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The City of Makati
is marking a month-long celebration of its 338th foundation day and City Mayor
Jejomar Binay made sure that the affair will send strong signals that he too is
casting his moist eye towards Malacanang in 2010.
Series
of activities kicked off early this month but last weekend saw the city government
of Makati using its huge resources as if there is no tomorrow.
Tapping
its ties with municipalities and cities all over the country through its sisterhood
program, the City of Makati invited its sister cities and municipalities by hosting
the billeting and accommodation of its delegation.
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Being
a sister city, Tagbilaran too sent its delegation led by City Mayor Dan Lim and
Deputy Mayor Mario Uy. All other delegations of Makati's sister cities and municipalities
flooded almost all middle class hotels in the country's prime financial district.
One
can just imagine the humongous budget set aside for the hotel accommodation, food
and giveaways.
The
highlight of the gathering was the dialogue hosted by Mayor Binay at the 22nd
floor of the imposing Makati City hall last Monday morning. Bar topnotcher and
frustrated senatoriable Koko Pimentel moderated the discussion about the woes
of more than 20 participating local government units.
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Our
interest was focused on the P100 billion special education fund (SEF) of Makati
City which is too much of a budget that Mayor Binay is dangling to Makati's sister
cities and municipalities.
At
this early, Binay is already acting as a presidentiable and jokingly teased during
last Monday's dialogue that Mayor Dan Lim could be a good campaign strategist
in his presidential bid.
Well,
Mayor Binay would better watch out on Sunday as Sen. Mar Roxas will also indirectly
launch his presidential bid by gathering all former and existing scholars of the
Gerry Roxas Scholarship Foundation.
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On
our way back to Tagbilaran yesterday, our co-delegate Noris Oculam, re-elected
president of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce, had a very good route.
Leaving
our hotel early dawn yesterday for a series of appointments in the city, Noris
took the early 5:30 morning Philippine Airlines flight for Tagbilaran only to
be landed in Iloilo City due to the city airport's zero visibility. After an hour
of standing by in Iloilo, his flight went back to Manila.
He
finally made his way back here together with us in the 3 o'clock PAL flight yesterday
afternoon. Whew!
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