Rama: ‘Singapore-like Cebu City with Melbourne features, Taiwan training’

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. CDN Digital photo | Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines – “Singapore-like Cebu City with Melbourne features and Taiwan training.”

City Mayor Michael Rama could not help but express that he was impressed with Taiwan during their first day at the Smart City Summit and Expo (SCSE) in the country, especially regarding its road features, particularly their wide sidewalks.

Rama left Cebu City on March 18 to attend the SCSE to be held in Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

READ: Rama to attend ‘Smart City’ expo in Taiwan next week

Rama said that there was nothing wrong with emulating other countries for inspiration in city development since he argued that the “world is now into sharing, [is] interconnected, and innovation-sharing.”

“It [the sidewalk] is so huge. You might be wondering, inig-abot nako diha Singapore-like with Melbourne [features] and Taiwan training,” Rama expressed.

(It [the sidewalk] is so huge. You might be wondering, that when you reach Singapore-like with Melbourne [features] and Taiwan training.)

READ: Rama: 2025 election candidates ‘must not be mentally dishonest’

During his Ing’na Mayor teleradyo program via Sugbuanon Channel on Tuesday, March 19, Rama, who is out of the country as of press time, praised Taiwan for its extensive road infrastructure capable of accommodating at least three vehicles abreast.

He suggested that while it might be possible for Cebu City to emulate Taiwan and become a smart city, ongoing political bickering among politicians, particularly regarding the removal of skywalks, could hinder this progress.

He expressed concern that such comments made by several personalities were not in line with the concept of being “smart.”

“Taiwan is a smart city… Kita? I don’t know… Kanang uban diha smart ba na? Ilang hunahuna pagbutang og skywalk, naa sa sidewalk, smart ba na? Nagbuhat tag skywalk mismong PWD, senior citizen dili kaagi, smart ba na?” Rama said.

(Taiwan is a smart city…We? I don’t know…Others there are you smart now? In their minds, putting a skywalk, its in the sidewalk, is that smart already? We make a skywalk (however) our PWD, senior citizen cannot pass there, is that already smart?)

The mayor also criticized Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who had recently issued a statement calling Rama incompetent regarding the issue.

He suggested that before Osmeña comments on the skywalks, he should first visit them and see the conditions firsthand.

READ: Osmeña criticizes Rama’s plan to remove all Cebu City skywalks

The mayor mentioned that the skywalks had unfortunately become locations for people to discard waste like feces, and also serve as sleeping quarters for mendicants.

Earlier, Rama proposed the removal of the remaining skywalks in Cebu City, expressing his belief that these structures no longer served their intended purpose and were no longer effective.

This is primarily because many individuals, particularly Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens, are unable to climb stairs to access them.

Moreover, the mayor noted that the skywalks have encroached upon the street space, limiting the usability of sidewalks by pedestrians.

The SCSE, with a theme focused on “Digital and Green Transformation,” is the largest “hybrid smart city trade show featuring Internet of Things (IoT) solutions,” according to its official website.

Following his visit to Taipei, Rama will go to Kaohsiung for the Smart Kaohsiung Digital and Green Transformation, an expert exhibition centered on Internet of IoT solutions, which is scheduled for March 21–23.