"Where does this leave the people of Manila with its problems of uncollected garbage, runaway crime and rampant drug trafficking?"
"Where does this leave the people of Manila with its problems of uncollected garbage, runaway crime and rampant drug trafficking?"The Manila mayoral contest is between incumbent Joseph Estrada and Fred Lim. But the man the people of Manila are talking about is the one who’s not seeking the post.
Lito Atienza, two-term Manila mayor, decided to forego parochial politics in favor of seeking a third term as Buhay Party List representative in the House. Even now Manilans are asking why Atienza left them to the mercy of two old men who are in the sunset of their lives. Estrada is in his late 80s while Lim is in his early 90s.
Let it make it clear that I have nothing against old men as I am a senior citizen myself. But I am not running for public office and promising voters to exert all my energy to deliver basic services to constituents. As cruel as it may sound, two old men doddering among the people at public events is the most visible condition of their state of health. They could at anytime succumb to cardiac arrest or other ailments they have not disclosed to the public.
Where does that leave the people of Manila with its problems of uncollected garbage, runaway crime and rampant drug trafficking?
Manilans somehow feel Atienza abandoned them to Erap and Lim.
“I have had my fill of those problems and a heavy dose of parochial politics,” said Atienza, adding that he left Manila financially stable but that the problems he had addressed were back as soon as he exited.
Atienza said he wants to stay in Congress because he prefers to serve on a national scale and take part in the discussion of of such issues as charter change, federalism and the return of the death penalty. These issues are visceral to Atienza who plans to oppose all three House proposals.
Atienza thinks federalism is dead in the water. Even if passed by the House, federalism will meet strong opposition in the Senate which insists on separate voting from the lower chamber. The cost alone is enormous to reorganize the whole government into 18 regions and increasing the members of parliament if the unicameral form is approved. There will also be more associate justices in a proposed three high courts. Funding for a federal form of government would be like starting a new nation. But the people will be spared the financial burden if they reject federalism in the required plebiscite.
Under Lito Atienza’s “Buhayin Ang Maynila Urban Redevelopment Program,” he put up or refurbished such places and monuments as Raja Solayman, Plaza Moriones, Plaza Lawton, etc.He also streamlined the city ‘s tax collection service by adding more windows for payment and an air-conditioned waiting lounge.
If at all. Atienza will be well remembered for fixing the Manila city hall clock which used to show four different times on each of the four sides. Visiting foreign tourists thought the four different times indicate the time in Tokyo, New York, London and Moscow.