Columnist Tomás Lombana Bedoya publishes in Diario Occidente a reflection on the 'Christmas gifts' that Cali's citizens and municipal administration should give each other to improve the city.
In his column titled 'El aguinaldo para Cali', published on December 23, 2025, in Diario Occidente, Tomás Lombana Bedoya shares a personal anecdote that inspires him to think about symbolic gifts for the city, known as the Gateway to Heaven.
Bedoya divides his list into two parts. For citizens, he proposes commitments such as respecting rules and laws, reporting corruption, paying taxes, not littering streets, respecting others' lives, being supportive, participating in democratic processes, setting a good example for children, caring for the environment, and speaking positively about Cali with solid arguments.
For the municipal administration, he suggests zero corruption acts, completing predecessor projects, leaving initiatives for the next government, investing taxes wisely, ensuring basic needs for vulnerable children, avoiding power abuse, boosting economic development, listening to and attending citizens, planning urban growth, and guaranteeing access to basic services.
The author stresses that fulfilling these 20 points would transform Cali, as progress demands shared responsibility between residents and officials. 'The equation is simple and allows no shortcuts: everyone contributes', he writes. He criticizes the patience demanded from the city and calls for firm decisions, visible works, and management felt in neighborhoods. 'Governing means acting, listening, and correcting, because the term is not eternal, but the consequences are', Bedoya concludes.
