VM Garcia bares legislative agenda for 16th Cebu City Council

By: Delta Dyrecka Letigio - 2 years ago

Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia vows to push for the legislative agenda that will support the vision of Mayor Michael Rama for a Singapore-like Cebu City.

Garcia said in his Inaugural speech that the 16th Sangguniang Panglungsod, or the City Council, will aim for ordinances that would push for the development of the city.

“Our mayor, being the captain of the ship, needs all of us to be steering in the same direction so we can reach our destination of a livable and sustainable world class Cebu City. And that is the task that the 16th Sangunniang Panlungsod will set sail to do,” said the vice mayor.

One of Garcia’s priority is the establishment of the long-awaited Cebu City College, which was promised by late former mayor, Edgardo Labella, but was not realized in his term.

“We will build that school by enabling the law that will establish it,” he added.

The City Council will also be pushing for more scholarship programs and providing accessibility to the marginalized sector for quality education.

The vice mayor, who chairs the committee on housing gave emphasis on providing quality homes for the marginalized sectors through more medium rise buildings (MRBs) turned socialized housing in the city.

The City Council also aspires to provide legislation that would develop the city while protect the environment.

Garcia said they plan to pass the following:

Laws that will further equip and operationalize the Cebu City Medical Center and open satellite hospitals in Cebu City’s Hillyland.
Laws that will institutionalize our quarterly cleanups and our reforestation and greening initiatives;
Laws that will institutionalize the rehabilitation, restoration, and conservation of our rivers, and establish the Cebu City Reef Marine Protected Area;
Laws designed to enhance our present solid waste management and disposal capacities by leveraging new technologies and,
Laws that provide for soils research, other applied studies, and material support that will improve the productivity of our farmers to ensure food security;

“Development, though, must not come at the price of sacrifice to our culture, identity, and history as Cebu City,” said the vice mayor.

Lastly, Garcia said the Council aims for civic participation for all stakeholders in the city through an active council that conducts dialogues and listens to them.

The vice mayor seeks the support of the public in making these dreams possible for Cebu City.

He also called for unity in the City Council and to put aside political parties in favor of the city’s progress.

“My fellow legislators, we no longer belong to team BOPK or BARUG or KUSUG or Panaghiusa but rather we all belong to TEAM CEBU CITY united towards a bigger, better, and brighter Cebu City, kuyog ta tanan aron atong i-guarantiya usab ang RESULTA,” said Garcia.

/bmjo