LAHUG SWINGS TO BO-PK

Mary Ann, barangay leaders join Osmeña

The barangay hall of Lahug was alive yesterday with colors of blue and green, with a new slogan that  “We’re OK”.

Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann de los  Santos didn’t just announce her decision to join the ranks of former nemesis Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK), she brought the entire Lahug barangay council with her.

Her exit from the camp of Mayor Michael Rama places a dense urban barangay of 20,000 voters in  the potential hold of his main rival Tomas Osmeña.

“Today, I declare my acceptance to the invitation of the BO-PK to be part of their family and with this declaration I vow to work hard, hand in hand with my new family so that we could make Cebu

City proud once again and truly worthy of being called the Queen City of the South,” DeLos Santos told supporters.

The three-story barangay hall was packed with supporters  – mostly women’s groups, senior citizens and barangay employees – who cheered the move. Widescreen TVs on each floor spotlighted the event.

Osmeña, his wife Councilor Margot Osmeña and BO-PK members in the council showed up in the same blue-green sports shirt that Delos  Santos and Lahug councilors were wearing with the words “We’re OK” and the Type O symbol of the BO-PK on the chest.

Tomas joked that it was the first time in 21 years that he and wife Margot set foot in the Lahug barangay hall and felt “welcome.”

The word “OK” is shorthand in pre-Martial Law Cebu politics for “Osmeña Kami”, the campaign slogan of supporters of  Tommy’s father, former mayor Serging Osmeña in the 1960s.

Delos Santos, a Lahug barangay captain for 19 years before she ran for councilor under Team Rama in 2013, had faced off before with Tomas Osmeña in a heated mayoralty race in 2007.

She said she went through a long process of consultations with her family, closest friends and barangay Lahug constituents  before she decided to leave Team Rama.

Along with her defection to BO-PK, Lahug barangay captain Jovito Taborada Jr. and all barangay councilmen also declared they were accepting the  BO-PK invitation.

‘NOT FOR SALE’

Before she stood at the podium to declare her  acceptance, Tomas in a speech repeated the BO-PK’s invitation to her and the rest of the barangay.

“I’m here to look ahead with the rest of you. And we are here to extend a formal invitation to councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos and the members of the entire barangay council. I would like to invite you to join us in the BO-PK family,” Osmeña said.

He said that those who join BO-PK don’t pledge allegiance to him or anyone in particular.

Tomas, former congressman of Cebu city’s south district, said he was impressed with Delos Santos’ “principles” when she declined offers from Team Rama  to run for vice mayor just to keep her in the group.

“Mayor Rama has P8 billion in cash and every other barangay official wants to join his administration. And I can see who the real Mary Ann is. She asked for no conditions. And to say it very simply, Mary Ann Delos Santos is not for sale. Barangay Lahug is not for sale,” Osmeña said.

Delos Santos will run as a city councilor under BO-PK in next year’s election with Osmeña as mayor.

Last Monday, she resigned as minority floor leader of the Cebu City Council in a privilege speech.

She said she could no longer take the  “character assassination and bullying” over decisions she made “with my conscience” but which “don’t sit well with the administration.”

Her latest divergence was joining the  BO-PK 10-3 vote in the council urging Mayor Michael Rama not to proceed with awarding winning bidders in the auction of two lots of the South Road Properties (SRP) due to questions about the legality of the public bidding.

For her part, Margot recalled how she and Delos Santos bridged the gap when they were on opposite camps in the council in 2013.

“Eventually, we realized, first comes respect. Respect for each other, then friendship. Then a shared vision of what we are there for. A shared vision and dream for our city. So,  Mary Ann, thank you for sharing that dream, thank you for sharing that vision. Thank you for making a stand,” she said.

Both councilors exchanged hugs. Tomas also had his turn with Mary Ann.

ASSURANCE

In her speech, Delos Santos recalled that from the start, as lone councilor for the north district under Team Rama, it wasn’t easy to work in a city council  dominated by BO-PK councilors although she was optimistic since the mayor and vice mayor were Team Rama.

“First it went fine. But, unfortunately, things turned around and began to turn sour. As time went by, I began to notice one thing. The people who I didn’t know from the heart, people who I only knew by name because they were the people who belong to the other side, they were the very people who stood beside me and offered me a hand to cling to,” she said.

Delos Santos was the target of  criticism over her role in scuttling the lowest bidder in the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), which didn’t sit well with Mayor Rama,  and the demolition of the old hospital building.

When she resigned last Monday, she lamented in a privilege speech that she felt “alone and betrayed” when Team Rama allies didn’t come to her defense when she was the target of “bullying” and “character assassination.”

Barangay Lahug suffered in terms of projects and services during the term of Osmeña as mayor due to their political differences.

For this reason, Delos Santos said she was hesitant about leaving Team Rama and becoming allies with Osmeña, and had to consult her barangay constituents.

“Wala koy laing ikapasalig kaninyo, kon dili (I can’t assure you of anything else but) I will not do anything to put barangay Lahug in danger. Akong gipangayo ninyong tanan inyong salig kanako (I’m asking you to trust me). In my 21 years of public service, I have not jeopardized barangay Lahug. Bisan og mo-tapon ko sa pamilyang BO-PK (Even if I go with the BO-PK family), I will not lose my identity as Mary Ann Delos Santos. I will stand by my principles and beliefs in the name of public service,” she said.

Other BO-PK leaders present were north district Rep. Raul Del Mar and south district Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa.

All nine BO-PK councilors in the City Council were also there: Margot, Nestor Archival Sr., Alvin Dizon, Sisinio Andales, Nida Cabrera, Lea Japson, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Alvin Arcilla and Roberto Cabarrubias.