Just who are the “Cebuanos for Good Governance and Development” who have surprised the public with off-and-on-again yellow billboards that cry “NEVER AGAIN!” ?
The convenors remain oddly elusive inspite of their avowed goal of kicking off a loud anti-corruption campaign to educate voters in Cebu.
A second billboard appeared in Talisay City over the weekend, this time with the name of the CGGD printed and the P98.9-million Balili underwater lots as the target. Then two days after, the whole 60-foot-by-20-foot tarp disappeared. With it went unanswered questions about its origin, and who’s paying the P50,000-a-month rental for the billboard.
The cost of the huge tarps became clear when the Jesus Reigns ministry tried to produce a similar-sized banner to cover it up in time for a Nov. 30 praise concert at the parking lot of the Cebu Internaitonal Convention Center.
The P78,000 estimate was too stiff for the religious volunteers; they were all resigned to leaving it be and having their worship celebration in front of the protest sign.
Their prayers must have worked.
After absorbing the controversy for weeks, Capitol officials sent their men to take it down on Nov. 28. The irony was obvious.
How would it look to have a Christian worship concert hailing “Jesus Reigns!”with the CICC answering back “Never Again!” in exclamation points?
Few believe that Gov. Hilario Davide III and his camp have no hand in the operation. Nobody can enter the CICC without the approval of a high Capitol official.
Why Davide, who was obviously taken by surprise by the first CICC banner, went ahead to protect the principal actors and gave the billboard his “implicit approval”, only he can answer.
Anti-corruption advocacy is a theme of his administration, but the billboard’s mixed message about wasted public funds was clumsy.
Waste by who? By the former governor Gwen Garcia, who built the CICC for over P820 million and still faces an Ombudsman case for bidding shortcuts and other irregularites?
Or by Davide, whose refusal to touch the CICC after the 2013 earthquake and typhoon Yolanda resulted in an official repair bill of P280 million?
The backlash came quickly. The Garcias either mocked it or used it as evidence in a graft case for neglect against Davide. His rival, Winston Garcia was inspired to use “Never Again Cebu” as a battlecry and Facebook account.
All the smoke and mirrors undermines this billboard campaign. Since when has good governance, the bright yellow flagship of the Aquino administration, been a secret mission?
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