Rama Asks City Dads ‘Support, not Objections’

Mayor Michael Rama is very optimistic that his planned projects for Cebu City for the next three years can be easily achieved if the city legislators will lend their wholehearted support to him instead of objecting on them just because of political reasons.

Rama delivered a 25-minute speech during the City Council’s inaugural session Sunday where he announced several infrastructure and other projects that he wanted to be implemented by his administration until the end of his second term on 2016.

“As we have always espoused, together we make things happen. With people and private will be the wind beneath our wings, surely we can achieve our goals, much more if the members of the 13th City Council will lend their wholehearted support and will be in talking terms,” the mayor said.

Of the 16 members of the City Council, only four are allied with the mayor while the rest are supporters of the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) whose founder, former South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña was defeated by Rama during the last mayoralty race.

“The hurt in political feelings may take time to heal. That should however not hinder us to forge harmony and tranquility in the affairs of the city. Let us set aside the whims and caprices as well as self-interest and aggrandizement. Let God lead the way. Let us not abandon God, if we do so God will make us crazy,” Rama added.

Rama said that after they were given a fresh mandate by the people, the more reason that the public will expect them to be more professional and set aside politics.

Speaking on behalf of the BOPK city legislators, Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña who was elected as City Council’s majority floor leader, assured they will not object if the projects of the mayor are really for the good of the majority of the people.

Rama said the health-related programs is always on top of his priorities because of the popular saying that “health is wealth” that is why he is planning to build two more public hospital, one in Barangay Bonbon in the hinterlands of the city.

But while the mayor narrated several projects to be implemented by his administration during his another three-year term of office, he failed to mention of where he gets the billions of pesos that will be needed for the realization of said projects.

The mayor, however, said he will continue to push for the sale of some of the lots at the South Road Properties (SRP) so that the proceeds can be used for the implementation of the needed projects, particularly drainage and creeks improvements, maintenance of roads and other projects.

“The SRP should be productive and should be run by an office that can manage and market it at the same time. SRP should perform as an asset and not as a liability. We shall demand payment for collectibles from the SRP,” Rama said.

As of now the Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) still did not give the city its 10 percent share out of the sales of its infrastructure projects that are constructed in areas that are subject to a Joint Venture Agreement between the FLI and the city.

One way to earn more revenue, Rama also announced that he wants the newly-appointed City Legal Officer Gerone Castillo to handle the collection of franchise taxes from schools and hospitals through a “winnable and expedient solution.”

He also said the idle city lot that used to be the CitiCenter Commercial Complex in Barangay Kamagayan and the Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) shall be put to productive use for the welfare of the general public.

In the campaign against criminalities, Rama said his administration will continue to run after those who engage in illegal gambling and other vices and also to put aggressive drive against mendicants and night dwellers.

Rama also announced that he will give priority in solving the problem raised by the urban poor families living in the so-called 93-1 lots by coordinating with the Cebu provincial officials headed by Governor Hilario Davide III.