By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
BACOLOD City’s image is “in the soup” anew.
Mayor Albee Benitez’s first State of the City Address (SOCA) on July 5 put the city in a “bad light”. Suspected spoiled food was served to spectators, including members of the media.
It cricked even the city’s integrity as one of the “Billionaire Cities” in the country. Worse, it led to “disappointment era” among Bacolodnons.
Thus, Mayor Albee was left with no choice but to order an immediate probe. He tasked Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Joseph Karl Tiu to head the inquiry.
First to complain were members of the tri-media followed by some barangay officials in the city. Some of them suffered from stomach pain and vomiting.
Becoming the talk of the town, the alleged “pan-os nga lengua” ruined the “meat and essence” of the mayor’s SOCA.
‘BAD VOLUNTEERISM’
Over the weekend, the “lengua brouhaha” worsened as Tiu, in a radio interview, admitted that he himself also ate pan-os nga green salad that tasted like pan-os nga lechon (roasted pig).
This further amplified the issue. It was billed as “bad volunteerism” of information. Still “bad for the city”. The media “feasted” on the spoiled food news more.
“Socials” for the SOCA, per info, had four caterers for each category of attendees – Very, Very Important Persons (VVIP), Very Important Persons (VIP), The Ordinary Guests and Employees (TOGE), and the Job Order Workers (JOWs).
Media belonged to TOGE.
‘PR DISASTER’
Undoubtedly, the case of pan-os nga lengua was a “PR (public relations) disaster”.
Mayor Albee’s PR team and even the Bacolod City Public Information Office (BCD PIO) failed to parry the mess. The issue is selling “like a hotcake” for more than a week now.
That the mayor ordered a probe indicates there’s something “serious” in this hullabaloo.
‘MARI-IT’
The gravity-slash-impact of the lengua brouhaha to the public was so appalling. It necessitated both Bacolod citizens and netizens to cast horrid comments against the present administration.
One netizen said, “Bacolod City seems to be mari-it for Mayor Albee.”
Mari-it is a Hiligaynon (from Western Visayas) word that means “dangerously enchanted”.
Since July 2022 to date, the billionaire mayor never rested from controversial issues. Among the many included the following:
* P16-M renovation of the mayor’s office
* proposed P4.4-billion loan that, until now, is waiting for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) approval
* proposed P279.3 million furniture and equipment
* AstraZenca brouhaha
* Unfulfilled promise of “zero billing” re: Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP)
* failed free housing program
* wigit kamot, ti-il, bangkay in the city
* “shabulized” Bacolod
* (frequent) travels abroad
* “bad” traffic
* worsening basura
BIG CHALLENGES
Former governor Lito Coscolluela, in a Facebook post, shared an observation – the mayor, after a year, still faces big challenges ahead:
* timely and effective program execution
* curtailment of graft and corruption
* resource generation (to pay off the loans)
* urban development, engagement with all sectors to enable real CSO (community service oriented) involvement and win public cooperation.
* improvement of competitiveness ranking investment promotion.
* political management
* institutionalization of meritocracy and competence-based recruitment
‘OVERPROMISES’
The current “political destitution” could be attributed to “overpromises” and “under-deliveries”. These frustrate Bacolodnons.
The “romantic promise” to steer Bacolod to be a “Super City” via CHANGE advocacy is losing positive sensation.
In his SOCA, Mayor Albee explained-slash-clarified what he means of his “CHANGE” mantra – a “change of mindset” or “behavioral change” among Bacolodnons.
A political guru in Negros said, “Such an explanation about CHANGE was the foulest ever.”
Bacolodnons, said the political guru, became excited when the mayor, prior to his official filing of his candidacy last year, said: “I have seen enough. I have heard enough.” Much more when he promised a lot, including free housing for squatters; free hospitalization for indigents; fight graft and corruption; make Bacolod crime-free, shabu-free; excellent traffic management; etcetera.
Alas, all this suffered from “misdirection” that led to “disappointment beyond containment”.
As warned by Filipino author Rogienel Reyes, “Assuming is the root of all disappointments.”/PN
