Rama: Carbon modernization will continue

The modernization of the Carbon Market is expected to go full blast with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama gaining a new mandate. | CDN Digital File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor-elect Michael Rama said that the Carbon Modernization Project will push through now that he got a fresh mandate from the people.

He said that even before the elections, he has already assured stakeholders of the continuation of the project even if there are curative measures that he wanted to pass over the controversial Joint Venture Agreement (JVA).

The JVA between the city government and Megawide Construction Corp. became a controversial debate before the elections as vendor groups persisted in opposing the project.

“Naa na koy gibuhat dinha. Ako ng gitagaan og direction si Racquel Arce, akon

g giinvolve si Attorney Collin Rosel, Barangay Ermita, ug si Erwin Gok-ong. Tuloy ang whatever should supposed to be done in Carbon Market,” said Rama.

Arce, the current market administrator, said in previous statements that the transfer of vendors from Freedom Park and Warwick Barracks to the new interim market has been temporarily suspended due to the recent elections.

Rama said that under his upcoming term, he wants everything about the Megawide project in Carbon to be completed according to timeline.

However, he no longer wants any dialogue with the vendors because he believes that the project has been exhaustingly debated yet the JVA stand and can no longer be rescinded unless a court order said so.

Instead, he wants a smooth implementation of the project with the cooperation of the vendors, that is why he is bringing in Erwin Goc-ong, the president of CEMVEDCO, one of the major vendor groups in Carbon.

“The matter has been exhausted before even before elections. I’m a lawyer, I’m not a man who is in a hurry, I believe in the rule of law. The greater good for the greater number, that is what I will be performing as mayor. I mean it, I really mean it,” he said.

As of now, Rama is once again appealing to the City Council to pass the supplemental Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) before the 15th Sangguniang Panglungsod ends.

The mayor said he does not understand why the supplemental MOA for the JVA remains unpassed until now.

He urged outgoing Vice Mayor Donaldo Honitveros and incoming Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia to pass it before June 30, 2022.     /rcg

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