BAÑOC
I expected the negative comments of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena, the Bus Rapid Transit’s (BRT) main proponent on the proposal of Marikina 1st District Rep. Bayani Fernando to transfer the budget for Cebu BRT project to the BRT project in Metro Manila.
During my interview with Osmena in my Straight to the Point Program over DYHP RMN Cebu, he expressed his disappointments on Bayani’s proposal and he described him as having the mentality of a crab. Osmena maintained that the funds for the Cebu City BRT project cannot be transferred unless the city government waives it.
In fairness to Fernando, his proposal came after the Department of Transportation moved to put on hold the BRT project in Cebu City. So given that situation, he was just smart enough to propose for the realignment of the funds to other projects.
With this issue, I wish to hear the comment of Mr. Michael Dino, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, who vehemently opposed the BRT project in Cebu and eventually wanted it canceled. It is believed that he was the one who influenced DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade to frown upon the project.
I tried to arrange an interview with Dino but to no avail. I observed that he is not accessible to media, except maybe to his few friends in the industry. I wish someone in his circle could advise him to be accessible to the media being a high ranking government official.
If I had the opportunity to interview him, I wish to ask the following simple questions, to wit: what can you comment on Fernando’s proposal? Will you allow the supposed funds for Cebu to be transferred to Manila? If yes, does that mean that you allow the Cebuanos to be deprived of the said funds? If no, what concrete actions will you do to retain such funds for Cebu?
Setting aside your personal grudge with Mayor Osmena, why do you want the BRT project to be cancelled? If you really want the LRT over BRT, is it not a fact that both can co-exist as experts repeatedly said? If you want to cancel the BRT, can you assure the Cebuanos that alternative transport system be implemented in the next four years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration?
If Dino becomes successful in objecting to the BRT project, I wish that he would also be successful in implementing the alternative. If he fails to have an alternative, where can the people find him?
If people in media have a hard time finding him now that he is still a government official, how much more when he returns to his civilian life?