The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor D. C. Nathan A. Sergio declaring the Plaza Quince Martires a “hallowed ground’ was approved by the Sanggunian Panlungsod last February 12, 2008 and given a number --- Ordinance No. 2008-004 ---- then it was forwarded to Mayor Jesse M. Robredo for his signature but was returned to the Sanggunian with a marginal note that the Sanggunian must “call another public hearing, invite for example Atty. Teoxon, Mrs. Peñones et al” to the hearing. The marginal note had also the question “What happens to the Rotary wheel?”

        By this time this ordinance must have done away with the word “hallowed ground” and some more substantive portions to suit the wishes of City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo.

        The issue raised against the use of the word “hallowed ground” in the ordinance, according to Atty. Manny Teoxon who was present during the hearing and other reactions aired over the radio, was that the term “hallowed ground” had a religious meaning. He suggested that another word should be used in the ordinance though he openly admitted that he had not yet read the ordinance. Atty. Teoxon did not read that the ordinance had a special qualification for the use of the word and that the term “hallowed ground’ was used “to describe the Plaza Quince Martires in a secular sense, that said plaza be accorded with utmost care and respect especially the monument erected in honor of the Bicol Fifteen Martyrs”.

        What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. And Councilor Nathan Sergio gladly took the suggestion and by this time the term “hallowed ground” must have been deleted in the ordinance. What is more important is that the care and respect that must be accorded to the plaza remains intact. And we are confident that the good councilor stood his ground on this.

        But what has been disturbing us is that the Plaza Quince Martires might be used time and again for commercial purposes as it has been used on several occasions, especially during the Peñafrancia fiesta when every square meter of it commands a rental fee running to several thousand pesos.

        Renting out the Plaza Quince Martires to business corporations where commercial streamers and advertisement of all sorts are unfurled is not in keeping with the description of the Plaza Quince Martires as one deserving “utmost care and respect”.

        We cannot bear to see the day when what is sacred to us as our very own Plaza Quince Martires would be rented out “for a few pieces of silver”.

        We cannot bear to see the day when what we consider as “the official landmark of Naga City,” which is the Plaza Quince Martires, be used by the city to make money. One of the principles from which this ordinance draws strength and stability is that “the plaza shall be free from any form of commercialization”.

        Making money is not the end-all and be-all of any local government unit. It also must have a soul and some items held sacred and of value that are beyond and above any commercial estimation because they embody the common aspiration and desire of its people.

        It was this sense of respect and reverence for the Plaza Quince Martires that compelled the recommendation of the committee not to allow the parish of San Francisco of Assisi to set up its castillo during the Holy Week on one end of the plaza. It was this sense of reverence which has prompted the Rotary Club of Naga to decide to remove its wheel monument and to construct on its site a flagpole, which, to all indications, is in keeping with the crusade for, and the principles on, nationalism.

        The thinking of the local government of Naga that it can still make hirit and pirit that portions of the Plaza Quince Martires could be rented out on occasions only reminds us of that bagman who betrayed his Master to His captors in exchange for a few pieces of silver.