Rama wants lease review between city, Parian center

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants the City Legal Office to review the 1989 lease contract between City Hall and the Children of Cebu Foundation Inc. that runs the Parian Drop-in Center for streetkids.

In yesterday’s press conference, Rama showed reporters a copy of the lease contract between the city government represented by then-mayor Tomas Osmeña and the foundation represented by his wife, Councilor Margot Osmeña.

“Is it right that the ones signing the contract of lease are husband and wife? That’s conjugal partnership,” Rama said.

The 1989 contract covers the 50-year lease of a 1,358-square-meter lot, part of which is where the Parian Drop-in Center stands, for only P1 a year.

The lot is owned by City Hall.

Aside from the lease contract, Rama also ordered the legal office and his chief of staff lawyer Dominic Dino to look into how the city can help develop the facility.

Government funds
Rama cited the recent ruling by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the case of former congresswoman Clavel Asas-Martinez in relation to the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) funds in 2014.

In her report, Dr. Ester Concha, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said the COA ruling prevents the city from funding the facility.

“Since its president Margarita Osmeña is a councilor, COA rules that no government funds will be allowed to be used for the foundation as per COA ruling on Clavel Asas-Martinez case on GSP funds in 2014,” Concha said in her report.

Rama also said the Parian Drop-in Center is also home to the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children, an umbrella group of over 20 non-government organizations engaged in children’s welfare advocacies.

But when Rama asked his secretary Belinda Navascues whether the task force is a City Hall commission or not, she said it’s also an NGO. Osmeña is also a member of the task force.

Roundup
“Where can the city come in? This is a good project. We just have to keep things in order,” Rama said.

Rama wants to develop the Parian Drop-in Center after last week’s roundup of street children found to be staying in shanties under bridges in barangays Mabolo and Banilad.

While there’s a facility being built in barangay Labangon, Rama said it’s also good to look into existing facilities like the one in Parian which he visited last Monday.

Asked about Rama’s plans, Osmeña said they should just go ahead with it. She said the lease was signed even before the COA issued its ruling.

“The city should just improve the Community Scouts because it’s city-operated unlike the Parian Drop-in Center which is private,” the councilor said.
Concha’s review of the facility also showed that the city is subsidizing the salaries of three guards on 24-hour duty for three shifts and one driver.