JVR, Talisay council reconcile on budget

SEEKING DIVINE GUIDANCE. Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes (right) prays after the press conference together with his son, City Administrator John Yre delos Reyes (center) and Councilor Val Elanan. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes said he has reconciled “in principle” with the Talisay City Council on the reduced budget approved for this year after a dialogue was mediated by the Cebu provincial government.

“In order to achieve the purpose I wish to achieve, we both humbled ourselves,” he said, referring to himself and Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante.

In yesterday’s press conference, he said he also listened to the council’s opposition to accommodating Cebu City’s garbage in the Talisay City landfill.

Mayor delos Reyes said he agrees with them now that Talisay City cannot afford to do it at this time, although he’s not closing the door on the proposal at another time.

Delos Reyes said he refused to “let his horns grow” after realizing that  he couldn’t do much with the 2015 budget that was reduced by the Talisay City Council from P1.081 billion to P539 million.

He said issues between him and Villarante were resolved during the dialogue held at Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale’s office.

Transparent

“No more arguments,” the mayor said. He declined to elaborate.

“There’s nothing I can do. It has already been decided upon. What I can do is try and lift Talisay City out of its poor condition,” de los Reyes said.

Villarante confirmed that the dispute was  resolved.

“We, as per the position of the council, are always willing to give the mayor the money he needs through supplemental budgets,” he said.

Villarante said the mayor promised to be transparent about his requests.

Good terms
During the dialog, they agreed to reopen communication lines.

Villarante said last Monday’s dialogue was the first time he came face to face with the mayor since October last year.

Villarante said he is on good terms with the mayor.

“I am always willing to cooperate with him,” he said. But this doesn’t mean all is well in terms of political alliances.

“It remains open. This doesn’t mean that I’ll be with him during the 2016 elections,” Villarante said.

Understanding
He said he is grateful to the provincial government for facilitating the dialogue.

De los Reyes also clarified that while Talisay City cannot accommodate Cebu City’s garbage at the moment, it doesn’t mean that he refused Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s offer.

“I just hope we (him and Rama) can still maintain that level of understanding and friendship despite all of this,” the mayor said.

Rama earlier threatened to close the South Road Properties (SRP) to Talisay City should they refuse further negotiations.

“We will just have to study first its advantages and disadvantages,” de los Reyes said.

Equipment
Edwin Nierves, Talisay City’s Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) officer, said their evaluation showed that the Talisay City landfill site cannot receive Cebu City’s garbage without additional equipment like backhoes and bulldozers.

A waste-to-energy project was approved by Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes, who signed an agreement with E3 Integrated Solutions. But the project won’t materialize in the next two years.

Once these facilities and equipment are obtained, Nierves said he would personally ask the mayor and the Talisay City Council to accept Cebu City’s offer.