Consult mayors, Rama tells DPWH

LOCAL officials should be consulted before the implementation of national government projects, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.

Rama reacted to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson’s appeal to the public not to vote for politicians who block or bicker in terms of implementing projects.

“If it is a program that is not in line with what is needed by the LGUs (local government units), definitely the LGUs will have all the right to stop (it). They should know that the Local Government Code has a provision that every program by the national (government) should carry the concurrence of the mayor and the sanggunian,” Rama told reporters yesterday.

“So, Singson should be careful in his utterance because he is not a local government official, and, more so, he is not a lawyer,” he said.

In a recent forum in Cebu, Singson said one of the reasons for delayed or unimplemented national-funded projects is the disagreement between the administration and opposing parties.

Singson said that people should not vote for these politicians.

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City government is asking the DPWH to give financial assistance to the families living under the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge, who are affected by the clearing operations.

Tony Pet Juanico, Mandaue City Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO) chief,  said that since it’s a national project, the DPWH 7 will be the one to give the assistance.

Juanico cited the Cansaga Bridge project where the DPWH provided the financial assistance to affected families.

Last Wednesday, DPWH 7 legal officer Manuel Elijah Sarausal said that they still have to study the issue.