Enough is enough. For so long he remained subservient to the mayor. It is about time to show his stuff. That he cannot be dictated all the time can be, indeed, the main reason driving him to take this trivial course of an inconsequential matter. So, even if out-going Mayor Osmeña disagrees with incoming Mayor Rama on this issue, he will just leave it alone because the truth is public opinion will not be on his side if he protests.

However, it is a possibility that Mayor Osmeña may take this issue quite seriously. He will not want the public to recall the extra effort he exerted in justifying his decision to go to the top floor of the annex building. His strong personal feeling for occupying the top floor may amount to nothing if Vice Mayor Rama, disregards it. 

Should be congressman-elect Osmeña try to test whether the incoming mayor intends to stand on his own, he will attempt to dissuade Mayor-elect Rama from holding office at the ground floor. But, while it will then, be a clash of giant opinions on something that is unimportant to governance, it may just take place if only to show who really rules Cebu.