Osmeña: Rama has no authority over SFI

Former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña (left) says that he will not attend the meeting that Vice Mayor Michael Rama organized to plan for the Sinulog 2021 because the latter has no authority over the Sinulog Foundation Inc. | CDN Digital file photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fomer Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, member of the board of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI), refused to attend the supposed October 6, 2020 meeting called by Vice Mayor Michael Rama to plan for the Sinulog 2021.

Osmeña in a response letter to the invitation of Rama said that the vice mayor did not have authority over the SFI as a member of the board because he resigned as its chairperson in October 2019.

“At the outset, let me remind you that you no longer have the authority to call the officers and members of SFI to a meeting as you already resigned irrevocably as the chairman,” said Osmeña.

Read: Rama to lead Sinulog 2021, wants ‘governing board’ out

The former mayor said that Rama’s resignation was in protest of incumbent Mayor Edgardo Labella’s formation of the Sinulog Governing Board.

This board was revoked by Labella for Sinulog 2021 and appointed Rama to handle the festival, and he would be the one to coordinate with all the stakeholders including the SFI.

“Apparently, you only accept Mayor Labella’s authority when it suits you. This cannot happen,” added Osmeña.

Osmeña also said that he would only attend a meeting set by the current chaiperson, Pericles Dakay. A schedule has been set for them as well through Zoom.

Read: Cebu City begins planning of Sinulog 2021

For his part, Rama told CDN Digital that he did not call a meeting of the SFI Board as a member of it but as the vice mayor of the City of Cebu.

As he was tasked to handle all Sinulog affairs, Rama is also tasked to coordinate with the SFI, which he coincidentally belonged to.

“It’s okay if he (Osmeña) attends. The meeting is via Zoom anyway. I called it as a vice mayor not as a former chairman or a board member,” said Rama in phone interview.

Rama also clarified that he offered to Mayor Labella that he would handle the Sinulog 2021 because he had been organizing the festival for almost 15 years.

The vice mayor said that if Osmeña would not wish to attend the meeting with him, it would be the former mayor’s prerogative.

This would not stop the planning of the Sinulog 2021, Rama said. /dbs