Sunday Post: You have to stop me, Lim tells his critics
You have to stop me from doing what is best for Tagbilaran.
This was the message issued by Mayor Dan Lim to his critics who have resorted to a signature campaign in a bid to stop the P50-million earmarked for the rehabilitation of city roads.
"If you think I will give in to orchestrated pressure, think again," Lim said in a message address to his critics.
The mayor has maintained that the opposition to the loan is orchestrated by his political rivals in a bid to score a psychological victory if the project will not push through.
"I do what I believe is right – even if it is unpopular and even if it costs me my reelection," the outspoken mayor declared.
He recalled that some of the major programs of his administration encountered rough sailing from his critics.
"My critics wanted to stop our support for education first by saying not all received the freebies and then by saying they did not fit right, but that didn't stop me from pursuing this project," he added.
The mayor also recalled that his opponents tried to undermine the Blue Card project by refusing to distribute the cards in the barangays where the barangay captains were identified with the opposition and then claiming that there was favoritism.
"They told the people that we chose the beneficiaries when the real story was that they did not distribute the cards and used the issue of favoritism in the 2007 elections," he added.
Lim also recalled that the minority bloc tried to discredit the Libreng Tambal sa Katawhan project by asking government agencies to close it and writing to sponsors to stop sending donations.
Again, the mayor said he refused to buckle under pressure.
"The garbage disposal scheme, the two-stroke ban and the Senior Citizens benefits all came under fire from the biased media but I held my ground," he added.
Lim said the issue boils down to whether the people want the dilapidated city roads to be rehabilitated or not.
"Let us make that an election issue. If they think it is wrong to repair the roads, then let them vote for Team Vaniderm. But if they want the roads to be fixed as early as possible, then rally behind me," he added.
The mayor said he is in a damn-if-you-do, damn-if-you-don't situation.
"If the roads are fixed, they say I made money, if they remain in bad state, they say I am useless," he added.
The mayor said he would rather fix the road and leave his critics to their own conclusions than be hostage to public opinion.
"You cannot please everybody. I would rather please those who want progress than those who want to see me lose the election," he added.
Lim said he would rather be unpopular and be proven right later on than give in to popular opinion and regret it later.
"Let history judge my actions," he concluded.