I wish that cooler heads will prevail, as violence threatens over the Makati Park and Garden in Bgy. West Rembo now within Taguig’s jurisdiction. Mayor Lani Cayetano temporarily closed and padlocked the park for operating without proper permits. The order was posted in a tarpaulin sign in front of the main gate and the entire area was barricaded with Taguig guards and personnel thus triggering an ongoing stand-off.
Makati in turn claimed that Taguig’s closure order trapped Makati employees inside as Taguig’s Traffic Management personnel attempted to occupy the park. But security personnel and Makati Public Safety Department personnel prevented them. Makati LGU further said, “Should there be violence, it will be blood in Taguig’s hands”. Taguig’s authorities should be censured by the concerned National agencies. For our part, we will take all necessary steps to protect and preserve our property.
Taguig LGU, in its twitter account said “the closure order is in line with their authority, Local Government Code, jurisprudence and local ordinances. “The said park and garden, which has been effectively closed as a park by Makati and used as garage for its heavy equipment and storage for various objects, is subject to Taguig’s jurisdiction which has the right to possess and administer the same notwithstanding Makati’s unlawful possession”.
Luckily, the Chiefs of Police of the feuding cities personally managed the tense situation among hot-headed supporters of both camps up to the present time. But a lot of flashpoints within the EMBO barangays are just waiting to explode. Will these closures happen to other Makati institutions? the Ospital ng Makati in Bgy Pembo, the University of Makati (UMak) also in Bgy West Rembo, the Makati Science High School and fourteen other schools if they do not secure mayors permits?
This recent stand-off at the Makati Park reveals the numerous dangerous and complicated situations ahead for both feuding LGUs. After the Supreme Court issued the two-page resolution on Sept. 28, 2022, declaring Taguig as owner of the Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation, including Bonifacio Global city, another question was raised by Chief justice Alexander Gesmundo that Pateros should be given the chance over the territory now awarded to Taguig. Gesmundo reversed the 2015 ruling of the Court of Appeals junking the claim of Pateros and ordered the Pasig RTC branch 271 to reinstate its civil case versus Taguig and Makati.
But we see today fearsome implications that may eventually explode on the ground. The EMBO people are angry and confused on the problematic and seesawing delivery of basic services by both Makati or Taguig on hospitalization and medical services, educational benefits, allowances for students, and social services to disabled persons, senior citizens, and others.
This former Makati area is actually non-revenue generating because it houses most enlisted men. Yet through the years, Makati has been allocating yearly a total of P9B in social benefits to its residents, a monumental allocation that is now being compared to Taguig.
Also, this controversy affected a lot of incumbent elective and appointed Makati officials who have long time-residential addresses in Fort Bonifacio, and now forced to move out of Taguig or resign their positions. The reason: because city officials’ first qualification is being a Makati citizen.
On the matter of legislative representation, Congress must pass a law to amend the charter of Makati and redistribute or reapportion the remaining barangays within the two districts. The Makati second district for instance, was almost erased with the transfer of ten EMBO barangays, and this is the turf of Mayor Abby’s wife, Cong. Luis Campos.
The May 12, 2025, elections is just fourteen months away. Mayor Abby Binay declared she would give herself until this month while waiting for a “sign” to run for Taguig Mayor. She is ending her nine year-term as Makati Mayor and resigning earlier is a possibility. The proposition is very simple. If Abby wins, the Binays will annex Taguig and control the country’s expanded central business district.
This assumption makes a very interesting election next year that, I think, nobody can predict who will win, as both candidates have deep resources and known political families. Looking at the 2022 results, Mayor Lani won with 272,876 votes over opponent Janelle Cerafica’s 87,266 votes or a margin of 185,610 votes. On the other hand, Mayor Abby’s husband got 164,948 votes in the second district now declared Taguig area. Crucial here are the 192,000 EMBO barangay voters who will all become new Taguig voters in the coming election. If, for example, Mayor Abby runs in Taguig and allies herself with Lani’s enemies, will she get a united voter backing from the separated ten EMBO Barangays? Or will they favor Mayor Lani? Crunching further the numbers, the Taguig mayoralty fight next year would really be very, very close.
But of course, there are unanswered legal questions, Can Abby really run for Taguig mayor. Legal experts say, she must first resign early from her position as Makati mayor and move her residency and voter’s registration to Taguig “one year before the election”. Another question, is who will replace her in Makati? Political buzz says outgoing three termer senator Nancy Binay is ready to face her brother-in-law, Cong. Luis Campos.
Moving forward, I expect to see a series of political activities on these ten EMBO barangays cloaked by social events (medical mission-ayuda and summons etc.) I just hope nothing bloody happens between now and the elections. While both mayors hotly engage in war of words before media today, people on the ground remain peaceful on these controversies, despite reduction or loss of important family benefits. We are one with them in hoping that this political and territorial differences will finally end without resorting to useless violence.