The ten who stood up

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Ten members of Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod gifted their constituents with a Christmas offering last Saturday by making the vital push towards the construction of the City Government Center. This they did by voting for the authorization of the signing of the contract with the winning bidder, the step that would signal the start of the works for the project.

Like any undertaking worth adopting, the Bacolod City Government Center has gone through so many vicissitudes that would have discouraged people with less determination and daring. From the time the search was began for the site of the project, objections and protests had been surfacing, some from truly well-meaning citizens, but others from those with political or material interests of their own. Then, like a bolt from the blue, in a manner of speaking, an old and prestigious family of true Bacoleños, offered to donate a site that was not only accessible, but also quite valuable. The Bacolod Sanggunian approved the acceptance of the donation unanimously, as it also did the proposal to secure a loan to fund the project from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

One would think it would be smooth-sailing for the Center after that, but then came the bidding for the work where only one out of the many met the requirements. This again raised protests and objections from sectors, most of whom had obvious agendas of their own. The request for the granting of authority for the signing of the contract with the winning bidder was even met with threats of suits and other possibilities that could intimidate officials of lesser commitment to the interest and development of their city.

And these were the ten officials who, by their act, indicated their willingness to take risks - if indeed there are real ones - the way the voters of Bacolod City also risked their well-being and their future when they chose them to be their leaders.*