More than 500 persons belonging to urban poor groups join the solidarity walk from Fuente Osmeña to Sugbu Plaza in front of Cebu City Hall to kick off the Urban Poor Solidarity Week observance. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña called on urban poor groups to support his legal battle against some major developers while he promised aid to them and their children in a speech during the Urban Poor Solidarity Week launching yesterday.
The mayor spoke to a crowd of nearly 500 people who belong to urban poor associations in more than 30 barangays in Cebu City at the Cebu City Hall grounds.
In his speech, Osmeña said developers like SM, Ayala and Filinvest are “using the people’s money while evading their responsibilities as taxpayers.”
The three firms have major investments in the South Road Properties (SRP).
Osmeña said the taxes owed by these firms to the city could help subsidize the programs for the urban poor, senior citizens and the youth.
“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, your children when they graduate from high school, they will be granted a P50,000 scholarship every semester in college,” the mayor said in Cebuano.
Osmeña said everyone should faithfully pay their taxes especially the wealthy.
“Para makahatag ug daghang kaayuhan labi na sa akong mga priorities — mga senior citizens ug sa mga kabataan para sa ilang nindot nga kaugmaon (To provide more benefits especially to my first priorities — the senior citizens and the youth for a better future ahead of them),” he said.
Osmeña pledged to help the urban poor communities, and asked for their support.
Referring to last Friday’s fire at Barangay Duljo Fatima, he said fire victims will be given P20,000 as financial aid, double from the original P10,000.
He also encouraged the urban poor groups to take the free medications given by the Cebu City government straight to their homes in order to reduce the number of patients being serviced at the hospitals.
More than 50 urban poor associations in Cebu City joined the weeklong celebration that ends on December 8.
Among the activities held to start the celebration was a hip-hop dance competition for youths.
One of the participants was Michael Awatado, who joined five other teenagers in the hip-hop dance competition.
Awatado’s family is one of several urban poor households living in a lot right behind a commercial building along T. Padilla Street.
“We know there’s a cash prize. And we know it’s huge. But we’re not keen on winning the contest. As long as we have fun and show everyone our passion and talent,” said Awatado, a freshman student enrolled in a state university in Cebu City.