Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Tribute: Sun.Star applauds
ALL those who contributed to the huge success of the recently concluded 12th Asean Summit that Cebu and the National Government hosted. Specifically —
* National organizers and Cebu organizers who led in putting together the big and complex event: Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. and Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and mayors of the major host LGUs: Cebu City’s Tomas Osmeña, Mandaue City’s Thadeo Ouano, and Lapu-Lapu City’s Arturo Radaza;
* National Government, especially President Gloria Arroyo who despite the heckling chose Cebu over Manila, and assigned money, people, and resources of the Palace and national agencies to hosting tasks;
* Builders of Cebu International Convention Center for helping make the summit shine brighter with its showcase of convention facility and trade display;
* Department of Foreign Affairs, whose staffs, with the help of local bureaucrats, ran the summit on schedule and in synch with Asean protocol and traditions;
* Intelligence units and police and armed forces who secured physical safety of participants and averted threat of terrorism that five countries warned their citizens about in scary advisories;
* Riot cops who managed crowd disturbance and yet demonstrated that peaceful protest, with less toll, can still be held in this part of the country;
* Traffic personnel of three cities who reduced traffic congestion at chokepoints and made it less of the nightmare many had feared;
* Dancers and singers, who greeted visitors at the airport or entertained them on streets or at dinners (with almost a hundred of them still gamely performing after having survived illness from food or water they took);
* Technicians, aides, and utility people who did various tasks to make equipment at meeting sites work; and transport drivers and hotel personnel who showed guests efficiency and courtesy;
* Volunteers who assisted delegates and other guests on their activities in the summit; and
* Countless others who remain nameless because they didn’t stand on any stage and yet helped keep the summit moving and humming.
And Sun.Star most heartily applaud the Cebuanos for bearing with the monetary and social cost of the summit although they know that gains from the conventions Asean forged in Cebu may take ages to “trickle down” and benefit them.
