Let’s have more Fr. Trias


When generals do battle, they negotiate, they talk but their colonels and captains and sergeants go for their counterpart’s throat.

That could figuratively describe the war of words over the week between Fr. Wilmer Tria and the representatives from the office of the City Mayor when Fr. criticized the administration of City Mayor Robredo regarding the latter’s claim to good governance and transparency.

As expected these guys from City Hall put up a defense during the conference and even outside the conference hall. Apparently choosing to rebut the arguments of Fr. Tria outside the conference hall is poor taste as it does not give Fr. Tria a chance to present his answer and counter-rebuttal.

The proper forum for discussing matters like good governance and transparency in governance is a conference table, a symposium, a debate, a lecture not a radio program, which may not be as comprehensive and freely-wheeling in discussing issues as the one raised by Fr. Tria in his talk during the Philosophy Week at the Ateneo de Naga University.

The issues raised by Fr. Tria are aboveboard and beyond the realm of the personal. The issues touch on principles and on reality checks and they find the governance of Mayor Robredo wanting in many things.

According to Fr. Tria, the campaign slogan of Mayor Jesse M. Robredo “ubos kun ubos, gabos kun gabos” completely disregards the principle of in government. Up to this time almost a week after Fr. Tria had pronounced that Mayor Robredo’s administration has been found wanting in this constitutional principle the issue has not been rebutted. Instead of directing answering the issue, the strategy used by Robredo’s men is to attack the person of, not to answer the issues raised by, Fr. Tria.

According to Fr. Tria, true governance means human development of people; it means a creation of a community of equals; it means participatory governance. The query raised on why Mayor Robredo has failed to develop someone to succeed him for the past 17 years remains valid and has not been sufficiently explained by his defense panel.

According to Fr. Tria, in a free and democratic society, people enjoy the right to ask questions, to demand honest answers, and to agree to disagree if only to encourage further discourse. But there is no place for dissent in the governance of Mayor Jesse M. Robredo. Any dissenting voice is deemed a threat to the leadership of the Mayor because in the “good governance” of Mayor Robredo, power rests only in one man and in no other. Until today, the question on the place for dissent in Mayor Robredo’s administration has not been sufficiently explained by his defense panel.

This talk on good governance is an indication that there are people who are not at peace when making a reality check on the “good governance” in the City of Naga. These are the people who have the truth within them, and could not help but tell it in words.

The Mayor should be thankful that there are people who check the reality for him. He should not be like that king who gives premium importance to praises people would heap on the elegance of his new clothes, when in truth he has nothing on.

Let Fr. Wilmer Tria talk some more and organize more conferences about good governance and transparency in City Hall. We need more and more Fr. Trias who will mince no words in telling us that the emperor does not have his clothes on. His soul, according to Kahlil Gibran, will keep the truth in our heart as the taste of the wine is remembered when the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.

Fr. Tria may just be a lieutenant, but his words are those of a general.

2/18/10

Posted by New PARADIGM! at 1:47 AM


Let’s have more Fr. Trias


When generals do battle, they negotiate, they talk but their colonels and captains and sergeants go for their counterpart’s throat.

That could figuratively describe the war of words over the week between Fr. Wilmer Tria and the representatives from the office of the City Mayor when Fr. criticized the administration of City Mayor Robredo regarding the latter’s claim to good governance and transparency.

As expected these guys from City Hall put up a defense during the conference and even outside the conference hall. Apparently choosing to rebut the arguments of Fr. Tria outside the conference hall is poor taste as it does not give Fr. Tria a chance to present his answer and counter-rebuttal.

The proper forum for discussing matters like good governance and transparency in governance is a conference table, a symposium, a debate, a lecture not a radio program, which may not be as comprehensive and freely-wheeling in discussing issues as the one raised by Fr. Tria in his talk during the Philosophy Week at the Ateneo de Naga University.

The issues raised by Fr. Tria are aboveboard and beyond the realm of the personal. The issues touch on principles and on reality checks and they find the governance of Mayor Robredo wanting in many things.

According to Fr. Tria, the campaign slogan of Mayor Jesse M. Robredo “ubos kun ubos, gabos kun gabos” completely disregards the principle of in government. Up to this time almost a week after Fr. Tria had pronounced that Mayor Robredo’s administration has been found wanting in this constitutional principle the issue has not been rebutted. Instead of directing answering the issue, the strategy used by Robredo’s men is to attack the person of, not to answer the issues raised by, Fr. Tria.

According to Fr. Tria, true governance means human development of people; it means a creation of a community of equals; it means participatory governance. The query raised on why Mayor Robredo has failed to develop someone to succeed him for the past 17 years remains valid and has not been sufficiently explained by his defense panel.

According to Fr. Tria, in a free and democratic society, people enjoy the right to ask questions, to demand honest answers, and to agree to disagree if only to encourage further discourse. But there is no place for dissent in the governance of Mayor Jesse M. Robredo. Any dissenting voice is deemed a threat to the leadership of the Mayor because in the “good governance” of Mayor Robredo, power rests only in one man and in no other. Until today, the question on the place for dissent in Mayor Robredo’s administration has not been sufficiently explained by his defense panel.

This talk on good governance is an indication that there are people who are not at peace when making a reality check on the “good governance” in the City of Naga. These are the people who have the truth within them, and could not help but tell it in words.

The Mayor should be thankful that there are people who check the reality for him. He should not be like that king who gives premium importance to praises people would heap on the elegance of his new clothes, when in truth he has nothing on.

Let Fr. Wilmer Tria talk some more and organize more conferences about good governance and transparency in City Hall. We need more and more Fr. Trias who will mince no words in telling us that the emperor does not have his clothes on. His soul, according to Kahlil Gibran, will keep the truth in our heart as the taste of the wine is remembered when the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.

Fr. Tria may just be a lieutenant, but his words are those of a general.