Sonny O. : I don’t believe in balimbing

IT IS the season of political butterflies but reelected Toledo City Mayor John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña expressed no plans to jump on the bandwagon of the new administration party even as he remains a close personal friend of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I have always been independent and I will continue to be independent,” said Osmeña after taking his oath of office yesterday at the Toledo City Hall.

“I told Duterte that I was committed to (UNA presidential candidate Jejomar) Binay. I voted for Binay. I don’t believe in politics, that so-called balimbing,” said Osmeña.

But even if Osmeña had no plans to join the administration party, he still hoped to get the support of Duterte for the city’s projects.

Osmeña threw his personal support behind Binay last May to honor a prior commitment made to UNA’s standard-bearer before Duterte announced his presidential bid.

The Toledo City mayor also supported the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo of the Liberal Party.

Projects

Osmeña is seeking Duterte’s support for plans to reclaim a portion of Barangay Poblacion and to build an airport either in Barangay Matab-ang or Mainggit. Osmeña also hopes to develop a better seaport for Toledo City.

Now on his second term, Osmeña said that he plans to upgrade facilities of the Toledo City Hospital so that caesarian operations, dialysis procedures and other services can be offered.

Approximately P30 million would be needed to fund a hospital upgrade from its current infirmary status to a level one facility.

Osmeña also plans to have a fully operational anti-rabies and dog impounding center in the city.

The Department of Health (DOH) is scheduled to partially turn over a 25-bed expansion of the hospital on July 5.

Osmeña said that he aims to make Toledo, now a third class component city in the province of Cebu, into a highly urbanized city.

Osmeña who won against Liberal Party’s James Gaite and One Cebu’s Aurelio Espinosa took his oath of office with other elected officials of the city before Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Soliver Peras. He was joined by his 15-year-old grandson, John Henry Gregory Osmeña.