EDITORIAL - City politics an eye-opener to voters

The Cebu City council, dominated by allies of Tomas Osmeña, continues to sit on a proposed supplemental budget that seeks to tap into the P8 billion payment the city received from the sale of several lots at the SRP, unmindful of the fact that the inaction on the supplemental budget is holding hostage the performance of vital services to the public.

This best typifies the kind of politics a city of Cebu's stature and importance ought not to have. It is a shame how principled public service seems to shy away from this second most important city in the Philippines. It jives perfectly with what Osmeña, as reported in the papers, would rather have "technicians" in the city council than lawyers despite the fact that the job of legislation is work cut out perfectly for those steeped in the legal profession.

Osmeña's argument that lawyers cannot fix city problems falls flat of its face owing to the moral dishonesty upon which it is anchored. The city council is not for the fixing of city problems. That is the job of the executive. This is why the executive has a variety of departments peopled by experts who can address each particular city problem.

Osmeña, of course, is not saying why he would rather not have lawyers as part of his slate for the city council in the coming 2016 elections. Osmeña has determined that lawyers, despite their party affiliations, will probably not do all of his bidding if they feel legally uncomfortable doing them. He has seen some of his own lawyer partymates before bolting the party than go against the legal principles upon which their profession draws its meaning.

It is easier for Osmeña to whip partymates in line if they are not lawyers who will always be bound to do what they think is right and lawful. That is why, as he said, he prefers "technicians" than lawyers to man the city council. A quick look at the BOPK slate for 2016 though will tell you what exactly Osmeña means by the euphemism he has coined.

But that is something that awaits the city in the future. Besides, it is really all up to the Cebuano voters whether they agree with Osmeña and would prefer his brand of politics to the politics of the present administration of Mayor Mike Rama. What is important is that it needs to be pointed out to the Cebuanos what is happening to the city and why it is happening.

If there is a failure in the delivery of basic services, it is only a seeming failure. It is a failure that should not have happened. The city has the money to bankroll the delivery of these basic services. But because of the ugliness of politics, the city government is being prevented from using its money to pay for these services. For the city to do that, it needs the prior approval of the council. But the council is dominated by Osmeña's allies. And Osmeña is the enemy of Mike Rama.