Getting in the way

Think Bits

I find  amusing the letter of the Regional Development Council (RDC) to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama asking for his support and appealing that he not object to the number of road projects endorsed by the RDC 7 for funding from the national government.

I had a talk with Mayor Rama about his position on DPWH  projects. He told me the  problem has always been that the DPWH implements projects without informing or consulting the city government which is contrary to the Local Government Code’s principle of local autonomy.

I guess many support the mayor’s position on this. This has  been a common  practice of  national agencies – neglecting and ignoring the local government officials in deciding and implementing  projects of the agencies.

Mayor Rama is just articulating the sentiments of many local government units. Hopefully this practice of  national agencies would be corrected.

In the case of projects submitted by the RDC 7 that went through  study and deliberation of the Japan Internaitonal Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the widening of  some roads in Cebu City and the need for flared intersections intersections, I  do not see any objection from the mayor. He’s  been  espousing road widening and flared intersections from the start.

I  suggest that this early the RDC 7 informs the mayor  ahead of  projects so that the city executive is kept updated for coordination.  What the mayor is asking is  simple courtesy from the national government. How would you  feel as a house owner if somebody fixes part of the building  without telling you?

Eventually the local government unit suffers the brunt of these uncoordinated  projects initiated and implemented by the national agencies.

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Cebu City Councilor Bebs Andales of the BO-PK has raised an issue about the city mayor’s secretary soliciting bottled water from a   water company for distribution to the audience  during the mayor’s State of the City Address.

He said this action on behalf of the mayor was  equivalent to  graft. I think the issue is valid but at the same time trivial.

Former city councilor Ernesto Elizondo is donating 7,000 bottles of drinking water  in order to douse water on the non-issue.

Councilor Andales  recently showed his true color in opposing the effort of the mayor to sell part of the South Road Properties to interested buyers by questioning this time the resolution passed by the City Council  that authorized the mayor to sell part of the SRP.

Andales said a mere resolution cannot supersede an ordinance passed by the City Council.

It is best for Andales not to object this time because the process is ongoing  with some interested corporationss showing interest  to join  the bidding for the SRP lot sale – if he is  truly looking after the welfare and interests of city residents. Because if he is only after the interest of his political party, this shows they just don’t  want the mayor and the people of Cebu City to enjoy the benefits of the sale of SRP property.

I’d like to humbly remind Andales that the SRP property is not owned by the BO-PK but by the people of the city of Cebu.

Please allow the public to share in the windfall of the SRP property. The people have had their share of suffering. During the term of  the incumbent mayor, the budget spending was basically concentrated on payment of  the loan  amortization and  interest on the SRP project.

It is hoped that  BO-PK councilors help the city government and let the  people share the benefits that accrue in the sale of SRP lots.