Rama says Singapore trip is official business, not vacation

Cebu City chief executive also revealed that flood solution was also top agenda

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama | Screengrab from Cebu City News and Information

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama clarified that his recent Singapore trip was an official business and not a vacation, and the city did not spend a single cent for it.

He clarified this during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Jan. 29 and during a press conference that took place on the same day.

According to the city’s public information office (PIO), Rama said that the trip was already planned a long time ago together with businessman Hans Sy.

“Ang maong pag-adto usa ka benchmarking o pagkat-on sa maayong mga lihok ug mugna sa Singapore,” the PIO said.

Furthermore, the PIO said that Rama also went around some areas in Singapore where the facilities for flood control and waste management were situated.

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“Ako gyung gikumbinsi si Hans Sy [I told him], ‘Hans, mangadto ta’g Singapore. I want you to see aron di nana mobalik ang baha diha sa SM City, Mahiga Creek, ug naay umaabot nga baha nga mupadong didto sa SRP ug mahurot nang mga tawo diha sa lapyahan sa South District. Naa sad ang imohang SM Seaside,’” Rama said during the flag ceremony.

The PIO added that Rama said he is hopeful the Sy family would help in solving the flooding in the city.

Meanwhile, Rama said in a press conference on Monday that there is already an “available technology” to solve the problem of flooding.

He also said that part of solving the flooding in the city is allocating a budget for it, saying that it was the purpose of the budget.

“It will cover all and nothing should enter in my pocket,” Rama said during the presser.

READ: Pagasa: Flooding in parts of Mindanao due to trough of LPA