Capitol dads defer their support again

For the second time the Cebu Provincial Board deferred approval of a resolution supporting a proposed roadmap study for sustainable urban development in Metro Cebu.

Members said they need to understand better the study proposal of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“We need your endorsement to move forward with the updating of the master plan for the whole province of Cebu,” said Dominica CHua, chief operations officer of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).

The study will flesh out the vision of a Mega Cebu in priority projects for the short to long term up to 2050.

Gov. Hilario Davide III is chairman of the Mega Cebu Board which includes 13 towns and city mayors, national agencies and private sector representatives.

At the start of the weekly PB session, PB Member Alex Binghay asked RAFI what would happen after they endorse the resolution.

RAFI is the secretariat of the Mega Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB).

Last week Binghay of Balamban town and three other PB members expressed concern that other parts of Cebu were left out of the roadmap stuy.

The metropolis covers local government units from Carcar City to Danao City, including Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu City and Cordova town.

Chua explained that the JICA roadmap study is a project that includes the updating of the integrated development master plan of Cebu province, first crafted by JICA in 1994.

The study will be undertaken by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). Since it is second on the list of flagship projects, it will be implemented between this year and 2017.

The Capitol’s Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) will take part as well.

“The first time we came here to ask the governor to be part of the MCDCB, we promised that development will not only be for Metro Cebu. It will be for the whole Cebu,” said Chua.

MCDCB is chaired by Governor Davide co-chaired by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and businessman Roberto Aboitiz.

Chua said that the master plan crafted in 1994 includes 17 volumes.

“It includes everything since the province of Cebu has a wide coverage. It includes plans on road networks, links, ports, development and growth centers,” she added.

When will it “see the light of day” asked PB Member Peter John Calderon.

Chua replied that this will depend on the pace of NEDA and PPDO but from experience, it takes five months to craft a new TOR while the update may take one year and six months.

Calderon also asked about unding, saying that the Mega Cebu roadmap also entails “mega” funding.

“My concern is that Mega Cebu will get all the funding, leaving out other areas in the province. We might be forced to help pay loans but the direct benefits are not felt by the people in the south, north, and west,” he said.

The RAFI representative said that funding will come from the concerned line agency. It may also come from the LGU, the province, or the private sector.

Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado, who appeared in yesterday’s session, said her town worked closely with the private sector. Alegado said JICA gave $2 million for a study plan for the development of Consolacion. Five years later, the plan is ready for approval and not a centavo from the provincial government was spent.

“The endorsement is needed for us to move on to other parts of the province,” said Alegado, who sits in the MCDCB board.

PB Members Sun Shimura of Cebu’s 4th district suggested that the prposed Trans-axial Highway be included in the update of Cebu’s development master plan.

Another meeting with PB members is set on Thursday to discuss the JICA study in more detail.