EDITORIAL - Cutting ties

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña released no concrete explanation why the city decided to leave the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB) or the Mega Cebu. He must be too confident the city can move on and achieve development on its own, even without the backing of the board.

Mega Cebu's main goal is for all local government units in the metro to unite for sustainable progress, aiming to gather the public and the private sectors together to solve issues such as the worsening traffic and the dilapidated drainage system, among others.

Just like the Metro Manila Development Authority in the Capital, the MCDCB, once it is officially operational, will become a driving force behind Metro Cebu's journey toward a coordinated economic development. 

But Osmeña seems to have other priorities, deciding that it is better for the city to stand alone and solve its own issues. But other than announcing that Cebu City is cutting ties with the Mega Cebu, the mayor leaves a question as to the real score in his decision given his lack of definite explanation.

Osmeña seems to have ideas that are only applicable to the city that further consultation with the board is no longer necessary. However, as to what those ideas are, only the mayor knows.

In order for Cebu City to continue its ties with the Mega Cebu, the City Council approved a resolution authorizing Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella to represent the council to the board. But Labella cannot decide for the city during Mega Cebu meetings since he has no authority from Osmeña, only rendering his board participation useless.

As returning Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas puts it, the Cebu City Council's act of sending Labella to the MCDCB is highly inappropriate and questionable without the city government's approval.

Of course, it's Osmeña's call and his decision was well within the bounds of his authority being the mayor. But whether he made the right decision remains to be seen.