Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella. | CDN Digital FILE Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella will be representing Cebu City in a conference of Asian smart cities in Kaohsiung, Taiwan from September 6 to 11, 2019, leaving the city under the hands of Vice Mayor Michael Rama.
In a phone conference with reporters on Thursday, September 5, 2019, Labella said that he would be presenting Cebu City to the other cities in Asia, and he would emphasize the tourists spots to invite foreign nationals to come visit the city.
“This is a very important visit. I will make a presentation to other cities in a conference of various cities in Asia. Of course, I will make them aware of our potential tourism places, encouraging them to visit Cebu City. Most of our tourists are from mainland China,” said Labella.
Labella also said he would showcase the new business friendly processing to invite investors and business ventures into the city.
He said he would also report on the peace and order situation of Cebu City.
He will be taking with him Councilors Raymond Garcia, Renato “Junjun” Osmeña, and Prisca Niña Mabatid.
While Labella will be on an official trip outside the country, Vice Mayor Rama will take his place as the acting mayor.
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Despite the recent tensions between Labella and Rama over the formation of the Sinulog Governing Board that Rama initially opposed but eventually agreed to following some changes, Labella said that he trusted the Vice Mayor and that he could handle the city well.
“He knows what to do because he has been a mayor for a long time. I am confident that he is capable of taking my place,” said Labella.
Before he would go on the trip, Labella said he had instructed all departments of the city that would involve disaster management to stay alert for any disaster whether natural or man-made.
He encouraged the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) to make sure that personnel would be monitoring the situation in the city 24/7.
“Always be on guard. Always be on alert,” he said.
He also instructed the Cebu City Police Office to maintain the peace and order while he would be gone. |dbs