Team Rama councilors won’t get chairmanships

CEBU, Philippines - None of the Team Rama councilors who voluntarily resigned from their committee chairmanships ahead of the impending City Council reorganization will be given a committee.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña, whose allies in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan now dominate the council, reiterated his earlier pronouncement that he will not allow any Team Rama councilor to get a committee.

The mayor said that giving up their committee chairmanships was the only thing left for the opposition councilors after the BOPK got the majority following Councilor Jerry Guardo’s transfer.

He said that the new development will already allow his administration to pass measures for the betterment of the city.

Among the legislative measures that he wanted passed by the City Council are the sale of at least three hectares of land at the South Road Properties and the establishment of a one hectare transfer station at the controversial landfill in Barangay Inayawan.

“Michael Rama and the group of Team Rama have not demonstrated any ability to build the city over the past six years, together with Mega Cebu, together with Mike Dino (Presidential Assistant for the Visayas), zero… maayo lang sila sa pagdaot ba,” he said.

The mayor, however, said it would be up to his allies in the council whether they will allow the opposition to get committee memberships.

“Chairmanship? No…I think so, pwede (referring to the memberships), I don’t care what they get, my mind doesn’t revolve to them,” Osmeña said.

All Team Rama councilors resigned from their respective committees last Tuesday. The council elected Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña as the new majority floor leader.

Margot said they will have the reorganization on July 4 in time for the inaugural session.

Margot said they have yet to decide on the distribution of the committee chairmanships among the BOPK members.

Former mayor Michael Rama refused to comment on the new development.

“When we talk about Team Rama they are gentlemen enough, they are in principle. I don’t want to add up as to whether they discussed the matter to me but in the end of the day I’m very proud of Barug Team Rama,” he said.

The Team Rama councilors who voluntarily resigned from their committees are: Jocelyn Pesquera, committee on budget and finance and committee on women and family affairs; Raymond Alvin Garcia (committee on markets and committee on laws, ordinances, and styling); Joel Garganera (committee on environment, energy, transportation, communication, and other utilities); James Cuenco (chairman of oversight committee and committee on trade, tourism, local and international relations, arts and culture); Pastor “Jun”Alcover (committee on agriculture and rural development and committee on labor, employment, cooperative and livelihood); Eduardo Rama (committee on public services and committee on information and communication technology); Jose Daluz III (committee on social services); and Phillip Zafra (committee on ethics, public accountability and good government and committee on barangay affairs.) (FREEMAN)