Cebu City Mayor Michael Lopez Rama
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama remains committed to his steadfast vision of transforming Cebu City into a place similar to Singapore, but he also wants to incorporate a touch of Melbourne.
According to Mayor Rama, he aims to integrate features of Melbourne into his plans for a Singapore-like transformation of Cebu City, viewing Melbourne as a model of holistic development encompassing aspects such as culture, arts, accessibility, and wellness.
“It’s still Singapore but with Melbourne features. I never fell in love until I came to Melbourne. Holistic siya ba; culture, arts, accessibility, wellness; kompleto gyud siya [Melbourne],” Rama stated.
With this in mind, he wants his administration to “continue [to be] better than before” in 2024.
“Right now, dili pa ko makahatag gyud sa exact assessment sa Singapore-like kay naa pay Sinulog, until it’s over, I will give a percentage,” Rama stated.
He also added that one of his resolutions is to ensure a peaceful and safe holiday.
“All will just have to be careful because we do not wish [to have] many casualties, physical injuries, and deaths due to firecrackers,” Rama said in a phone interview on Tuesday, December 26.
He mentioned that the most special happening for him in 2023 was spending time with his family.
“I’ve been with my family. [It’s] a situation [that] cannot be changed,” he said.
Meanwhile, in light of the budget reduction from 100 billion to 22 billion, Rama stated that he has not received the official transcript of record for the corresponding ordinance.
However, he mentioned that he would conduct a review once the document is received.
He also added, “Even though the budget has already been approved and slashed, there is a provision that I would like to review to ensure effective management and to address all areas of concern approximately.”
Rama said that he would not always prioritize thinking about the budget; instead, he prefers focusing on generating ideas, designing, and then implementing them.
Mayor Michael Rama took a one-month vacation leave on October 31 to visit Australia.
He recently returned on December 16.
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