No big deal.

This was the reaction given by Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim over the curiosity generated by his absence at the inauguration of the new building of the Medical Mission Group Hospital and Health Services Cooperative better known as the coop hospital. The coop hospital inaugurated its multi-million building in a hectare-wide compound near Island City Mall in Dampas last Jan. 8. Lim, who is generally considered as a patron of the coop hospital, was conspicuously absent during the inaugural rites which was attended by other political figures. The mayor said that in fairness to the coop hospital, he indeed received an invitation to the event but was unable to attend it. “My presence would not make much of a difference anyway,” he remarked.

The mayor said that he is not insecure about his place in the history of the coop hospital in Bohol. “If there is anybody who wants the venture to succeed,” it's no other than the mayor himself. He recalled that it was during the term of former Mayor Jose Ma. Rocha that the coop hospital was put in place. Lim was the city administrator during Rocha's term from 1992 to 1995. “No one can dispute our contributions and support to it,” he stressed.

Lim said this does not mean, however, that he will simply close his eyes to possible defects that he has seen.   “So much as I want the coop hospital to succeed, I have certain reservations that it is going to be politicized,” he added. The mayor refused to elaborate especially when pressed to comment on the presence of political figures during the inauguration. “I would be happy to be proven wrong, but if the inaugural ceremonies were made the basis, there are enough reasons to fear,” he added. Lim sidestepped the question on whether he snubbed the affair. “I underwent a medical procedure for bad teeth during the opening rites. I think my health deserves to be given priority over photo-ops,” he added.