Cortes next goal: Mandaue congressional district

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said the next  mayor who follows him should sustain the gains of his administration because much remains to be done.

Cortes said he was open to running for a seat in Congress next year, which  dovetailed with his priority list of next steps.

“First, make Mandaue City a lone congressional district. Second is the reclassification of lots, among others,” he told reporters.

“There are many options. In fact, there is a plan of the Liberal Party to swap. I’m open to it because there are many things to do to help Mandaue City,” he said.

Cortes said he would support 6th district Rep. Luigi Quisumbing if he runs for Mandaue mayor next year.

Cortes said he would announce his plans  “when the time comes. Trabaho lang usa ta (We’ll just work first).”

Local government and business leaders hailed Mayor Jonas Cortes for ushering in progress in  Mandaue City which was highlighted in his State of the City Address on Wednesday.

“Mayor Cortes accomplished so much for Mandaue. His accomplishments are unprecedented;  Mandauehanons should be  very proud of him and  what he stands (for),” Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district said comparing Mandaue City of 2007, when the mayor started his term, to what it is now was  as different as night and day.

“It’s a testament to his vision, his leadership and of course to the industry of every Mandauehanon that he has worked in the last nine years to make Mandaue a place, as he said, to live, work and play,” he said.

He said Cortes’ biggest accomplishment was “restoring the confidence of the private sector in the city government.”

“When he first started his term,  there was distrust between the government and the private sector which resulted in lower business confidence, but Mayor Jonas completely turned it around to the point that Mandaue is booming,” he said.

Donato Busa, president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI),  confirmed the mayor’s support for the business community.

“Mandaue Chamber was with him. The mayor has been very appreciative and supportive; we are happy nga dili bitaw mi niya gibaliwala (he did not set aside our concerns) especially sa traffic,” he said.

The mayor’s last SOCA was delivered  in the Mandaue city sports complex.

Cortes later told reporters that he was open to running for a seat in Congress next year.

Gains

Cortes said he hopes the next mayor  sustains the gains of his administration.

“As government officials, we’re not perfect, exactly why we are more  consultative. Some may have good ideas, and we can meet half way. This is exactly what the city slogan ‘I am Mandaue’ is all about,” he said.