Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama encourages Mayor Edgardo Labella to investigate the Carbon Market Megawide deal and the garbage problem in the city. | Screen grab from today’s live press briefing
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama has turned over the mayoral functions of the city back to Mayor Edgardo Labella on August 19, 2021.
“I am happy that my dear friend and partner is back. Our Mayor Edgar Labella is here to lead us, especially in the middle of heightened restrictions caused by the surge of the Delta variant and the threat of Lambda of the ongoing pandemic,” said the vice mayor.
He asked the mayor to look into the Carbon Market modernization deal with Megawide Construction Corp. and the garbage problems of the city.
Rama has remained unconvinced of the Megawide joint venture agreement (JVA), saying that there are too many issues covering the properties of Carbon Market.
He recently received communication from the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA), saying that the ownership of the some of the properties touched by the JVA were disputed.
Rama said he hoped that Labella would look into these issues before the Carbon modernization project would move further.
Aside from this, Rama appeals to Labella to investigate the garbage management of the city after the City Council found out that the P402 million budget for hauling and disposal of garbage had nearly been depleted.
The Department of Public Services (DPS) has asked for P100 million as additional budget, drawing the ire of councilors who said the city is already spending too much on garbage.
The council has ordered the City Treasurer’s Office to stop releasing funds to the hauling contractor of the city pending the investigations.
Rama said that as he sat as acting mayor of the city for more than a month, these were the issues that he found that would need immediate attention.
As for COVID-19 response, the vice mayor said he hoped Labella would continue the Oplan Puyo to reduce the cases of COVID-19 in the city.
”As I revert back to my elected role as Vice Mayor, we continue our duty, as mandated by the City Council with the imprimatur of our Mayor, as convenor of the Vaccination Board and Task Force tasked to roll out our COVID Vaccination Rollout Program (CVSRP),” said Rama.
The first session the vice mayor will preside over for his return to the council will be a special session for garbage today, August 19, 2021.
RELATED STORIES
Labella to return to work on Aug 19.
Acting Mayor Rama prepares EO for MECQ extension
Tricities under MECQ, Cebu Province under GCQ with heightened restrictions until August 31
CCPO suggests ‘One Entrance, One Exit’ in Carbon Public Market
Megawide welcomes House probe on Carbon market: We have nothing to hide
City Treasurer told: Temporarily stop payment to Inayawan transfer station contractor
Environmental groups appeal to Cebu City gov’t: Solve garbage crisis
/dbs