Kids go trick-or-treating at Cebu City Hall

After gaining media attention, guests of Cebu City Hall’s Halloween Trick or Treat flock to Garganera’s ‘RIP Inayawan’ coffin (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO).

Several Cebu City councilors adorned their offices with fake cobwebs, lights and pumpkins as they celebrated Halloween yesterday by inviting children for a trick or treat.

Some of them started to assemble their gimmicks along the lobbies of City Hall’s legislative building.

On the second floor, a child’s coffin was displayed right outside Councilor Joel Garganera’s office.

The installation gained much attention both in the media and average citizens, especially since newspaper clippings about the disputed Inayawan dumpsite, were hanged above the wooden casket.

For fourth year student Sheila Yap, the coffin-and-the horror house ensemble inside Garganera’s office terrified her at first.

“But later on, I find the people dressed in aswangs and ghosts really funny. It was scary and fun,” Yap told Cebu Daily News.

Other parents, however, were concerned of their kids’ health as some offices, like Garganera’s, used dry smoke for aesthetics.

“My child can get asthma. I don’t want her to get asthma,” commented a worried mother who only wants to go by the name of “Nida”.

On the other hand, a five year-old child called “Alvin,” dressed in a Batman costume, laughed and pointed a finger at a dummy placed beside the door of Councilor Jun Alcover. The dummy had a cardboard stating: “Pusher Ako. Huwag Tularan”.

Some councilors did minimal decor in their workplaces such as Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmena, but she still offered candies to any child trick-or-treating.

All offices gave out candies, regardless if the children wore costumes or not. The City Veterinary Office also offered free rabies vaccination to pets and animals.

The Halloween decorations of Garganera’s office, however, caused a stir at City Hall on Thursday when one the newspaper clippings about the Inayawan landfill posted on the wall above the lid of the coffin included the photo of Mayor Tomas Osmena and his wife Councilor Margot Osmena.

After gaining media attention, guests of Cebu City Hall’s Halloween Trick or Treat flock to Garganera’s ‘RIP Inayawan’ coffin (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO).

When Garganera was told about the newspaper clipping with the photos of the Mayor and his wife, Garganera told the members of his staff to remove it. The newspaper clipping was later returned and posted on the wall minus the photo.

He later said that there was no intention to hurt the mayor and his wife since he was only after the headline story about the landfill.

Last June 28, Tomas Osmeña approved the reopening of the Inayawan dumpsite, stating that the paying for the services of a private-owned landfill in Consolacion town is expensive.

Garganera, citing health and environmental problems, insisted to shut Inayawan down.

Councilor Margot Osmeña said yesterday that trick or treating for Halloween is for children.

“And a coffin is for the children? If you were a kid, and you see a coffin, do you think it’s funny?” Councilor Osmeña asked.

“I understand he’s an environmentalist and his staff, too, but do the children read them – what he’s doing? If that’s his idea of fun, then that’s his idea of fun. I’m alive and well, thank you, and so is my husband. With God’s grace we remain healthy and alive,” she said.