Hundreds join the Solidarity Walk, which started at the Fuente Osmeña Circle to Cebu City Hall’s legislative building signaling the opening of the Urban Poor Solidarity Week celebration. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebu City Tomas Osmeña called for support from members of the urban poor communities in Cebu City to claim back the real estate properties several national conglomerates purchased and owned in the South Road Properties (SRP) in his speech during the opening program of the Urban Poor Solidarity Week on Saturday morning.
“In the next few years, I have a big (legal) battle with SM, Ayala and Filinvest. I’ll claim back the land they purchased at SRP. We will claim them back and your children, when they graduate from highschool, will be granted a P50,000 scholarship every semester in college,” said Osmeña in Cebuano.
Osmeña told the crowd that the companies had also evaded their respective tax obligations, which would have helped in subsidizing the programs for the urban poor, senior citizens, and programs for the youth.
He said that everyone should pay their taxes especially the well-to-do.
“Para makahatag ug daghang kaayuhan labi na sa akong first priorities — mga senior citizens ug sa mga kabataan para sa ilang nindot nga kaugmaon (To provide betterment especially for my priorities – the senior citizens and for the brighter future of our youth).”
Osmeña promised that he would do anything to help the urban poor communities in the city.
“I will fight and I will not surrender. And I ask for your support to fight together, and I will be beside you,” Osmeña said.