Don’t turn talks into a circus

THE effort of the Cebu City Government and the Provincial Government to finally solve the long-drawn-out problem involving lots under Provincial Ordinance 93-1 has reached an interesting phase, one wherein tact and not fanfare should already guide the protagonists’ actions.

Mayor Michael Rama has earlier offered to buy for P500 million the lots, totaling 51 hectares, that were placed under Capitol’s socialized housing program but whose occupants defaulted on the payment.

Aside from the money, the City also offered to turn over its lots in Pulpogan in Consolacion, Canduman in Mandaue City and another property in Talisay City to the Province.

The offer was supposedly made during a meeting attended by Capitol and City officials together with former governor Vicente de la Serna, under whose administration Ordinance 93-1 was passed. But how Gov. Hilario Davide responded to it is now a matter of conjectures.

Apparently, Rama believed it was a done deal that is why he ordered the drafting of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the purpose. But Davide, judging from a recent letter he sent to the mayor, thinks the offer was but a starting point for subsequent negotiations.

This explains the mayor’s recent statements, including the one about “manhood”: “Why will I have to change? If we change our mind, it affects conviction, it affects manhood.” Or this one: “I was not expecting a counter-proposal. I was expecting, what we call, bringing forward what was being discussed in a room with honorable men and with an honorable woman.”

But whether an agreement was reached earlier or not is water under the bridge. Davide’s letter showed that the City’s earlier proposal is no longer tenable and that going back to what has been agreed upon in that meeting is already counter-productive. Capitol now wants to negotiate the sale of the lots.

If the mayor wants to really solve the problem then he should go to the negotiating table. And it would be better for those involved not to discuss matters in public until an agreement is forged. That would prevent the talks from turning into a circus.