Ambrosio R. Villorente
The Sensitivity of Banga Mayor Antonio T. Maming
Mayor Antonio T. Maming of Banga is very enthusiastic and determined to improve the Banga Town Plaza. All the Banganhons agreed with him that Banga Town Plaza must be improved and beautified. The Sangguniang Bayan has even appropriated the sum of P1.2 million for the said improvement and beautification project.
However, they disagreed in only one thing. The Banganhons did not want the matter of improvement Mayor Maming proposed as regards the bandstand. Mayor Maming wanted to increase the floor area of the bandstand from 7.8 meters in diameter to 12. Moreover, Mayor Maming wanted to reshape the bandstand from octagon (8 sides) to circle (no sides). The Banganhons protested. They wanted restoration only, no more no less. Atty. Sergio R. Rigodon who was Mayor Maming’s leader in the May 2007 election filed a case in court praying that the Mayor stops the project in Banga Town Plaza. The case was raffled and it was assigned to Branch III, Regional Trial Court, Kalibo, Aklan presided by Hon. Sheila Martelino Cortez.
In a hearing held on Wednesday morning, February 6, the two contending parties arrived to an amicable settlement. They agreed to a “status quo”. The digging around the bandstand will be covered and restored to its original status. “All is well that ends well.”
Congratulations! Mayor Maming for seeing the light and reason. You are the leader of Banganhons who yielded to their request to value history, culture and tradition for which that ancient bandstand stands for.
Relative to the bandstand issue in Banga, an Aklanon who remains anonymous sent his “comment on the post ‘The Magnificent Bandstand” which is reprinted in this column as:
The picture of the bandstand that you showed can certainly break every Banganhon’s heart, knowing that it will never look the same again. It can also evoke anger and resentment from many of us.
Demolishing this historic structure is like erasing part of our past. Many of us have already expressed our opposition to Mr. Maming’s plan but it is becoming clear that they are going to be futile. Although he lived for sometime in the US, I doubt that he has fully embraced or appreciated the practice of a democratic process or making decisions by consensus. He is already bent on making his own decision in spite of the overwhelming resistance from his constituents, and even his own councilmen. I seriously doubt that he has any understanding or appreciation of the historical or cultural values of the building or structure in our town. I am certain he does not posses any deep emotional attachment to the bandstand, since he never spent enough time playing or hanging out in the plaza during his youth.
Pleading for his sympathy will therefore not work, as he is not in a position to feel our pain. Aside from the economic incentives, I could not think of any other reason why Mr. Maming would be persistent on this unpopular project. I heard there is not enough money in the town treasury to fund this, and he is depending on other uncertain sources. I am afraid that next picture you would be featuring in the Madyaas Pen is an unfinished bandstand. That would be considered by all Banganhons as a further insult to a major injury. Putting more pressure against Mr. Maming will most likely be met with a more stubborn resistance. He may consider it as a personal affront to him and his position as a mayor. It can be perceived as a conspiracy of the locals to gang-up against him for being an outsider from the barrio.
Or there is just an overriding financial reward for him in this project to give up the fight. I am therefore not overly optimistic about Mr. Maming’s change of heart in the near future. At this time, I have a feeling it may require a divine intervention to save the bandstand. That is assuming Mr. Maming believes in divinity. Does he?
The consent of Mayor Maming to stop the project demonstrated his sense of understanding of the wishes and aspirations of his constituency. The P1.2 million for the said project will be re programmed for other project in Banga. /MP
2 comments:
We rejoiced upon hearing the news that the bandstand will finally be spared from demolition. We applaud your up to date and detailed reporting regarding this issue. I know that it is now time for all of us to move to the stage of healing and reconciliation regarding this controversy. For the sake of reporting accuracy, however, I would like to make a comment to clarify the content of your story, especially the use of the word “sensitivity”. This word usually means reacting appropriately to the emotions or situation of other people, or being “tactful”. Based on your story, Mr. Maming only agreed to make an “amicable” settlement after a suit was made in court, which meant that his decision was made under duress and constraint, and not from his own volition because of a sincere realization of his mistake or from the newly found goodness in his heart. I believe that the word was not the correct term to depict his action. Otherwise, he should not have waited for the court to intervene. His almost rabid reaction to those who opposed his position was not compatible with a sensitive person. In any case, I fully appreciate his willingness to concede to the wish of the Banganhons. I also believe that you were just trying to use appeasing and conciliatory words to describe the event and were not consciously or deliberately praising him excessively for a certain reason.
It was a Divine Intervention, indeed. Alleluia! I completely agree with Barok that Mr. Maming’s turnaround was not due to a sincere change in his heart but due to the grace of God. It is only Him who can transform a “worldly” man and be confused as someone who is “sensitive” to his constituent’s needs and desires. My belief is that Mr. Maming was sent by God to test the integrity and fortitude of all the Banganhons. A few of us passed the test. I hope this controversy will open everybody’s eyes and give a lesson to those who “lost their way”, as Mautakono fittingly described them. Repent! A second test is usually more difficult. LOL
Post a Comment