Think Bits
I find amusing the letter of the Regional Development Council (RDC) to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama asking for his support and appealing that he not object to the number of road projects endorsed by the RDC 7 for funding from the national government.
I had a talk with Mayor Rama about his position on DPWH projects. He told me the problem has always been that the DPWH implements projects without informing or consulting the city government which is contrary to the Local Government Code’s principle of local autonomy.
I guess many support the mayor’s position on this. This has been a common practice of national agencies – neglecting and ignoring the local government officials in deciding and implementing projects of the agencies.
Mayor Rama is just articulating the sentiments of many local government units. Hopefully this practice of national agencies would be corrected.
In the case of projects submitted by the RDC 7 that went through study and deliberation of the Japan Internaitonal Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the widening of some roads in Cebu City and the need for flared intersections intersections, I do not see any objection from the mayor. He’s been espousing road widening and flared intersections from the start.
I suggest that this early the RDC 7 informs the mayor ahead of projects so that the city executive is kept updated for coordination. What the mayor is asking is simple courtesy from the national government. How would you feel as a house owner if somebody fixes part of the building without telling you?
Eventually the local government unit suffers the brunt of these uncoordinated projects initiated and implemented by the national agencies.
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Cebu City Councilor Bebs Andales of the BO-PK has raised an issue about the city mayor’s secretary soliciting bottled water from a water company for distribution to the audience during the mayor’s State of the City Address.
He said this action on behalf of the mayor was equivalent to graft. I think the issue is valid but at the same time trivial.
Former city councilor Ernesto Elizondo is donating 7,000 bottles of drinking water in order to douse water on the non-issue.
Councilor Andales recently showed his true color in opposing the effort of the mayor to sell part of the South Road Properties to interested buyers by questioning this time the resolution passed by the City Council that authorized the mayor to sell part of the SRP.
Andales said a mere resolution cannot supersede an ordinance passed by the City Council.
It is best for Andales not to object this time because the process is ongoing with some interested corporationss showing interest to join the bidding for the SRP lot sale – if he is truly looking after the welfare and interests of city residents. Because if he is only after the interest of his political party, this shows they just don’t want the mayor and the people of Cebu City to enjoy the benefits of the sale of SRP property.
I’d like to humbly remind Andales that the SRP property is not owned by the BO-PK but by the people of the city of Cebu.
Please allow the public to share in the windfall of the SRP property. The people have had their share of suffering. During the term of the incumbent mayor, the budget spending was basically concentrated on payment of the loan amortization and interest on the SRP project.
It is hoped that BO-PK councilors help the city government and let the people share the benefits that accrue in the sale of SRP lots.
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