Res Gestae
12th ASEAN Summit: Historic indeed
Seeing the ruins left by Typhoon Seniang at the Boracay Island makes me believe that the postponement of 12th Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu City is with a just cause. Apparently! It is so because many (one of whom is the Prime Minister of Japan) believe that the postponement is "without" cause, and if there was any, it was not "just."
But to think of it, Typhoon Seniang hitting Boracay Island or other parts of the country including Cebu, the Host City of the Summit, indeed does not qualify as a cause for the postponement of what Malacañang has previously declared as a "historic" event. By the way, was it not historic? Indubitably, the unprecedented declaration of the postponement has already been written and constituted in our history book, only that it forms part of the litany of President Arroyo's unwise decisions.
Last October, when I attended the 1st Association of Law Student of the Philippines Joint Visayas -- Mindanao Conference, I was particularly impressed with the serious preparations being made by the Cebu City Government on what they considered as the "Event of the Year". I had also a chance to visit the ongoing construction of the Cebu City International Convention Center at Mactan Island. And that time, seeing the status of the construction and considering that there was only barely two months for the Summit, I couldn't imagine how the engineers, architects, foremen and their legions of workers would bring to completion the Cebu City's version of an International Convention Center. I don't want to undermine the capability of Cebuanos. But the fact is only in tall-tale stories the Filipinos can bring to existence a mall or bridge or cathedral in just a few hours. (If you have not heard yet the story of a Japanese on board a taxi from Iloilo Airport to Iloilo City Proper, you better ask your lolo (grandfather) about it. Well, every place has its own version of the story. But, in whichever version, the protagonist is always the same -- the Filipino.)
I would like to reiterate that the Government's preparation for the 12th ASEAN Summit was really impressive. Newspapers, radios and televisions covered how detailed and concerted were the efforts to make the event as another jumping board (after Pacman denied El Terrible a comeback in the last of their three fight series.) in gaining an international attention and confidence. Again, was the postponement did not gain for the Philippines an international attention? Attention, yes! Confidence, not!
Nevertheless, I would rather -- even if it hurts - be satisfied for Malacañang's decision of putting Typhoon Seniang as a defense for postponing the 12th ASEAN Summit. But, if they mistakenly use the presence of Abu Sayyaf or terrorist groups in Cebu City as the reason for postponement, that I couldn't agree with. The thousands of police and military, who were brought in to Cebu City to augment the security, were trained and equipped with skills on anti-insurgency and counter-terrorism for nothing!
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com).