Mayor Tomas Osmeña stands side by side with his nephew, newly appointed Cebu City Councilor Renato “Junjun” Osmeña Jr., when the latter paid a courtesy call on the mayor, Monday.
Contributed photo/Anne Margarette Florita
FIRST DAY OF WORK
As he enters the halls of City Hall today for his first-ever Cebu City Council session as newly appointed councilor, Renato “Junjun” Osmeña Jr. said he will bring with him a mission — unity at City Hall.
Osmeña immediately made this clear as he went to visit the office of his uncle, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, yesterday afternoon to make a courtesy call.
In a photo posted by a staffer of Councilor Joel Garganera on Facebook, the two Osmeñas could be seen standing close together in a photo with their smiles wide open.
“What you see in the picture, that’s how it is. I told him I’m here for a courtesy call because you’re the head of City Hall. I’m here to offer my services to you. I told him I don’t want to listen to any intrigues. I’m here to work,” Junjun said of his meeting with the mayor.
Junjun also paid courtesy calls to Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and other members of the City Council yesterday.
The younger Osmeña was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella who resigned after being appointed commissioner of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) seventh division.
Although an Osmeña, Junjun is allied with Barug Team Rama, the rival party of the mayor’s Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).
“I told him my mandate as councilor is to help the people and the City of Cebu. Let’s put the politics aside. I believe the mayor has good intentions for the City of Cebu. And I want to be part of it,” he said.
Junjun revealed that the mayor asked him what committees he would like to handle in the City Council where committee chairmanships are currently under his BO-PK allies.
Junjun narrated that he told the mayor about some committees that he was interested in as well as how Councilor Dave Tumulak asked him to provide assistance in the preparations for Sinulog 2018.
“If the mayor will say I should help, then why not?” Junjun said.
Junjun earlier disclosed that he is interested in heading the committee on traffic and transportation and the committee on public order and safety.
Having previously worked with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for 23 years, Junjun also wants to be part of the ad hoc committee for Pagcor funds, which reviews the city’s charges and use of the funds.
But while Junjun is already eyeing these committees, his allies in Barug Team Rama said that they still do not have immediate plans to call for a revamp of the committee chairmanships in the City Council.
With the entry of Junjun, the City Council currently now has eight Barug Team Rama members and eight BO-PK members. Vice Mayor Labella, who presides over the council, could break the tie as he is allied with Barug Team Rama.
Junjun plans to temporarily share offices with either Councilor Garganera or Councilor Raymond Garcia while the vacated office of Councilor Abella was still being “fixed” for his standards.
The younger Osmeña also plans to retain the staff members of Abella until their current contracts expire.
In today’s council session, Junjun said he will deliver a privilege speech but for the most part observe the proceedings as a first-time councilor and politician.
“I want to be productive. And I want to bring in unity. My coming into the city is to bring unity. So I will do that. I want them to see that I am the nephew of the mayor and I’m from a different party. Just to make the council understand that we should just work hand in hand,” Junjun said.
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